Raining Marshmallows Compilation
by Rainy Ravenclaw
Summary: A bunch of my old stories I found on an SD card. Unedited, uninhibited, unbelievable insanity lies within! A fic where all reviews, and flames, are welcome! Think of this dump as review catharsis! Most, but not all, stories here are HP based, featuring a female Harry! Read, review, mock, and enjoy! Because sometimes we just need a laugh, even at ourselves!
1. Compelation Forward

A/N

Greetings. Long story short, I found an old SD card full of random stories I wrote years ago. I'm still not past my writer's block and have lots of random plot bunnies/brain bugs distracting me. That in mind, I figure I'll just post a compelation of all my old ideas on here for giggles.

Please don't take any of these too seriously. These isdeas are ld, corny as hell, and poorly written to boot. However, they're almost fun to read, (some of them,) in a cringy sort of way. If they can get someone thinking, amuse people, or make others feel better about their vastly superior writing that's totally fine with me! Seriously!

These stories are mostly all Harry Potter fics, with some crossovers, and also some that have nothing to do with Harry Potter. There's a lot of crazy crapp in here! We've got a little Holes, some Major Payne, some Fairly Odd Parents… yeah… I told you this stuff is random!

You should note that I'm posting these stories entirely unedited, basically just as I found them. This means the spelling, grammar, and word use will NOT be anything close to perfect. In fact, I'm visually impaired, so I wrote these in a special Braille note taking device I had at the time. This means some bits didn't translate perfectly. If you see a 'com"' at the end of quotation marks, that's supposed to be a '-"', as if the speaker was getting cut off or was trailing off. I see no need to edit all these, as they're going nowhere and I'm just posting them for amusement.

I'd be happy to see your reviews/candid reactions. They should amuse me. I seriously don't care if you go like "Man, you really suck as a writer here" or something like that. Also, your reviews/reactions might get me thinking and somehow inspire me. Seriously, you can just use this whole darn thing as a sort of review catharsis. Flames are welcome. I might get rather embarrassed, and there's no guarantee I'll respond, but have at it! Roast the little marshmallows!

Seriously, this is all in good fun and I hope you are able to cobble together some small semblance of enjoyment from my prior insanity! For those curious, I am currently trying to work on Firefly's Rise, so hopefully I'll have a chapter for you in the next month or so! Have a great day/week/month/life, everybody!

-Rainy Ravenclaw OUT!-


	2. A Cinderella Story

A Cinderella Story

An attempt to create a mashup of Harry Potter with the Hilary Duff movie A Cinderella Story. (Cringe!)

Summary: Magic exists but is known to everyone, even Muggles. Magical folk have integrated themselves into the Muggle world coming up with schools for the magical and having their government attach itself to the Muggle government as a department, somewhat different but the same. This story takes place in America. Their's the same characters and a similar plot but this is far different. Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is now Hogwarts High of California. The prophecy regarding Voldemort was not made until our protagonist was five years old. Instead of attacking when our protagonist was one, Voldemort attacks five years after that on Halloween.

Chapter One: Lily

I was born in the beautiful San Fernando Valley in the town of Godric's Hollow on July 31, 1990. My parents names are Lily and James Potter and my name is Lilyanna Jamie Potter. When I was five a prophecy was made about me and Voldemort, how one of us must kill the other: Peter Pettigrew betrayed my parents when I was six and Voldemort attacked. Mom was pregnant with my little brother, Harry, who was not able to be saved. Dad died first, I remember everything. Mom gave me so much more then her name, she gave me her life, she died for me. The avada kedavra bounced back on Voldemort, destroying him for the time being. My parents had no will so my horrible aunt Petunia got left with our house, our brooms, our cars, and to her dismay, _me._ She moved her horsey self right into _my_ parents' house and booted me up to the attic. She and my cousins, Carla and Darla, have treated me like a slave ever since. Lilyanna do the dishes, Lilyanna sweep the floor, Lilyanna vacuum the pool, Lilyanna Lilyanna Lilyanna. Stupid Aunt Petunia, if it weren't for me they might be dead by now with Voldemort and the regime he wanted to put in place. Ah well, being the world's savior can only get you some bonus points. To my dismay, both Carla _and_ Darla were accepted to Hogwarts High. I was hoping they might just, like, go to Hallow's Middle but _nooo,_ they just _had_ to screw with my life, stupid Slytherins. In sixth grade their was the mess with the philosopher's stone, seventh grade the chamber of secrets, eighth grade everything with my dogfather...I mean godfather, freshman year the triwizard tournament and seeing my boyfriend, Cedric, tortured and killed, sophomore year it was Umbridge and Sirius was killed by his cousin, junior year their was everything with the half-blood prince and Dumbledore almost dying. Their was a battle that night and Voldemort was _finally_ dead for good. He was gone, his horcruxes were gone, gone gone gone. Now it was my senior year and I was head girl. The head boy, shock shock, was Draco Malfoy, the bane of my existence.

"Lil, Lil, yoo-hoo, Lily, _LILYANNA!"_ it was my aunt's voice filtering through the Muggle intercom in my attic. I groaned and rubbed at my eyes. What right had she to wake me up at the ungodly hour of 6:30 in the morning?

"M'ere." I said sleepily as I pressed the talk button for the outside intercom.

"Good, it's breakfast time so _BRING_ _ME_ _MY_ _BREAKFAST!"_ my aunt yelled through the intercom. I muttered a string of curse words and went through a list of hexes I could use on the horrible Muggle. I quickly made my bed and got dressed in a pair of jeans, a blue T-shirt, and sneakers. I then went to brush my teeth and wash my face. I looked in the mirror at myself, I'm basically my mum's mirror image except I'm taller then she was and have more of Dad's quiddich build. I also have his smile. My red hair is also like my dad's as far as the way it goes but fortunately it curls more then tangles but the curls do look a bit tangled if I don't care for it just right. It's silky and smooth like Mum's though. My eyes are big and green like hers. The one feature unlike any that my parents had was the lightning-bolt shaped scar right smack dab in the center of my forehead, an eternal reminder of that night almost eleven years ago. I sighed and threw my hair into a ponytail before sticking it through a hole in my blue baseball cap. I wandered back to my room, put on my oval, wire-rimmed glasses, and hefted my school bag onto my shoulder before rushing downstairs. All Aunt Petty would want was cold salmon on crackers anyway. It was after six, thankfully, so I could use magic, she'd never know. All Hogwarts students can use magic only from 6:00 to 6:00 on weekdays and 6:00 to midnight on weekends. I went out of the french doors and onto the patio.

"Their you are, girl. Is that the Norwegian salmon I wanted?" Aunt Petunia asked.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." I said as I handed her the plate of salmon. Carla and Darla were having their synchronized swimming lessons and the coach was shouting orders at them.

"Come on, girls, Lady Liberty, Lady Liberty." he shouted as my ditsy, horse-like, blonde-haired, blue-eyed cousins flailed about like two fish out of water. All of a sudden their was a shriek.

"Eeew, it's warm! You _went_ pee in the _pool?"_ Darla demanded.

"I have a spastic colon!" Carla defended, I had to hide a snicker.

"You have a spastic _brain!"_ Darla said as she splashed her sister. My sides were fit to bursting with my silent laughter. It was a full on splash fight now.

"Aren't my girls just _wonderful?"_ Aunt Petunia asked the coach.

"Lovely!" he said with a grimace that showed otherwise.

"I need you to take the morning shift at the diner today." Aunt Petunia said.

"But Aunt Petunia, I've got a really big potions test. Snape will kill me if I'm late. I need to pass my potions NEWTS if I want to be an auror." I protested.

"Lilyanna Lilyanna Lilyanna. People go to school to get _jobs._ _ You_ already have a job so it's like skipping a step so _get_ _going."_ Aunt Petunia said with a superior smirk. I sighed and headed towards the garage where my Firebolt, a gift from Sirius, was. Half way across the lawn I gave a startled yip as I was drenched in water from the sprinkler. I sighed and turned it off. Just as I was getting back up Aunt Petunia spoke.

"Don't do that, girl, leave those on."

"But Aunt Petunia we're in the middle of a _drought,_ we have to conserve water." I said.

"Come on, do you think J-Lo has brown lawns? Turn them _on!"_ I sighed and did so before rushing towards my firebolt once again. I smiled as I kicked off and let my red hair blow behind me in the wind. Their was nothing like a good flight in my opinion. I landed at the diner which had once been my parents', the Lily Pad, and went inside. I threw on an apron and ran behind the counter. For the next several minutes I was cooking and serving orders when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" it was Mrs. Molly Weasley, the woman who was like my mother in all ways but blood.


	3. Adelaide Firestorm and the Riddle of Tom

Adelaide Firestorm and the Riddle of Tom Riddle

An attempt to create an OC that could somehow save Tom Riddle from becoming Voldemort, and who was also Ravenclaw's heir.

Chapter One: I Knew It

Their was nothing about the Firestorm family that would make one think that they were anything but perfectly normal. Mr. Fillip Firestorm held a job that was high-up in Her Majesty's government giving him the frequent opportunity to rub elbows with, (AKA kis the arses of,) people such as the Prime Minister himself. He was a tall, broad man with dark brown eyes and blonde hair that was slowly thinning and graying, much to his displeasure. Mrs. Felicity Firestorm was the typical doting housewife who showered all of her affection onto her dear twins, eight-year-olds Francis and Francine, also known as Frankie and Frannie, and made the perfect little trophy wife. She had a head of thin, curly brown hair, sharp, pale blue eyes, a rather fat face, overly-full lips, and a large figure. Mr. Firestorm simply called her his "veluptuous, buxom beauty," but others, who shall be named later, simply refered to her as "The fat cat" as she seemed to purr and hiss like only a cat-woman could, or so they said. She wasn't Mr. Firestorm's first wife, oh no, but she was the longest-lasting, nine whole years.

Little Frankie and Frannie weren't the only Firestorm children either, they were just the youngest. The two of them were as identical as one boy twin and one girl twin could possibly be with the barrier of gender to consider. Both of them were short and large like their mother with her pudgy face and fine, curly brown hair. The only features they seemed to get from their father were his dark brown eyes which often glittered with maliciously-intended mischief. Also, their was Frederic, also known as Freddy and Fred, he was the oldest Firestorm child at nearly eighteen. His eyes were a bright, sparkling hazel and his hair was a coppery reddish-brown and always tousled a bit. He was tall and lean with a kind, laughing face and a sprinkling of freckles on his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. His ambition was to enter the royal air force upon high-school graduation, maybe even earlier if necessary and he could trick the recruiters. He was the only product of Mr. Firestorm's marriage to a Freya Coventry whose father was on parlament. That marriage had lasted up until Frederic was three. The next Lion's child was, in both her father and stepmother's oppinion, a very strange girl. Her name was Adelaide and she was the result of a fling between Mr. Firestorm and a woman named Susan Ravenswood between his marriage with Freya and his marriage with Felicity. She was eleven and strange things always seemed to happen to her. If not for the blonde in her hair it wouldn't even be that obvious that she was Mr. Firestorm's daughter at all. Her face was round and kind, she was delicate-looking, one could say petite, her hair was strawberry-blonde, (more strawberry than blonde,) and her eyes were large and a soft blue-gray framed by thick lashes. It is Adelaide, in fact, who this story centers around.

Our story really starts on a perfectly normal sunny day as the six members of the perfectly normal Firestorm family in their perfectly normal summer house in Cornwall sat down to eat a perfectly normal breakfast.

"I say, Father, it's an owl!" Francis exclaimed, pointing his somewhat chubby pink finger out of the large window on the wall behind the table.

"Oh, so it is! Say, father, I thought that owls were _NOCTURNAL,_ not _DIURNAL."_ Francine pointed out, raising her pointed nose into the air just a bit. No-good brats, Adelaide thought to herself. Not only were the twins the most nasty, stuck-up little things she'd ever had the displeasure to know but they were the world's _BIGGEST_ know-it-alls.

"Right you are, Frannie, you certainly know your owls." Fillip laughed proudly.

"I would think it nice to be an owl, wouldn't you? If only to get a bird's-eye view of everything, to see the world in an entirely new way." Adelaide said wistfully.

"Well I wouldn't think it very nice to have to do my own duties in flight, filthy creatures, splatting on whatever they see fit." Francine sniffed.

"Oh I'll splatter you." Adelaide muttered to herself.

"Don't talk to her like that, girl, with that disrespectful mouth of yours." Felicity ordered.

"Yes, Stepmother. But you wouldn't like to be a bird for other reasons now would you, Frannie? Oh no, most certainly not! You wouldn't be able to pick out your little party dresses." Adelaide said somewhat mockingly, tilting her head "prittily" to the right a little bit. Adelaide would listen to what her stepmother said just as soon as she would jump off the London Bridge, (meaning never,) because she knew Felicity hated her very existance and she, quite frankly, felt the same about Felicity.

"Shaddup, you! At least I don't go gallivanting around the town dressed like a boy in trousers and such." Francine said haughtily.

"Father, look, it's coming towards the window." Frederic, who had been silent until this point, observed.

"And it has a letter." Adelaide added. Just then the owl reached the window and began tapping it. Tap, tap, tap-tap-tap, tap, tap, tap-tap-tap, tap, tap, tap-tap-tap—-

"Will someone get that infernal bird away from my window?" Felicity screached. "_YOU,_ you take care of it!" she pointed at a server maid standing in the doorway. She was a young woman, about Frederic's age, with long, black hair pulled up into a ponytail and storm gray eyes. Her features were so refined and aristocratic that many who saw her wondered how she wound up as a simple made, how someone who was clearly raised in a propper family could have been turned out and had her life so drastically altered. Her name was Alula Black. Adelaide saw something, almost like recognition, in Alula's eyes as she opened the window and the owl soared in onto her arm. As soon as the emotion had come it had passed, however, and Alula's face was a blank mask once more as she let the owl launch off her unprotected arm and out the window.

"tis a letter for the young mistress Adelaide." she said softly.

"Well what are you waiting for, girl? Give it to me so I can see what this hogwash is all about." Felicity ordered. Alula nodded and handed the letter to her.

"But it's my letter, shouldn't I be the one who reads it?" Adelaide demanded. Felicity looked annoyed but Fillip sighed.

"The girl has a point. Just give it to her, lovie." he said. Even to her father Adelaide was just "the girl," he didn't care for her, not _REALLY,_ anyway. Felicity humphed and tossed it across the table.

"Well what are you waiting for, girl? Open it up and read it aloud." Felicity demanded. Adelaide's gray eyes flicked from Alula, standing demurely in the corner, to her letter which was in a heavy parchment-like envelope. She looked down and read the address aloud for everybody's benefit.

"Miss A. Firestorm, Cream Bedroom, number seven Columbine Road, Cornwall, England." Taking a deep breath she turned the letter over. On the back was a purple wax crest sealing the envelope shut. It was an H surrounded by a lion, a badger, an eagle, and a snake. Carefully she pealed off the wax and opened the envelope. She then took out the first piece of parchment and began to read aloud.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,

Headmaster Armando Dippet,

Order of Merlin, second class,

Elder of the Wizengamot,

Councilman of the International Confederation of Wizards

Dear Miss Firestorm,

"We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term starts on September 1, 1941. We await your owl no later than July 31, 1941.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore,

Deputy Headmaster."

"Tosh, complete and utter tosh, the lot of it." Fillip exclaimed, grabbing the letter and envelope from his daughter's hands, crumpling it, and throwing it to an unsuspecting Alula. "And you, throw that away. Not a word of this to anyone, clear?" he demanded of the young maid.

"Yes, master Firestorm, of course not." she said softly, looking...almost...was it longingly? Longingly at Adelaide's letter? No, she had to have been imagining things...but was she? Alula, head down, scampered out of the dining room just then.

"Oy, that was _MY_ letter! Don't you believe it, Father? That I am a witch? What about all the things I have done, Father? All the wonderful, glorious things?" Adelaide asked imploringly.

"Making all of my hair disappear was wonderful and glorious was it?" Francine muttered, pulling at one of her frizzy brown pigtails.

"It grew back, didn't it?" Adelaide asked defensively. "Plus, I never said it was wonderful and glorious for _YOU."_

"I won't have it! I won't have such a thing _TAINTING_ my _CHILDREN!_ It's devil's work, you here? _DEVIL'S_ _WORK,_ you little _HELLSPAWN!_ _OUT!_ _Out_ _OF_ _THIS_ _ROOM!"_ Felicity roared, grabbing Adelaide by one of her strawberry braids, hauling her out of her chair, and shoving her out of the dining room, leaving her half-finished, now-cold breakfast behind. Adelaide angrily renched herself from her stepmother's vice-like grip and ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

Adelaide, still very angry, flopped furiously onto her full-sized bed, punching her pillow.

"Not fair...so not fair...can't even do anything that might be fun...funsuckers, the lot of them...except perhaps Freddy...blast...wish it wasn't like this." she muttered to herself. Around lunchtime there came a soft knocking at her bedroom door.

"Enter." she sighed. Adelaide knew that in this household, no matter what she said, people would come in anyway. The door opened to reveal Alula Black with a tray of food.

"tis your lunch, young mistress Adelaide. Your stepmother rules it that you cannot leave your bedroom. I am sorry for it, 'tis unreasonability at its very worst." she said softly, walking into the bedroom and placing the lunch on a little white table in front of a chair.

"It's not your fault, Allie, and _PLEASE_ just call me Ada. I really hate "Adelaide" sometimes, it just comes out so...so...so _PONCEY_ when they say it...except perhaps Freddy. I might like Adelaide if I was a different girl but I'm not so I just want to be Ada." the young girl explained, getting up and going over to her lunch.

"Very well then, Ada." Alula said softly. As she turned to go she was stopped by Adelaide.

"Wait...Allie...has my stepmother given you a break from your duties so that you can get a bite to eat?" a faint pink blush stained Alula's pale cheeks and she nodded negatively. "Than I _INSIST_ you eat with me. There's enough food here for five Frankies and five Frannies and there's only one of me."

"But I must be getting back to my work or I'll be thrown out on my ear come dinnertime." Alula said, shaking her head.

"Please, Allie? I could use some decent company." Adelaide admitted.

"All right, all right, but I'm tellin' you that the fat cat will screach me deaf if I'm not quick about it, understand?" Alula said, grinning and sitting across from the small girl. The two ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Adelaide began to talk.

"Say...erm...Allie...do you believe...erm...what my letter said?" Alula simply sighed and looked sadly at Adelaide before nodding.

I do. tis not something I have talked about for quite a time now. You, Ada, are disliked by those who call themselves your family because you were born into a non-magical family with a gift that not a quarter of the world's population even knows about. Their are roughly fifty thousand witches and wizards in Great Britain but more than a million Muggles...those are non-magic folk like your father, stepmother, brothers, and sister. There are witches and wizards that look down on people like you, people with magic born into Muggle families, they are seen as lesser, almost second-class. I, on the other hand, am hated by my own family and looked down upon by the wizarding world because I am your opposite, born practically non-magical into a family with generations upon generations of magicals. A Squib, they call me, like they would call you Muggle-born or, in cases of people like my family, mudblood. My family is among the darkest, oldest pureblood magical families in England. I was disowned when I turned eleven and did not get my Hogwarts letter. That is why I am working as a maid to a non-magical household. Even in the year that I have been here I have sensed that you are magical, now I know for certain. So yes, Hogwarts exists. I have a younger brother, he should be going into his fifth year there, Orion Black. The owl should be outside still if you wish to send the people a letter, Ada, and I must be going. I wouldn't much like fat cat going apaplectic with rage at my absence, would you?"

"Of course not. Thank you, Allie." Adelaide said, finishing up her lunch. Smiling gently at the young witch the older Squib girl took the tray of food and left the room, shutting the door behind her.


	4. Strings

Strings

An attempt to write the classic trope of an inheritance from Sirius, bad Ron, and Slytherin friends. A female Harry paired with Draco Malfoy. I also have a version of this where she is in Slytherin herself, not Gryffindor. Yeah…

Chapter One: Sirius's Will, Sirius's Way

I woke up on the morning of Monday July 27 in a bad mood. Just last night I found out, in subtle words, that Dumbledore was screening my mail, killed my owl, wanted to be their on my behalf for Sirius's will today, and that he was a manipulative old goat. Not to mention when I read his letter my uncle came and bludgeoned me up good and threw me in a heap on the bed. It was 8:30 and everyone was out of the house, thank god. I got up and stretched myself before going over and bringing out the nicest things I owned, my dress robes from the Yule Ball where Cedric was my date. I had a lot of things to think about. I had already begun to realize just how manipulative Dumbledore really is at the end of my fifth year. My loyalties first started to thin out in fourth year when we did Imperius practice and I threw off the curse. It was like I was throwing something else off, I hadn't felt better since I had first stepped into Hogwarts. Their was always something, a slight presence in my head nagging me, suggesting I should do this or that. It was like a partial imperius itself or something. I could feel happiness when I did what it told me to do, anger when I began making friends with the Slytherins even though I'm in Gryffindor. Even after I broke whatever it was, something still kept tethering me to Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Gryffindors. I have nothing at all against the rest of the Weasleys, okay maybe Percy, but Ron gets on my nerves and Hermione is a know-it-all. Despite this, some part of me keeps saying that they're my best friends, I shouldn't judge them too harshly, but it doesn't feel like me. The friends that I like the best are Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley as well as Lee Jordan and Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, and Ernie McMillon from Hufflepuff, Su Li, Padma Patil, Anthony Goldstein, and Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw, and Blaise Zabini, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Theodore Knot, and Tracy Davis from Slytherin. I'm not like Ron and Hermione who only make friends with Gryffindors and everyone knows it. Ron and Hermione have always been a thorn in my side. I scowled as I threw on my robes, which were green trimmed and fastened with gold, and put on my gold high heels. I had to wear this, it was either this, my Quiddich robes, my Hogwarts robes, or the Muggle clothes that I have been forced to wear that once belonged to my cousin Dudley, a _BOY!_ I then took out my green brush and combed through my unruly jet black hair which went down to my waste. I look just like my mum, they say, but I have the Potter nose, ears, hair, and build. Pictures of Mum show me that she was about five five and somewhat petite and Dad was six feet, tall, and muscular from Quiddich. I am shorter and smaller than Mum but have more of the Potter build. I put on some makeup, trying to cover any cuts and bruises, not that it helped a lot, and went looking for my jewelry. I eventually put in a pair of gold hoops that Cedric had given to me in my fourth year and an intricately carved gold and emerald necklace from Blaise that he gave me last Christmas as well as storing my wand in a special pocket in my dress. With the necklace on, I've been feeling even more and more myself. I grabbed my green and gold beaded purse that goes with my robes, smiled and sat down, letter in hand. It was 9:30. In the mean time, I had some major thinking to do. I had got the letter from Gringotts only last night and I knew it must come, the portkey built in would bring me right to the will reading's office. Dumbledore, I always thought the man was a few drops short of a lemon but he really was worse than I thought. I couldn't stand him anymore, he always thought he knew what was best, that he was the only person in the world with half a brain. My blood boiled at the fact that he, I was sure, had _KILLED_ _MY_ _OWL!_ He had been manipulating every bit of my _LIFE!_ In first year, now that I think about it, he let a professor possessed by Voldemort teach us Defense Against The Dark Arts, let a troll get past the dungeons, let a rare artifact be stored in the school that anyone with brains could steal, and almost let me die fending off Quirellmort before he so heroically saved the day! In second year when Ginny started acting weird he did nothing, even though Lockheart was a fraud he did nothing, even with the petrification of so many students, including Hermione and Tracy, he did nothing, he was going to send Lockheart down their to "Save Ginny," and he actually let a _BASILISK_ roam the school. In third year, he let dementors roam the train, guard the school, let them enter the Quiddich pitch during a game I was in, I'm sure he knew the truth about Sirius, and he let a few angry letters from parents get to him in sacking Remus Lupin. Fourth year and fifth year...there's so much wrong with them. First, their's Moody. How could he not know that he was an impostor? My best Slytherin and Ravenclaw guess is that Dumbledore did him a favor of some sort and Moody owed him for it and was forced to take the teaching position offered. Then, even though it was I who figured out their was an impostor and saved the grisly-haired, mad-eyed, peg-legged paranoid ex-auror, he took the credit and convinced Moody to rejoin the Order of the Giant Flaming Turkey as I like to call it, no offense to the phoenix himself. Fifth year, need I say more? My own slander all around the wizarding world, Dumbledore refusing to talk to me, Umbridge, everything. When I took occlamency with Professor Snape, one of my favorite teachers, it really helped me a lot but Dumbledore seemed really angry because Severus was helping me and not bringing my confidence down. Then, their was the Department of Mysteries, how did that vision penetrate my shields? Why did I suddenly have the urge to go rescue Sirius without thoroughly checking to see if the vision I suddenly got was true? No, Dumbledore did not have my best interests at hand, not at all. I sighed and picked up the letter at 9:56. The next four minutes drug by and nothing happened.

"_THAT_ _OLD_ _COOT!"_ I yelled. "Dobby?" I was sure their was anti-appearition and anti-portkey wards here on this property but hopefully house-elves didn't count. Thankfully enough, Dobby popped in just as I put the useless letter in my purse with the few pounds and galleons, I had in their.

"Oh Alexandra Potter, Dobby is honored, really he is!" he squeaked, bowing as I stood up.

"Please do not bow to me, Dobby, it makes me so uncomfortable. I need you to help me with something as a friend would do for a friend." I said smoothly.

"Anything, Alexandra Potter, miss, anything Dobby can do for Alexandra Potter dobby will be doing!" he squealed.

"Can you take me to Gringotts? _I_ need to go to my godfather's will." I said.

"Not a problem, Dobby be doing that right away for Alexandra Potter miss." he squeaked. I smiled, grabbed his arm, and we were off. In the next second, we landed smoothly in the main lobby of Gringotts. I smiled and went up to a teller.

"What do you want, human?" he growled.

"Pardon me for the interruption, sir, but I am here for the will-reading of one Sirius Orion Black." I said politely. The goblin looked quite startled at my politeness.

"I see. What is your name and the name of that...that _SERVANT?"_ he asked disdainfully, other goblins looking on curiously.

"I'm Alexandra Potter and this is Dobby, he's not bound to me, he is a free elf and a very good friend, he has helped me immensely and is quite good company." I said smoothly, beaming down at Dobby.

"Miss Alexandra Potter helps Dobby be freed from old masters." Dobby squeaked. All the goblins in the area looked shocked and pleased.

"Very well, let me lead you to the will reading, Silverclaw will be doing it. I am Snapfang." he said, coming from behind the counter.

"Dobby, in case of Dummy-Dork, I want you to become invisible, can you do that?" I asked kindly. Dobby nodded and smiled and I saw him no more. We were led through one of the many doors and down a stone hallway. From within one room labeled Will Readings, I heard Albus Dumbledore's protests.

"I'm telling you that Alexandra Potter told me to be here on her behalf, let the will begin already!"

"And I told you, Mr. Dumbledore, that no guardian, Magical or otherwise, may view a will in the minor witch or wizard's stead." came a voice, somewhat scratchy and gruff.

"But it is not safe for her to be away from her relatives, goblin, what with the blood wards. We do not want her being a danger to herself and everyone else."

"_YOU'RE_ my only danger you old lemon-head!" I screeched as I ran into the room.

"Alexandra? You're not supposed to be here, you will go home right now!" he growled.

"_HELL_ _NO!"_ I yelled. "Have you ever thought of the dangers from inside sources? My aunt? My uncle? _MY_ _COUSIN?"_

"They love you like their own daughter, how could you say that?" he demanded.

"Look at me, Dumbledore, just _LOOK_ _AT_ _ME!_ I got your letter last night and when I screamed one word, _BASTARD,_ my uncle bludgeoned me unconscious, is that _LOVE?_ I remember being a little girl after Mum and Dad died with the help of my occlamency training. While they let Dudley have a high-chair and baby food, I was forced to stay on the floor and stick my face in a bowl of _DOG_ _FOOD!_ They only changed my nappy once a week! I was allowed no toys. If I tried playing or sharing with Dudley they'd spank me and throw me in my cupboard, _MY_ _CUPBOARD!_ For the first ten years I lived with them my home was the _CUPBOARD_ _UNDER_ _THE_ _STAIRS!_ I didn't even know that I had a name before I was _SIX._ When the teachers called my name, "Alexandra," I thought they were calling someone else so they took it as me not caring about School. Before I found out that my name was Alexandra Potter, I thought it was just _FREAK!_ I still to this day don't know if I even have a middle name. If I applied myself I easily got A's but that resulted in beatings, food fasts, and long stints in my cupboard but I wanted to be a good student so I let it happen anyway. When the teachers skipped me up to fifth grade when I was only in third and told my so-called family to enroll me in Surrey Academy For The Gifted, the Dursleys wouldn't let me do more than drink water for a _month._ I turned my teacher's hair blue once and I got belted for my "freakishness." When Dudley and his gang were playing their favorite game, Potter Pounding, in which I ran from them so they don't beat me up, I landed on the school roof. When I got my Hogwarts letter, they went ballistic and moved us to this old shack so that I wouldn't go! _THEY_ _NEVER_ _LOVED_ _ME!"_ I yelled.

"don't say that, Alexandra. You will be going home right now whether I have to stupefy you or not is your choice!" Dumbledore growled as he latched a wrinkled hand onto my arm.

"_LET_ _ME_ _GO!"_ I yelled, kicking him, my foot landing in a sensitive spot. He groaned and let go of me as Snapfang drug him out of the room.

"What do you think you were doing, Alexandra? You'll be in so much trouble!" Hermione fretted from across the room.

"And it's no concern of yours if I do, I don't care!" I snapped as I spotted Blaise's longish black curls and olive skin and sat next to him and his parents.

"Now that that is in order, let us begin the will." the old goblin, Silverclaw, said as he tapped his index finger on a black orb. From it came a full body image of Sirius.

"Hey, everyone! All right now, onto business, this _is_ a _SIRIUS_ situation, had to do that one more time, sorry! Anyway, to all those that I loved I'm sorry that I died. Knowing me I probably did something stupid like get caught by those Ministry arseholes. I can only hope that I died protecting someone I love like you, Prongslet. Anyway, now onto my will. I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound mind, body, spirit, and magic entrust the following items to the following people. First to my family. Cousin Andi, I want you and Ted to take one million galleons. Also, I as Lord Black reinstate you, Ted, and Nymphomaniac, I mean Nymphadora Tonks into the noble and ancient house of Black. Tonks, all jokes aside I leave you one million galleons, do with them whatever you like. Next to my oh-so-_dear_ cousin Bella. As Lord Black I do hereby cast you out of the noble and ancient house of Black. Finally to my dear cousin Cissy. Cissy, dump the loser Death Eater, would you? I know you can do better, Cissy, and that you've been wanting to be rid of the bastard for years. I've pulled some strings and all you have to do is sign a paper. Also, please take one million galleons on the stipulation that you divorce Lucius Abroxus Malfoy and use it well. You're smart, Cissy, and a good person, don't let family chains hold you back. Next to Draco Malfoy. Kid, you take good care of yourself. I want you to have one million galleons to help you get started in which ever career you want to pursue under the condition that you do not become a Death Eater. Next to Remus my friend. Remus, I leave you one million galleons, my entire personal wardrobe, and the Black family cottage in the woods, I know you're comfortable in them. Now you have _no_ excuse to be wearing those shabby rags of yours, Moony! Next to Hagrid, Minerva, and Severus, believe it, Sniv, I said your name. I leave you each one million galleons for being such good teachers to Alexandra, even you, Severus. You always kept her on her toes and kept her thirst to prove herself going. Also, I give 1 million galleons to Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley, Lee Jordan, Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbot, Susan Bones, Ernie McMillon, Su Li, Padma Patil, Anthony Goldstein, Luna Lovegood, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Tracy Davis, and Blaise Zabini. I also give 2 million galleons to the parents or guardians of each of her friends. To Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, I leave you nothing right now. I have heard the way you talk about Alexandra behind her back, the things you say, and how you would listen to Dummy-Dork, I mean Dumbledore, more than you would your so-called best friend. I'm sorry to say it to you like this Prongslet but those two lions are bigger snakes than you and you're a Slytherin. Lastly to Alexandra, Alex, Lexy, Prongslet, my hissing lion, my little Marauder. Your parents would be _so_ proud of you. I give you everything left that belongs to the noble and ancient house of Black including the title of Lady Black. Your grandmother on your father's side, Doria Potter, was a Black by birth anyway so you are indeed a Black, where did you think James got his hair color? Good luck in all that you do, Prongslet, you can do it. I have complete and total faith in you. Don't blame yourself if you are, however I died it wasn't your fault. Well, everyone, now I've said what I wanted to say. I hope that you all prosper, except Bellatrix, may she rot in Azkaban forever, and I hope that your lives are long and happy, except Bellatrix, she can die. Well, everybody, you can bet I'll be causing' hell in heaven and making mischief with James. I'll see you on the other side, bye-bye!" I sighed as everyone started to get up and leave.

"You're not going to listen to him are you, mate?" Ron asked as he and Hermione met me by the door.

"And why shouldn't I, Ron Weasley, he, unlike you, has _NEVER_ lied to me before." I snapped.

"Come on, Alexandra, think rationally! He was in prison for a long time, his brain must have been addled a bit with all those dementors!" Hermione reasoned.

"I have no clue how I ever befriended the likes of you two. Hermione, you're an insufferable know-it-all just like Professor Snape always says who thinks she's little miss perfect but has to study for months and still gets lower grades than me. Ron, you're rude, obnoxious, and you eat like a pig. Let's not mention all the times you have both just been fair-weather friends!" I snapped. Hermione looked livid but Ron looked even worse. His face was beat red like his hair. Before I could stop him, he brought his right fist back and decked me in the nose. It cracked and spurted blood all down my face and on my robes, thankfully missing my special necklace.

"And you're so perfect, you would just be a Muggle-raised nobody without Dumbledore, you would never be able to beat you-know-who without him or us, you stupid, slimy snake-loving _BITCH!"_ he yelled. It was then that Mrs. Weasley rushed over and grabbed her wayward son by the arm.

"Ronald Billius Weasley, how _DARE_ you insult her like that!" she screeched.

"But Mum, she deserved it, I don't even know why I let Dumbledore pay me to be her friend in the first place." Mrs. Weasley popped Ron upside his head, looking more livid than I had ever seen her.

"Their _IS_ _NOTHING_ _WRONG_ _WITH_ _SLYTHERIN_ _AND_ _THERE_ _IS_ _NOTHING_ _WRONG_ _WITH_ _BEFRIENDING_ _PEOPLE_ _IN_ _OTHER_ _HOUSES!"_ she yelled as I too slapped Ron in the face, hard. "Need I remind you, Ronald Weasley, that only on your father's side have their been Gryffindors for generations? Have you forgotten that my family, the Prewetts, have been a gray Slytherin family practically since the _START?_ Do you not remember that your uncles were in Slytherin? I am the first Gryffindor in the Prewett family in well over four generations."

"_What?"_ I asked incredulously.

"Oh yes, dear. Quite useful that." Mrs. Weasley said. "How do you think I know so many tricks and I can't be fooled? I was almost put into Slytherin but the hat said I was best suited for Gryffindor. Sometimes Gryffindors like Ron, and even myself, are much too foolhardy, but not Arthur, that's why I fell in love with him."

"Yes, my snake. Also, let's not forget that Ron is being stupid, rash, and reckless. If you continue to demean our family like this than you will be disowned and I do not want to have to do that to my own son." Mr. Weasley said.

"exactly. No Weasley or Prewett has been disowned for more than 250 years, we don't want to do it now." Mrs. Weasley said sternly.

"I can't believe you're such a git, Ron, didn't they teach you better?" Ginny demanded as she strode up.

"Yeah!" the twins agreed.

"Oh whatever!" Ron glowered.

"Let me heal your nose, Alexandra." said Mrs. Zabini from behind me. I smiled and turned around. Mrs. Zabini, who's first name, coincidentally, was Alexandra, nodded and smiled back. With a simple spell, my nose was as good as new.

"Molly?" she said suddenly.

"Xandra!" Mrs. Weasley squealed. Then, the two women hugged.

"Huh?" Blaise, Fred, George, Ginny, and I asked curiously.

"We're best friends!" the women said happily.

"Arthur? Arthur Weasley? That gangly little keeper I could never score on?" Mr. Zabini asked incredulously.

"Antonio? Antonio Zabini? The chaser whose goals I always stopped?" Mr. Weasley asked with a smile. The two men shook hands and exchanged greetings.

Chapter Two: Family

FROM the door, Silverclaw cleared his throat.

"Oh, sorry." I said. "See you later, yeah?" I directed this towards Blaise.

"Yeah." he said, smiling as I left. As soon as Silverclaw and I left the room, I turned around.

"Would you mind showing yourself, Dobby?"

"Not at all Alexandra Potter, Dobby is doing that miss." then, he was right beside me.

"Dobby, you can do what you like, okay? I'll call if I need you." I said, smiling.

"Yes, Alexandra Potter, oh yes!" he squeaked before popping out.

"Quite the remarkable friendship you have their with that little elf, Miss Potter." he said.

"Thank you, and please just call me Alexandra or something like that, but no Miss Potter please." I responded as we entered a luxurious office with weapons of all types mounted proudly on the walls for all to see. Silverclaw urged me to sit down and he did the same behind the desk.

"A fine array of weapons I see, Silverclaw. I would think that they would pack quite the punch on your enemies and traitors." I said.

"You have a keen and appreciative eye, not many humans possess that. Yes indeed they do their work. Now onto business. When we were going through the wills and looking for Sirius Black's, we found your parents' will and it has not been properly executed. It turns out that Albus Dumbledore worked with the Potter account manager, Steeltrap, to make sure it would not go through. He has been stealing money from your accounts for years going to himself, a Mr. Ronald Weasley, a miss Hermione Granger, and an association just known as The Order. I assure you that Steeltrap has been dealt with accordingly." Silverclaw said.

"A proper beheading and dismemberment without any type of pain potion using the Hellfire Killing Blade." I said.

"I see you know some of our customs. How?" he asked curiously.

"I...have...read...many...interesting...books about...your...people." I managed in broken Gobbledegook.

"Not bad, for a young human such as yourself. Yes, well your guardians, first off, were not supposed to be the Dursleys." Silverclaw said.

"I could have told you that!" I snorted. "They're horrid people. Don't think I was telling falsehoods in the will room. I usually keep the atrocities of my life a secret but he needed that little tidbit, that's hardly anything at all."

"Yes, well, you have family other than the Dursleys."

"I do?" I asked.

"Yes. Firstly, James has a twin sister, Jillian, who moved to America when they left school. She is married to a pureblood named Joshua King and has two children about your age who are also magical. Also, he has a Squib cousin, Anna, who lives in America with her Muggle-born husband, Mike Goodman, and their four magical children, all around your age."

"_THAT_ _LEMON-SUCKING_ _OLD_ _GOAT!"_ I yelled.

"Yes he is. I feel that they have never enquired about you because of something he might have done, a charm, something like that; not that they have never cared about you. Now onto your mother's family. Lily was never an Evans, never Muggle-born."

"She wasn't?" I demanded.

"No. She and Petunia are adoptive sisters and, when young, did a blood oath. Lily's parents were named Damion Noctus and Lotus Diagus. Have you ever heard of the Noctus and Diagus families?" I thought for a second.

"Let's see. Noctus and Diagus, two brother veela families. Both of them have always been allies but never married together for the different types of magic possessed. Those of noctus blood possess powerful dark magic and are shadow veela but never use their magic for evil. Those of Diagus blood possess powerful light magic and are fire veela but never use their light magic just for good. Very interesting, wait, _VEELA?"_ I asked.

"Correct. Both the Noctus and Diagus families have remained neutral during every war, just wanting to keep everyone safe. When the lord-in-waiting of Noctus and the lady-in-waiting of Diagus were joined in marriage making one clan in the late 1950s, they feared for any child that they might bare. When your mother was born, they did a spell to hide her identity and they put her with a family who had just lost their baby girl, also named Lily. She did not find out about this until shortly before she gave birth to you and never could seek out her family and remove the dulling spells. Your mother's true full name is Liilia Jasmiin Noctus-Diagus." Silverclaw said. You are the last left of both the Noctus and Diagus families and thus are in charge. Today I want us to do a heritage test and unbind any abilities and parts of your magic that the old goat might have blocked."

"Fine by me!" I said with a smile.

"Fantastic. Please take this dagger and draw five drops of blood over these two parchments and into this cup, please." Silverclaw said. I grinned and took the silver dagger. With a _slash,_ I ripped it across my palm perhaps a little too harshly. The blood poured steadily on the parchments and into the cup.

"Their you go." I said, not even wincing. A third parchment appeared that looked like a birth certificate, I picked it up and looked at it.

Alexandra Liilia Potter:

Father: Lord James Charlis Potter

Mother: Lady Liilia Jasmiin Noctus-Diagus Evans Potter

Born: July 31, 1980 at 11:59 PM

Birth Height: 21 Inches

Birth Weight: 7.13 lb

"What a mouthful." I said, smiling at my full name, my beautiful full name.

"Yes, yes it is. Your name is a variant on the library of Alexandria that is often taught about in history, it still exists today, in fact, and is the largest wizard library on the planet, your mother loved books. She was also very good friends with Mr. Zabini's mother, Alexandra. Liilia, of course, was your mother's name." Silverclaw said. He then looked down and scanned the parchment that looked like a small tapestry and gasped.

"Many important families here, Alexandra. Let us see what signet rings appear in the cup!" Silverclaw said. After a few minutes, a musical dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee-dee-dee came from the cup. Silverclaw tipped the cup onto the table and several rings fell out.

"Wow!" I gasped.

"This means you are the head of all of these families. First, their is, of course, Potter, Black, Noctus, and Diagus. Then, it appears that you are the direct heir of Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin, the only direct heir. According to this family tree, Tom Riddle is the heir of Salazar's little brother, Signus the Jealous One." Silverclaw said.

"Signus the Jealous One? Oh God, oh god that's rich. So you're saying that basically Lady Moldy-Fart and her Legion of Malicious Munch-mouths answer to me?" I smirked.

"Correct!" Silverclaw smirked. "Gryffindor and Hufflepuff come from your father's side of the family, Ravenclaw and Slytherin from your mother's side. Also, on your father's side, you are heir to the Peverell line, the wise brother who forged the invisibility cloak that has been passed from parent to child in your family for generations, in fact. Lastly, an ancestor of all four founders is Merlin himself; you are his last heir. This gives you the rightful headship of ten families."

"Oh wow! So what do I do?" I asked.

"Nothing now, you put the rings on in the ritual room later. When you take on your titles, you will be automatically emancipated. I do suggest, however, that you stay where you are until your sixteenth birthday which is this Friday. This gives you time to chose where you would like to live and make sure that it is habitable. First, let me look at your power levels." Silverclaw's black eyes scanned the second piece of parchment and he gasped in shock.

"What? What is it?" I asked. "My magic can't be that horrible could it?" I fretted.

"Oh no, it is not that. You, Alexandra, have 90 percent of your magic blocked and you have been able to become top of your year every year!" he said.

"_I_ _WHAT?"_ I shrieked. "That no-good, ugly, wrinkled, infernally twinkling _BASTARD!"_

"Yes he is. I suggest that you read this list!" he said, passing it to me.

Alexandra Liilia Potter:

Merlin Magical Power Level (MMPL):

0-0.9: Muggle or Squib

1-1.9: Barely magical

2-2.9: Mediocre magic

3-3.9: Below average magic

4-5.9: Average magic

6-6.9: Above average magic

7-7.9: Relatively powerful

8-8.9: Rather powerful

9-9.9: Extremely powerful

10: Superior magic, Merlin level

10.1 onwards: Immensely powerful, more than Merlin

Alexandra's Level is:

Currently: 8.2

Upon Unblocking: 13.7

List of Alexandra's Abilities:

Veela (traits dormant). Alexandra is a veela and not a half-veela because on the Potter side of her family their is veela blood but their hasn't been two people with veela genes married together in years. With veela genes on both sides of the family, Alexandra will have all the attributes of a veela.

Metamorphmagus (99.9 percent blocked)

Multi-Animagus (100 percent blocked)

Beastspeaker (99.9 percent blocked)

Linguist (99.9 percent blocked)

Air elemental (100 percent blocked)

Earth Elemental (100 percent blocked)

Fire Elemental (100 percent blocked)

Water Elemental (100 percent blocked)

Light Elemental (100 percent blocked)

Shadow Elemental (100 percent blocked)

Weather Mistress (100 percent blocked)

Natural Occlamens (blocks crumbling, currently 65 percent blocked)

Natural Legilimens (blocks crumbling, currently 65 percent blocked)

Telekinesis (100 percent blocked)

Telepathy (100 percent blocked)

Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Light, and Shadow teleportation (100 percent blocked)

Extra-Sensory Magical Perception (100 percent blocked)

Dreamwalker (95 percent blocked)

Seer (99.9 percent blocked)

Wardmaster (100 percent blocked)

Runes crafter (100 percent blocked)

Wandless Magic Natural (96 percent blocked)

Silent Spell-Caster (95 percent blocked)

Spell Crafter (100 percent blocked)

"I hate that old _GOAT!"_ I growled.

"As do I, Miss...um...Alexandra.." Silverclaw said with a sigh.

"You will be able to unblock all these, right?" I asked.

"Absolutely." Silverclaw said.

"I'm curious, what about assets?" I asked.

"Ah, a very good question. You have several vaults from your families. First, their is your trust vault, Vault 687, and it has 100 thousand galleons in it. Next is the Potter family vault, it has exactly 50 billion galleons in it as well as family heirlooms. This vault is vault 6. Also, their is the personal vault for the current head, it still has things from your parents in it. It is known as the Prongs and Flower vault and is vault number 10. This vault holds all the money they were able to make as aurors, exactly 500 thousand galleons along with possessions of theirs, this includes things salvaged from Godric's Hollow. You have three Black vaults. First, their is the main vault, vault 50, and it has 25 billion galleons in it as well as heirlooms. The other two vaults belonged to the last heads of the house of Black, Sirius and Regulus Black. Each have both men's possessions and 500 thousand galleons. They are vaults 100 and 101. Both the Noctus and Diagus vaults have 75 billion galleons and several heirlooms, they are vaults 7 and 8. The peverell family vault has heirlooms as well as 50 billion galleons, it is vault 9. The Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin vaults each have 100 billion galleons as well as heirlooms, the Merlin vault has 250 billion galleons and heirlooms. The Merlin vault is vault 1, Gryffindor is 2, Hufflepuff is 3, Ravenclaw is 4, Slytherin is 5."

"Oh wow!" I breathed.

"Yes indeed. You also have many houses including Potter Manor which is in an unplottable wizarding community with other ancestral homes, The Golden Stag Ranch which breeds many animals which is in America, nobody would think to look for you there, and I have found that your mother bought Privet Drive for your aunt and uncle to live comfortably so you can do whatever you like with the house."

"Hmmm, I could have some fun with that." I smirked.

"I suppose you could." Silverclaw said, grinning toothily.

"Yeah. You wouldn't believe what they tell the neighbors." I snorted.

"What, might I ask, do they tell them?" Silverclaw asked.

"Oh nothing much. Just that I cheated my way into Surrey Academy for the Gifted, that when I was eleven I went off to St. Agnus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Girls, that my parents were no-good delinquents who were high on drugs and drunk on booze when they died in a car crash, the usual." I sighed.

"Well that certainly isn't the truth. Perhaps sometime you could enlighten your neighbors. Your father had not only seats on the Wizengammot but a seat in the Muggle House of Lords, Lord James Potter, they called him."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes indeed. You take your parents' place on the wizengammot now and can call meetings whenever you like with your significant clout. For Muggle careers, you can tell them that your father was a high-profile army officer and your mother was a brilliant brain surgeon. Hogwarts has a public name so that Muggles can sort of know where you are going."

"Really?" I asked curiously.

"Yes. In Muggle society, it is known as the Highland Academy for the Extremely gifted, a very exclusive secondary school that takes in no more than a hundred students at a time; even that number is rare."

"Hmmm, I'm going to have a blast." I smirked.

"I suppose you will. As I said, you have many houses. You have 300 house-elves at your service. You also own Hogwarts."

"_WOW!_ I didn't think of that! So I can do anything?" I asked.

"Yes. Now that it is claimed by a person the Ministry cannot interfere since it is technically your home. You may do anything, hire teachers, fire teachers, create new subjects, rename subjects, even close the school down if you so wish. You may also disband the Board of Governors."

"I know just what I am going to do. Firstly, I'm going to keep Dumbledore just to have a little fun. I shall be increasing all salaries, bar the headmaster's, to 250 thousand galleons a year; 500 thousand if they are competent and well-liked. The headmaster's salary will be like this. The youngest a headmaster may be appointed is 40. This is so he has at least ten years of experience. From 40-44 years of age, the salary will be 100 thousand galleons. From 45-49, the salary will be 250 thousand, 50-54, 500 thousand, 55-59, 750 thousand galleons, 60-64, 1 million galleons. Then, after that, it decreases. From 65-69 the salary is at 800 thousand galleons, age 70-74 is 600 thousand galleons, 75-79 is 400 thousand galleons, 80-84 is 200 thousand galleons, and from 85-89 their is no salary at all. After that, they start paying the school. 90-94 they pay 200 thousand, 95-99 they pay 400 thousand, 100-104 they pay 600 thousand, 105-109 they pay 800 thousand, and from 110 upwards they pay a million galleons a year. I like to call this the New Blood incentive. This way, no headmaster can take over the school for decades and decades without some serious setbacks. Tell me, how old is Professor Dumbledore?" I asked.

"Ah, very clever. He is 150 years old."

"Excellent!" I smirked. "I'll be sending the Ministry and Dumbledore everything else I've come up with! For now, I want you to discretely take back everything he has taken from me, gold or otherwise. By September he will know that I am not one to mess with."

"Very well. Now their is the matter of your stock. I cannot remember everything so look at this sheet of parchment." he pulled out the aforementioned scroll and I looked over it.

Businesses and Stocks Owned by Alexandra Liilia Potter:

Quality Quiddich Supplies, 100 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Potter

Madam Malcon's, 20 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Diagus

Wanderer's Wist: A Traveler's Paradise, 100 percent Ownership, Diagon Alley, Potter and Black

Flurrish and Blots, 100 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Ravenclaw

Scrollmakers: All You Need for Writing, 100 percent ownership, Noctern Alley, Ravenclaw

Antares apothecary, 100 percent ownership, Noctern Alley, Slytherin

Instruments of the World, 100 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Gryffindor and Slytherin

Wielders of Weaponry: Weapons of All Types, 100 percent ownership, Noctern Alley, Gryffindor

Magical Menagerie, 100 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Hufflepuff

Rare and Wonderful Creatures, 100 percent ownership, Noctern Alley, Hufflepuff

The Leaky Cauldron, 50 percent ownership, Diagon Alley/Muggle London, Peverell

Olivander's wands, 50 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Peverell

Noctus Piercings and Tatoos, 100 percent ownership, Noctern Alley, Noctus

Diagus Hair Salon and Spa, 100 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Diagus

Noctus Rarities, 100 percent Ownership, Noctern Alley, Noctus

Diagus Fashion Boutique, 100 percent ownership, Diagon Alley, Diagus

Borgin and Burks, 50 percent ownership, Noctern Alley, Black

Weasley's Wizard Weazes, 33.3 percent, Diagon Alley, Alexandra Potter's own investment

The Daily Profit, 100 percent ownership, Newspaper, Potter

Nimbus Broom company, 50 percent ownership, Potter

Stellar Brooms, makers of the Firebolt, 100 percent ownership, Potter

The land of both Diagon and Noctern Alley is owned by the Diagus and Noctus clans. It is up to Alexandra to keep it clean and do as she wishes with it. She may not shut down any stores save for her own but she may impose restrictions and rules on the tenants.

Muggle Stock:

Grunnings Drills Inc, 100 percent ownership

Nordstrooms, 20 percent shareholder

Bon Macies, 20 percent shareholder

Microsoft Corp, Muggle, 25 percent shareholder

Microsoft Corp, Magical, 25 percent shareholder

HP, Muggle, 25 percent shareholder

HP, magical, 25 percent shareholder

"Eeek!" I squealed excitedly.

"Um, yes, eeek. Well now that you have all that covered, it is time for the ritual to unbind your magic and claim your inheritance and seats."

"I'm ready." I said, standing up.

"Very well." with a flick of his finger, the rings were back in the golden cup and the cup disappeared. He walked to the door and motioned me to follow.

Chapter Three: Ritual

We went down the long hall until we came to a beautiful set of doors with dozens, maybe hundreds, of crests carved in rows on the wood. The wood was a dark, deep, impenetrable shade of black and the crests were carved in gold. In the middle, in bright gold, were the words Ritual Room. With a wave of his hands, the doors flew open and I was ushered inside. I could see nothing except for a white pedestal in the very center of the room with the cup of my familial rings on the top and a large gold circle surrounding it, making a radius of twenty feet. He ushered me into the circle and the doors shut, leaving me in darkness. This darkness did not last, however, for the room was lit in a brilliant gold light. The floor, I saw was of the most beautiful white marble; the marble walls were covered from floor to ceiling in tapestries. Suddenly, one tapestry flashed white and the forms of my parents appeared.

"Hello, my child." the form of my mother said softly.

"How goes it on earth?" the form of my father asked.

"Decent, decent save for the fact that my headmaster is a nasty old goat." I muttered.

"We're proud of you, you know that don't you?" Mum asked.

"Sirius said you would be." I said.

"Yeah, well good because we are; even if you are a little hissing lion who goes to the badger's cave, eagle's nest, and snake's pit and befriends the people their!" Dad joked.

"Yeah yeah. Isn't their some sort of formalities to this thing or do I get to talk to you for eternity?" I asked, smiling.

"Their is formality, Prongslet. Okay, state your name." Dad said.

"Alexandra Liilia Potter." I said.

"Do you accept the headship of the most noble and ancient house of Potter?" Mum asked.

"I do, Mum, I do." I said.

"Then repeat after me. Since I'm the blood Potter here, I have to do this part. Now just say I, Alexandra Liilia Potter do hereby accept the position as the head and lady of the most noble and ancient house of Potter. I shall do my very best to ensure that the most noble and ancient house of Potter is well-respected, well-loved, and makes wise decisions as long as I shall live, so mote it be." Dad said. I drew a breath and spoke the words.

"I, Alexandra Liilia Potter do hereby accept the position as the head and lady of the most noble and ancient house of Potter. I shall do my very best to ensure that the most noble and ancient house of Potter is well-respected, well-loved, and makes wise decisions as long as I shall live, so mote it be." I said.

"Congratulations, Lady Potter, you are worthy of the title." Mum said, beaming.

"Now enough of the formalities, let's give our daughter her ring, Lils!" Dad piped. Dad drew the ring from the cup and came over to me.

"I now present Lady Alexandra Liilia Potter, lady of the most noble and ancient house of Potter." he said proudly, slipping the ring on my right ring finger and wrapping me in a cool hug that would have been warm if he was real. I hugged back and let a few tears escape.

"You'll be all right, baby, you'll always be able to contact us now as your ancestors." Mum said, I gave a watery chuckle.

"Ancestors, right, you're my mum and dad!" I said as Mum hugged me as well.

"We've got to go, Allie." Dad said, letting go.

"We'll see you soon, love." Mum said, also letting go. Then, with a gold flash, they were gone. Next, another tapestry flashed white and Sirius appeared.

"Hey pup, what's up?" he asked.

"The sky?" I deadpanned.

"Haha, very funny, give the dead guy a break here." he said, I felt my eyes water.

"I wish you weren't." I cried.

"Me too, trust me, but it wasn't your fault. I made my own decisions. All right, formalities. Do you accept the headship of the most noble and ancient house of Black?"

"I do."

"Than repeat after me. I, Lady Alexandra Liilia Potter, head of the house of Potter, do hereby accept the position as the head and lady of the most noble and ancient house of Black. I shall do my very best to ensure that the most noble and ancient house of Black is well-respected, well-liked, and makes wise decisions as long as I shall live, so mote it be." Sirius said.

"I, Lady Alexandra Liilia Potter, head of the house of Potter, do hereby accept the position as the head and lady of the most noble and ancient house of Black. I shall do my very best to ensure that the most noble and ancient house of Black is well-respected, well-liked, and makes wise decisions as long as I shall live, so mote it be." I said.

"Congratulations, pup, you've got power over my rotten cousin now!" Sirius grinned, taking the Black ring and slipping it on the same finger as my Potter ring. To my surprise, the ring melded with the Potter ring. Now, it showed the Black ring with the Potter crest engraved into the band.

"All you have to do to get the Potter ring or any other ring once you have them is pres the ring and say the family name or names you want visible on your fingers. To get all rings out, tap the ring and say all. To change anything back, press your primary ring, the Potter ring, and say normal." Sirius said, hugging me.

"I'll miss you, Sirius." I said, hugging back.

"You'll see me, dreamwalker. We still all will have to unbind your magic so everyone you see will appear again." With a flash, he was gone.

In the next hour or so, I additionally became the lady of the most noble and ancient houses of Noctus, Diagus, Peverell, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Merlin. Just as Merlin disappeared, I found myself in a large, comfortable sitting room. Milling about in chairs and sofas were everyone I had met. Their was Mum, Dad, and Sirius but also people that I had just met today. The forms of my grandfather and grandmother, Lotus and Damion, were sitting on a love seat together. Grandmother had flaming red hair, bright green eyes, light gold skin, and a slight, small build. She was even shorter than Mum. She was quite beautiful; the golden aura of a fire veela emanated from her and she was filled with grace and poise. Other than her extreme beauty, she looked quite human. Grandfather Damion was tall, buff, and handsome. His eyes were dark violet and his hair a smooth raven black. His skin was fair but not too terribly pale. Ignatius Peverell sat alone. He was gangly and tall with sandy brown hair and mischievous hazel eyes. Godric Gryffindor had a main of auburn hair and his eyes were a laughing chocolate. His beard went in curls and waves down to his belly. He was tall and muscular, very very grand-looking. Helga Hufflepuff was very sweet-looking. Her hair was golden blonde and her eyes were dark blue. Her face was round and she was short and plump. A soft smile graced her features. Rowena Ravenclaw reminded me of Professor McGonagall, one you would not want to cross. Her hair was short, raven black, and framed her aristocratic face. Her eyes were large and a beautiful emerald, now I knew where I got my eyes from; apparently only descendants of Rowena Ravenclaw could have eyes just my shade. Salazar Slytherin had a straight bunch of chocolate brown hair tied by leather into a ponytail. A goatee graced his somewhat pointed face and his eyes were a calculating gray. Lastly, their was Merlin himself. His hair was long and silver as was his beard. Thankfully, however, he in no way reminded me of Albus Dumbledore, even with the twinkling blue eyes.

"Welcome to your mind! We hope you enjoy your stay!" Dad joked.

"James honestly!" Mum said, bopping him in the head.

"Yes, well welcome. We have helped you organize it. This is a chateau on its own private island." Rowena said.

"Thanks." I said.

"Gee, she's thanking us for taking over her head, whatever shall we do?" Salazar drawled.

"Hey! Watch it, Gramps!" I said, pouting.

"Gramps? _Gramps?_ _GRAMPS?_ Honestly, things have gone downhill since our time, my friends."

"Enough of that!" Helga said. "We're here to unbind her powers and answer questions."

"Yes, Helga." Salazar groaned.

"How about questions first?" I asked.

"Very well." Godric said.

"Okay, veela. I don't know much about them."

"That's easy. All the stuff about us being seductive harpies and man-whores is bologna." Grandfather said.

"Those sun veela that we know you saw during the Quiddich world cup are a disgrace to our kind, only making it seem as though we are easy targets and crave sex." Grandmother said.

"Here's the truth." Grandfather said.

"Firstly, as you can tell, we're quite beautiful and let off allure. All shadow veela are tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed, and mysterious-looking. We fire veela are the smallest of all veela but also the most spirited and possessive of the worst tempers. It is hard to stop people from being attracted to us. Being a veela can be—com"

"A hell of a pain in the arse sometimes." Grandfather interrupted.

"_DAMION!"_ Grandmother snapped. "Anyway, other than the annoyance factor, it's no big deal. We are able to draw on magic from our surroundings, however, and the feelings of lust towards us are sucked in by our magical core."

"Also, the crap about us seducing men or women and bringing them to their deaths is bull as is the idea that veelas are only female. If their were only female veela around, how would our race survive? Also, veela have quite a long lifespan and stay much more youthful for much longer so you can be expecting to look like you're in your twenties when you're sixty." Grandfather said.

"We cannot make it through this long life alone, however. We need someone that will love and that can be loved by us that we can truly be with us for all our lives. This is technically, for lack of a better word, called mating. We Veela have a special way of sensing our mates. Most of the time they are veela or veela descendants like ourselves as your mother's case was even though she was suppressed and did not go through the typical process. On your sixteenth birthday, as is the case with all full veela, which you are, the search for your mate will start. You must find him by age eighteen or perish, it is one of the only ways veela of any kind can die. I have no fears, however. If your mate is a male veela or veela descendant and already sixteen or older he cannot claim you before your birthday. If he is younger than sixteen when you see him first after your birthday you cannot claim him. Claiming is done with a seal of a kiss, you will be a perfect match, do not worry. You will recognize each other by your scents and you will be drawn to each other. Once the mate is found it is necessary to marry and consummate within the next six months. Before then, you will hardly be able to be apart. We ourselves went to Beaubatons where many veela children go and their are always accommodations made; you should arrange with your headmaster as soon as your mate is found so that you may share quarters. If he does not agree, I am sure the founders have secret quarters." Grandmother said.

"Aye, that we do. Hogwarts is a sentient magical building and, recognizing you as her heir, will be able to communicate with you and whoever you wish." Godric said.

"Wow, this is amazing." I breathed.

"Yes it is. Anyway, we have some distinctive characteristics. Our senses are extremely sharpened, we can see much better, down to every speck of dirt if we wish, we can hear for miles around if we want too, our smell, our taste, everything is much better. Also, the blood that runs through our veins is different. We have less of it and the cells are shaped differently." Grandfather said.

"We are extremely fast, strong, and beautiful as you can se. We can lift objects as heavy as cars, large trucks, that sort of thing. Luckily, we are quite aware and careful of this strength." Grandmother said.

"Also, our brainpower is much better than normal humans; things come quite easily to us. When angered and when we find our mate, we take partial animal forms. The form for a shadow veela like myself is a partial shadow panther with slanted eyes, the proper teeth, black paws with silver claws, silver-clawed, padded feet, and a tail. The form for a fire veela like Lotus is a partial fire phoenix with large, bright eyes, somewhat pointed ears, hands and feet with gold talons, and a set of beautiful red and gold wings. You are technically a hybrid, a shadowfire, so I am uncertain what form you might have since Lily never was able to discover hers. Their is much more to know about the veela but we do not have the time. I recommend you read The Veela In Me, it will tell you everything else. Is that all you want to know?" Grandfather asked.

"How can veela die? How long do we live? Why did the killing curse affect Mum? Can it affect other veela?" I asked.

"As far as how long we live, we are not immortal but we can live as long as we want too, our lifespan, as I said, is quite long. We all stop aging at sixteen unless we wish to appear older in front of Muggles. The only way we can die is by being hit with a special veela vanquishing spell that our kind has had locked in a vault for centuries. The killing curse does not work on us. As far as Lily dying by the killing curse, she was dormant so in essence still human." Grandmother explained gently.

"Oh, okay. I'll be able to see you guys again, right?"

"Just take a trip to your mind." Merlin said.

"then just think of who you want to see." Godric said.

"Okay, um, you can unbind my magic and bring out my veela traits now." I said a bit uncertainly.

"Very well. Their is also the connection with Voldemort, we shall destroy it." Ignatius Peverell said. All eleven of them smiled and surrounded me. They then held out their wands as well as their empty hands and began to chant in a strange language.

"Revelc, dna yttiw, evarb, si ehs rof deeccus dlihc siht tel. Revaw ton lrig siht tel, raw fo ecaf eht ni gnorts eb reh tel. Em morf reh ot stfig eht htiw, ebab a sa saw ehs woh eb reh tel. Eerf eb cigam reh tel, skcolb eseht fo delaeh eb dlihc siht tel. Revelc, dna yttiw, evarb, si ehs rof deeccccus dlihc siht tel. Revaw ton lrig siht tel, raw fo ecaf eht ni gnorts eb reh tel. Em morf reh ot stfig eht htiw, ebab a sa saw ehs woh eb reh tel. Eerf eb cigam reh tel, skcolb eseht fo delaeh eb dlihc siht tel. Revelc, dna yttiw, evarb, si ehs rof deeccccus dlihc siht tel. Revaw ton lrig siht tel, raw fo ecaf eht ni gnorts eb reh tel. Em morf reh ot stfig eht htiw, ebab a sa saw ehs woh eb reh tel. Eerf eb cigam reh tel, skcolb eseht fo delaeh eb dlihc siht tel." They chanted this several times before something broke in me. I felt extreme pain all over, especially in my scar. Soon after that, I passed out.

Before I knew it, I was waking up in Silverclaw's office on a comfortable couch. I stood up to see that my senses were, indeed, much better than they had been before. My mind felt huge and open, like I could store anything.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, milady." Silverclaw said, smirking.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"About an hour, it's only about 12:00." he said. "Would you like a mirror?"

"Why?" I asked, my voice tinkling.

"Because you're royally decked out!" Silverclaw smirked, popping a mirror in existence in front of me. He was right. I was in a beautiful set of flowing and shining gold robes. The Potter crest, in full color, was on my left breast. My ring was set to Potter and I felt something on my head. It was a crown of some sort.

"What the hell?" I asked.

"Your family crown!"

"My what?"

"You didn't think that your title as Lady Noctus and Lady Diagus made you any less than veela royalty did you? Those are two of the four most revered and loved veela families."

"Um...well...wow!" I gasped. The crown was a beautiful shining gold material with little stones of ruby, jade, emerald, sapphire, and others I could not quite name. Each stone had a crest. The Potter crest, a cantering gold stag, was in the center ruby. It was then that I looked at my self. I had grown a little bit and could now consider myself as tall as my mother...just barely. I was filled out, curvy, how an almost sixteen-year-old girl should look. My hair was silky but went in a casual disarray all the way down to my butt, it was even more of a deep black with some of my mum's beautiful, rich dark red peeking through in the form of many streaks throughout it. My skin was soft and pale, my lips were a beautiful red. My eyes were framed by dark, full lashes and glowed their beautiful emerald green. I then noticed that their was no blemish on me, all the bruises from my uncle, all the cuts that I had tried to hide, they were gone. My scar stood out like a proud mark of victory on my forehead but that was it.

"Wow, just look at me!" I gasped.

"You do look quite spectacular. Now, to go back to your normal attire just tap the crest on your robes and say normal dress. To get back into a royal outfit, tap the same spot and say lady dress."

"Okay, normal dress!" with a gold flash, I was dressed in the same outfit as earlier but the changes still existed. With a wave of his hand, Silverclaw banished the mirror and beckoned me back over to the same chair I had sat in earlier as just Alexandra Potter. I sat down, smoothing my skirt, and smiled.

"I see that the ritual went quite well."

"Yes, you're right. It really did. Say, are their any books about veela and about my abilities that you can send me? I don't have room right now."

"Not a problem. Would you like to see your vaults today?"

"No thanks, I have other stuff I want to do now but I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Is their any way that I can have a limitless amount of money in something, like maybe a Muggle credit card?" I asked.

"Certainly. We developed the Gringotts Debit Card at your mother's request. The Muggle-borns and Muggle-raised witches and wizards like you have found the cards quite useful. Of course, for the purebloods who refuse to use anything Muggle, we have the limitless Gringotts wallet. The wallet can hold any currency you wish it too. Both the card and the wallet can never be lost, stolen, or used by anyone that you do not key in, even with tricky magic. Also, we can give you an all-purpose ID that will look however you want it to look. It can be an ID, a driver's license, you can even duplicate it into a passport. Once you have your appearition license, you may also will it to become that as well. We usually do not make identification cards for humans but you have always been respectful and the Ministry fees are outrageous for a more primitive version of the same thing. Would you like for their to be all the proper documents in your Gringotts wallet as well?"

"yes please, that would be wonderful. I've been meaning to get my driver's license but I'm still too young. But won't they realize I'm fifteen and not sixteen?" I asked.

"Not at all. Until you do turn the proper age, their eyes will slide over it and ignore it. Any more questions?" he asked.

"Nope! I'll take both of them." I said, smiling.

"Very well, here you go." Silverclaw said, handing me a feminine wallet with a few flowers bordering it. The wallet was made of dark brown leather and the clasp was a small gold g. I opened the wallet and the first thing I saw was a driver's license with a fantastic picture of me. In another slot was a debit card with a picture of Gringotts on one side.

"Thank you so much!" I said, putting the wallet with the debit card in my purse.

"The pleasure was mine. You are just as gracious as your mother and father were. Though your mother was Muggle-raised, like you, and your father was known as being arrogant, they were both very well-liked to the goblin nation. Now run along, you need to shop don't you?"

"Yes but first I have a question for you. I am particularly fond of Snapfang and Griphook. Since my estate is quite large I thought I could have the both of them as my estate managers. Is that acceptable?"

"Absolutely. Those two are twins, you know, a rarity in the goblin nation. They don't take separate cases often, they hardly take cases at all. I'm sure they'd be glad to help."

"Thank you!" I said, standing up. Silverclaw stood up as well and met me at the door.

"I look forward to meeting with you in the future, Alexandra." he said, smiling a true smile.

"And the same to you, Silverclaw." I smiled back before I left the room and swept down the hallway.

Chapter Four: Shopping Fun and Shops to Run

I finally reached the door that led into the foyer and went out into it. I smirked as I saw Snapfang and Griphook working next to each other.

"Hey Griphook, Snapfang!" I greeted.

"What do you need?" Snapfang asked.

"Aren't you that timid famous girl dressed in rags I helped five years ago?" Griphook asked.

"Yes, that would be me. Unfortunately, outside this outfit and my Hogwarts robes, I still have those clothes. They're from my cousin, my Muggle cousin, I swear he's like a mammoth or a whale. Anyway, I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" the goblin twins asked, frowning.

"What sort of surprise—com" Griphook started

"do you have—'" Snapfang continued.

"For us?" they finished together.

"Great, not another Fred and George. Let me guess, in private and when joking you call yourselves Gripfang and Snaphook right?"

"Maybe!" the goblins said.

"Hmmm, you're more than meets the eye, you goblins, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yes!" Griphook said.

"so what's this surprise?" Snapfang asked.

"Hmmm, you'll have to ask Silverclaw!" I said, grinning impishly. "Bye-bye now!" with a smirk and a wave, I swirled gracefully around, loving my new poise and grace, and skipped out of Gringotts. As soon as I was out, I thought of what I was going to do. My question was answered when my stomach growled. Hmmm, the Leaky Cauldron was something I owned partially but was it such a good idea to go their? No, not a good idea until I could have a good, long talk with Tom. I would go to one of the more fancy restaurants in the alley. One caught my eye, Maria's. It was a cute little restaurant and I liked it immediately. As soon as I went in, everyone was very helpful, but not overly so, and I found myself enjoying some delicious fedeccini and a cool bottle of butterbeer. An hour later, 1:00, I was out on the street again. What should I do now? First things first, I needed my hair and nails done. I smiled and headed towards Diagus Salon. I sighed happily upon entering, it was very nice, very posh.

"You need an appointment." snipped a young woman from behind the counter.

"Does the owner need an appointment to see her own shop, hmmm?" I asked.

"You're the head of the Diagus family are you?" she demanded.

"Just watch, _DIAGUS!"_ with a flash, the Potter ring was replaced by diamonds ringing a black onyx on a silver band, the Diagus ring.

"And you're Alexandra Potter...omigod!" she squealed.

"YEAH. So when can I make an appointment?" I asked.

"But you're the owner...you can get the free treatment." the girl stammered.

"I hate special treatment." I said with a sigh. "So when can you pencil me in for a hair cut, a manicure, and a pedicure?"

"Actually, Chris is open for hair right now and after that our best, Pamela and Pandora, can do your hands and feet." she said in a rush. "I'm Annette, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Annette." I said, smiling. "I'm glad to say that this place has been taken care of properly."

"It has. Our manager, Trace, he lives in Diagus village. Hottest veela I've ever met, both in looks and temper. Say, I thought Lily and James Potter were human."

"Mum was given up for adoption because her parents were afraid she'd come in danger's way because of Voldemort. Her mum was Lotus Diagus, her father Damion Noctus. They made her traits dormant and gave her to a Muggle family whose daughter just died."

"Oh, I see. But don't you want this stuff, I dunno, secret?" Annette asked.

"Oh trust me, it'll be all over the profit soon, and the Quibbler and any other wizard paper." I smirked.

"How can you say that?" she asked.

"Hmmm, let's see. First, you like gossip right? Rita Skeeter is an unregistered beetle animagus and I know her secret. I kept her in an unbreakable glass jar for three months after my fourth year. I give her my story, it's a big career break. She goes against it, you and your friends can start spreading it around, m'kay? And tell 'em all that Alexandra Liilia Potter told ya so!" I smirked.

"Oooh, this is _GOLD!"_ Annette squeaked.

"Not the half of it. Second, I know Luna Lovegood and her dad, their magazine is great fun to read. It was a sensation last year with that article I put in their. Third, the Daily Profit, _I_ _OWN_ _IT._ It was a Potter inheritance."

"Oooh, brilliant. Okay, I'm going to call Chris to do your hair, m'kay?" Annette said.

"Fine by me." I said. About five minutes later, a tall guy with laughing violet eyes and dirty blonde hair came up.

"Ah, so the fair lady needs my expertise?" he asked, mock-bowing as his eyes checked me out, I squelched my new allure the best I could.

"Slytherin?" I asked.

"Yup! Chris Rothport of the proud Slytherin house, class of 1994 at your service, milady!" he said, smiling.

"Ah, so you graduated in my third year?" I asked.

"Oh-ho! Very astute, the Lightning-Child is!" Chris said.

"Lightning-Child?" I asked as he led me back to a chair and sat me down.

"Yup! You've got lightning on your forehead, or a scar. His Hairy Highness Oldie-Lox doesn't scare me, I've got it out for him. One of his Grim-Reaper posers killed my parents when I was small. They were both Muggle-born. My little sister and I were at Grandma's, thank god. You might know her, her name's Raquel, mostly she goes by Quel, though, just like my name's Christian but I go by Chris. She'll be a Slytherin fifth-year."

"Really? Funny I never noticed her; I'm friends with Tori Greengrass, she's in the same house and year." I said.

"Yeah, I s'pose it is. Now how would you like your hair? If you're a metamorphmagus, which I have the feeling you might be, than you can show me what you want your true form to look like. It's one thing to make yourself look a certain way but at the end of the day you're still you."

"Exactly. I just got my ability unlocked, though. A certain lemon-sucking, god-damned, bastard of a headmaster has had a ton of my magic blocked, I'm so mad! Just gimme a second with my hair." I focused like Tonks, screwing up my face. I wanted it to just go down my back some, maybe a bit past my bra strap, to be light and layered, frame my face, and I wanted to grow my bangs out and sweep them to my right. I heard the telltale _pop_ and opened my eyes. Except for the fact that my hair was in a different style, it was in it's same unruly glory. I let Chris circle me and take a look at my hair and then he told me I could revert to normal. with just the thought, my hair lengthened out again and my bangs shortened to their semi-long state.

"I can definitely do that. Do you want me to shampoo it and do the full treatment?" he asked.

"Er, sure. You know, this is the nicest salon I've ever been too. My aunt just took me to a Quick-Cuts once a year or so." I said, standing up and moving to the sink that Chris stood behind.

"Ouch, not the most magic-friendly person eh?" Chris asked as I sat down and bent my head under the faucet.

"Yup! And she's not even my aunt by blood. I just thank God, and Dumbledore should too, come to think of it, that she and my mum took a little blood-oath thing when they were little becoming blood sisters even if they're not related." I said.

"Ah, bet you'll be glad to get out of their. I felt the same way 'bout Gran and Pops. Mum's parents are dead, killed in the war, so Quel and I were stuck with Dad's catholic, witch-hating parents. They tried to treat us good but their was always coldness their."

"Right. I can't say my relatives have treated me "well," exactly." I said.

"Explain." he said.

"You want to know what I had to eat when I was little? Dog food! You want to know how often they changed my nappy? About once a week. You want to know what they called me and what I thought my name was? Freak! You want to know what I had to wear everywhere? Dudley, my _BOY_ cousin's, cast-offs! Guess what my first bedroom was! A nice little room with a crib and tons of toys? No, that was Dudley! My bedroom was a cupboard, the cupboard under the stairs to be exact. Second-year, a crazy house-elf accidentally crashed their dinner party. What happens? I get locked into my room, getting cheese and bread twice a day with a little glass of water through a cat flap, getting out to use the loo only once. Thank God I hadn't started my girl cycle yet. Fred and George Weasley had to rescue me in the middle of the night in their father's _FLYING_ _CAR!_ Oh yeah, third year my uncle's sister, Marge, who's obsessed with bull dogs comes over. They all start insulting my parents, my father was a good-for-nothing drunk, my mother was a harlot, a slut, a trollop, bla bla bla. I got mad and yelled at her. Then she says, It's just like dog breeding. If their's something wrong with the _BITCH,_ their's something wrong with the _Pup!_ Basically she was saying that I was just as screwed up as my parents...and she doesn't even _KNOW_ about magic. So you know what I did, a little bit of accidental magic and I blew her up...like a balloon! Bam, I run away, get warned by the ministry to not do that, you get it. Fourth year much of the same and, I daresay, everyone knows about fifth year. Now, this year, I'll be free at last with my family headship. Oh yeah, and my parents bought the house where the Dursleys live and the company where my uncle works so that they could live comfortably, they don't deserve it!" I said darkly, all while Chris worked his magic with my hair, making it wet, smooth, and silky.

"What a group of no-good, dirty-rotten, bigots!" he said as he moved me back over to the chair.

"Glad you agree." I said, smiling. It didn't take Chris too long to make my hair absolutely perfect and I was looking at a new, beautiful, stylish me.

"Ready for nails?" came the voices of two young women. Both looked like Parvati and Padma Patil's exact doubles except older.

"Yeah." I said, getting gracefully to my feet and going over to the seat they pointed to which was a little table-station.

"We'll do your hands first." one of the twins said. "I'm Pamela, by the way."

"You wouldn't happen to be related to Parvati and Padma Patil would you?" I asked.

"We're their older twin sisters, older by eight years." the other twin, Pandora, said.

"Neat!" I chirped.

"So what color nails do you want?" Pamela asked.

"Hmmm, I was thinking green to match my eyes; either that or red like my streaks." I said.

"Snakes won't like red and green would just be fun since you're in Gryffindor. They'd think it was blasphemous." Pandora said. "I should know, Slytherin was my house. Pammy here was a Puff."

"Okay, emerald it is." I said.

"Emerald for the Gryff." the twins laughed.

"Oh yeah, and I have a nervous habit of picking and biting my nails so maybe you could do acrylics?" I let it hang like a question.

"No problem." Pamela said. About a half hour later, I was sitting comfortably in a massaging chair as the girls scrubbed at my feet and put on green nail polish as well as gold butterflies on the big toes.

"Now if only Aunt Petunia did this sort of thing, not the other way around." I sighed contentedly.

"Eeewww, your aunt made you scrub her feet?" Pandora asked, wrinkling her nose. I chuckled at her antics.

"Scaly, bony, stinky alligator feet with nails as brittle as my trust in Dumbledore before today." I said. "Yes. Good times...good times...not!" I sighed as the chair massaged me.

"Ick! We only take the customers with good feet." Pandora, clearly the more outspoken one, said.

We're really glad yours are so smooth." Pamela said. A half hour later found me leaving the shop, my heels transfigured into gold flip-flops for the time being. In a shrunken bag in my purse, I had several hair and body products. Their was shampoo, conditioner, skin moisturizer, lotions, makeup, and a hairbrush that would never break. Hmmm, what now? I really wanted a second ear hole and maybe, I smirked, a tatoo. I headed towards Noctern Alley and my tatoo shop. Suddenly, a black raven with molten gold eyes came zipping out of a shop, Rare and Wonderful Creatures, which I owned.

"Get back here you little devil!" came the voice of a woman chasing after him. I smirked, it had a lone hoop earring in it's gold beak, wait, _GOLD?_

"Stop right there!" I ordered. The bird tilted it's head, appraising me. "That's right, bird brain, I said stop. Now give the nice woman her earring back." the bird huffed but did as he was told, flying over and dropping it on the woman's head.

"Were you just making bird noise?" she asked.

"Guess so; it's all knew to me. This bird's a little devil though, _oh_ _yes_ _You_ _are."_ the last part I said in the bird's speech.

"I can talk back, you know." he said, still not using regular English.

"Yes, I know. Tell you what, how about a life of wonder and adventure if you come with me?" I asked.

"Fine, I'm sick of the cage." he huffed.

"Good. Um, he'll stay with me." I said as I walked into the shop, the woman behind me.

"Very good. Ten galleons. Tell you what, I'll even throw in a gold cage and silver food and water dishes for free! That's a rare bird their, a Molt Raven. They can do a lot of the same things phoenixes can do. Their tears are even more valuable and they can flash places." she said.

"Fantastic. I think I'll name you Nix because you love stealing things) I said to the raven.

"Whatever." he said, preening himself. He was beautiful with a gold beak, molten gold eyes, gold legs and feet, and ripples of gold arching and swirling through his feathers in non-stop patterns.

"Miss, do you mind if I have a look around? I want to make sure that my shop is doing well." I said. "Oh yeah, Hufflepuff." the woman simply gaped before I turned the ring back to normal.

"Fi-fine, don't let me stop you, Lady Potter...and Diagus...and Hufflepuff...and whatever else you are." she stammered.

"Potter, Black, Noctus, Diagus, Peverell, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Merlin, all by blood ties. Mum was a magically de-veelarized veela adopted into the Muggle world for her safety." I said with a smile.

"Oy, oh great-and-mighty, can you take me home?" came a hissing voice. I went over to see a small snake. The snake was perhaps a foot long. Her eyes were glowing emerald green. Other than that, she was solid black save for little gold crisscrossing diamonds going down her back.

"Hello. Do you have a name?" I asked, picking her up.

"No I do not. You look into my eyesss and yet you do not die, why isss that?"

"I am a veela. Why, are you a basssilisk?" I asked.

"Half." she hissed ashamedly. "Half Basssilisssk and half Presssiousss Diamond. At leassst I can turn off the killing glare thing."

"Yesss, that isss good. Shall I give you a name then?"

"You'll really take me?" she asked, more like begged.

"Of courssse. Why would I not? Let'sss sssee, how about Goldstream? It jussst sssort of fitsss."

"I like it very much." she hissed.

"Good." I said.

"Do you want our deluxe terrarium with heated rocks, bright light, and the same instant-fill food dishes I gave your raven?" the woman asked. "Oh, and my name's Jessie."

"Yeah, Jessie, that would be great." I smiled. A few minutes later, I was out of the store, it was already 3:00.

"Look, I have some other things to do. Do you mind if I have my friend bring you to my place?" I asked.

"Fine." they muttered in ascent. I called Dobby with instructions to put them in my room and lock the door. I also told them to not make a sound. Next stop, which is where I wanted to go in the first place, Noctus Piercings and Tatoos.

"What can I do for you?" asked a black-haired man from behind the counter. he was rather good-looking but totally not my type. He seemed in a bit of a flirtatious mood, though, and he was fighting a losing battle to not look at me. I shrugged and tried my best to force my allure down.

"Hi, no flirting with the boss, please. I technically own the store, _NOCTUS,_ but it looks great. Anyway, I was hoping you could give me a second ear hole and I was thinking of a tatoo or two." I said.

"All right, Lady Potter, right back here and you can look at earrings and tatoo designs. My name is Wyat by the way." he said.

"Fantastic. Oh yeah, and I like you, Wyat, so you don't have to call me Lady Potter or anything fancy. You can just call me Alexandra or whatever else you can get from my name."

"Allie, Alex, Lexy, Lex, Anne, Andy, Al, Annie, Anna, Xandra, what do you think?" he said.

"scuse me?"

"Allie, Alex, Lexy, Lex, Anne, Andy, Al, Annie, Anna, Xandra. I think they just suit you so I shall call you what suits my fancy at the moment!"

"Fine then. Do you have any emeralds or jades?" I asked.

"Just the thing!" he smiled. He reached into a display case and pulled out a beautiful set of emerald flowers. "These will never fade or dull. Also, may I suggest this beautiful matching belly ring?" he asked, holding it up.

"Um, what the hell." I smiled.

"Great! Now just sit in that chair and it'll be over as soon as you can say, _STUPEFY."_ I did so and felt a little twinge as each earring and the belly ring was shot into my ears and belly button from the tip of Wyat's wand.

"I already have an idea for a tatoo." I said. "I have this snake with eyes like mine who's black with gold diamonds on her back. Maybe you could curl her around my bellybutton like a snake curls around a rock. I'd like her to be one of the moving tatoos too, please, but one that looks still to Muggles. Also, I want to tatoo a Molt raven on my back, flying around and resting where my tailbone ought to be like a branch, you know? Mine has gold feet, a gold beak, and gold eyes. His wings are tipped with gold in places."

"Okay, mind if I do a quick scan to see what you're talking about?"

"As long as you don't go snooping, buster." I said. Wyat nodded, lost focus for a second, and came back into focus beaming.

"Beautiful creatures, Lex, beautiful creatures." he said. "Just go lay down on that bench on your stomach first, I'll do the raven now." I smiled and obliged. Dumbledore's pawn was no more! His wand tip felt hot to my back as he carefully and meticulously traced the raven. After about an hour, perhaps more, he was done. The skin was tender and throbbed a little but it was tolerable. Next, I sat up and he carefully did the snake. I looked down to see that his detail was wonderful, spectacular, breathtaking. After another hour and a half, he was done and I gingerly let my robe fall over it again.

"Here, pain potion. They'll be tender for the next few days; they will start moving later." I smiled and gulped it down. The hot spots of skin felt cooler now, better.

"Usually it would not have taken me quite so long but your skin was a bit...hard. Veela tatoos are harder to do."

"Oh." I said, standing up. "Hey, would you mind transfiguring my shoes back into heels for me?"

"Sure, Lex! Anyway, as far as the rings go, just point your wand at each and say cleanius every day, twice a day, for six weeks. Also, be sure to turn the earrings."

"I will. Thank you so much, Wy!" I said, smiling. "Be expecting a bonus!" with that, I was off. Oh boy, it was already 6:00! The Dursleys would have a fit, tee-hee-hee!

"Dobby?" I called.

"Yes, Alexandra Potter? What cans Dobby be getting for Alexandra Potter?" he squeaked.

"Can you take me to Privet Drive?" I asked.

"Of course!" he squeaked. I smiled, grasped his arm, and then we were off. We landed right in front of the house.

"Thanks a lot, Dobby. You'll have to go back to Hogwarts for now but thank you for everything!" I said.

"Alexandra Potter is welcome, Alexandra Potter is welcome." Dobby said. Then, with a crack, he was gone. I smirked and walked up to the door. I opened it to see the Dursleys eating take-out pizza.

"I'm hooom!" I cheered, smirking.

"Where have you been you worthless little retch!" Uncle Vernon roared, lumbering out of his seat.

"Hmmm, running some errands, that sort of thing.

"You didn't do a single chore you worthless girl!" my aunt snapped.

"Oooh, very astute, dear auntie." I said. "I had more important things to do."

"Like what? Like what, you ungrateful _FREAK?"_ my uncle bellowed, reaching out to slap me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I said cooly.

"And why not?" he bellowed.

"You would break your hand, just try." I smirked. His hand made contact with my face but I heard a crack.

"How did you...what happened to you—com" my aunt stammered.

"Inheritance. I'm the head of ten magical families now, including two veela ones. Firstly, Mum was adopted into the Evans family because her real parents didn't want Voldemort killing her. Her parents were both veela. They were able to make her traits dormant which, in essence, made her human as any human. This is why she died when I was a baby. She didn't know until I was coming along and she was already in hiding with Dad. So now here I am, the extraordinary veela niece you've always despised. Let's make things clear, why don't we? Firstly, I own Privet Drive, I think you know that. Mum bought it so you could live a comfortable life, aunt. And Dad bought Grunnings so you would always have a job, uncle. I really want us to work together. I know we don't get along but maybe we could come to a compromise, okay? I don't mind the garden work; that's my thing. Maybe Dudley could do some of his own cleaning and learn to cook his own meals too and you, Aunt Petunia, could still do dusting and vacuuming and everything else. Oh yes, and I can do magic now outside school; I'm emancipated and will be leaving on my birthday. And you will not call me any names other than my given one. If you call me anything you will call me Alexandra. No Alex, no Lex, no Lexy, nothing of the sort okay?"

"I have never heard such a normal name for such a _FREAK,_ you don't deserve it. Alexandra Liilia Potter indeed. Freaks like you and your _worthless_ mother ought to be eliminated, disallowed from _pretending_ to be normal. Your mother came from a good, normal family which makes her a _FREAK_ all the more!" my aunt sniffed. I felt my blood boyle at the way she was talking about _MY_ _MUM!_ I walked up then, and with more than human strength, I slapped her in the face, making her stumble backwards into her china hutch. Many of the things inside it broke at the bump.

"Oops, _REPARO!"_ I said, taking my wand out and flipping it. The hutch looked good as new. "Now you're going to sit right here a minute while I enter my mind and see if their are any spells to see if you're under any sort of imperius." with that, I plopped on the couch and closed my eyes. Within a few minutes, I found myself their.

"Helga? Helga are you their?" I called out. The form of Helga Hufflepuff appeared right in front of me.

"What is it you need, dear?" she asked.

"My aunt, uncle, and cousin have always been cruel but I wonder if Dumbledore had anything to do with that. Do you know any spells to show if they're under anything?" I asked.

"Yes. Just point your wand or wave your hand at them and say Curso Reveleo. Then you'll see a list of anything they're under. After that, just say disbando. your magic is powerful enough."

"Thanks so much!" I said, hugging the kindly Hogwarts founder. "And tell everyone I said hi." with that, I was back in the Dursleys' living room.

"Okay, line up!" I ordered. The frightened Dursleys obliged. I stood up and went in front of Dudley first.

"Curso Reveleo!" I said, flicking my wand at him. Unfortunately, no curses appeared.

"Oh well, none for you, I guess you're a git by nature." I said with a shrug. "Next for you two!" I cast the spell but saw nothing unusual about them, their were no curses.

"Ah well, guess I was expecting as much. Sit down, I want to go over some things with you." I said as I myself sat on the couch.

"Fine." they grunted and sat down.

"What do you want, girl?" Aunt Petunia asked, her voice shrill.

"Oh, just to talk." I said.

"Cut to the chase, girl." Uncle Vernon demanded, face growing purple.

"First off, this is technically my house and I've been letting you live in it free reign, no rent, no consequences. Second, the only reason you have your job, Uncle Vernon, is because Dad secured it for you in the first place. Third, you've treated me like _dung_ _droppings_ my entire _LIFE._ I'm going to set up some ground rules tonight and you're going to listen."

"Now see here you ungrateful" but I cut Vernon off. I stood up and towered over the hulking man.

"Shut up." I said in a deadly voice, unleashing my worst glare. "You are going to listen to me and listen _GOOD!"_ they all nodded in confirmation as I sat back down.

"Firstly, I'll be leaving on my sixteenth birthday after I know my presence will not be missed here. Second, I am _SICK_ and _TIRED_ of doing _EVERY_ _LAST_ _CHORE!_ _YOU_ _Lot_ can do them for a change. Third, I'm going to go wherever I want _whenever_ I want and you won't stop me. Lastly, whatever I tell the neighbors of my true self you will follow through with. I don't care what you've said of me in the past but I will rectify the situation. The dragging through the mud you've done of my reputation is _NOTHING_ compared to what I can do for yours. Orphan girl gets beatings, orphan girl gets starved, orphan girl's room is the _CUPBOARD_ _UNDER_ _THE_ _STAIRS_ as a _CHILD!_ You would better feel damn lucky that I haven't given an exclusive interview to my newspaper already to tell them how the famous girl-who-lived is treated. My friends don't even know everything and for that I am grateful. Oh yeah, and remember Sevvy-poo, Auntie Tunia? My mum's childhood best friend? And remember Minerva McGonagall? The one who first came to your house about Hogwarts when Mum was eleven? He's one of my favorite professors and she's my head of house and they know...they know. I'm not the only abused one in Hogwarts and in Gryffindor house...you heard me right...I'm a Gryffindor like my mum and dad and damn proud. I swear that if you go against my stipulations I will _MAKE_ _YOUR_ _LIVES_ _HELL!"_ the Dursleys all cowered away from my glare in fear.

"Fi-fine." my aunt managed to choke out.

"Thank you." I smirked, snagging a piece of pepperoni pizza. "I'm going to eat this in the back garden and watch the sunset." With that, I was out the kitchen door. I sighed and sunk onto a bench, nibbling at my slice.

"What are you doing out here, girl? Your relatives have been out all day and you have done no chores for them!" came the voice of Mrs. number six over the low fence.

"I was doing important things today." I said.

"like beating up children you little delinquent?" she sniffed.

"I am not a delinquent. My police record is spotless, thank you very much." I snapped as I swallowed the last of my pizza.

"Of course, and that's why you were sent off to St. Agnus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Girls is it?" she demanded.

"I never was. Have you ever heard of Highland Academy?" I asked, standing up and stepping right up to the fence.

"Of course! _ALEXANDRA_ _POTTER,_ daughter of a drug addict and a drunkard, off to Highland! It's the most hilarious thing I've ever _Heard!"_ she laughed.

"My parents were _NOT_ drug addicts and they were _NOT_ drunkards." I yelled, drawing the attention of some gossips on the street.

"Oh they _WEREN'T?_ Than what _WERE_ they?" she demanded.

"My dad, James Potter, was an army officer of a special unit, my mum, Lily Potter, was a brain surgeon."

"Shut up, girl, and don't tell fanciful tales of losers." Mrs. Number Six, who I just remembered was named Martha Tinsdale, scoffed.

"Mrs. Tinsdale, have you ever heard of Lord James Charlis Potter and Lady Liilia Jasmiin Potter?" I demanded.

"You mean those poor souls who were murdered by a madman who didn't like their political views?" she demanded.

"They are my parents. They were never drug addicts or useless deadbeats or anything of the _SORT!_ I just found out about the lord thing today but they went to Highland Academy as well, _LIKE_ _ME!"_

"But you can't be their daughter. For one thing, it didn't say who she went to live with. For another, her name was _ALEXANDRA,_ you stupid girl, _ALEXANDRA...OH_ wait...your name..."

"_MY_ _NAME_ _IS_ _ALEXANDRA!"_ I yelled, waving my Potter ring in her face. "_LADY_ _ALEXANDRA_ _LIILIA_ _POTTER!"_

"Oh...um...I here my husband calling me! Uh, _COMING_ _TOM!"_ with that, Mrs. Tinsdale waddled across her yard and into her house.

"I feel good!" I sighed as I went inside.

"Don't think that's over, who else is going to believe a thing like you?" Aunt Petunia sniffed.

"Excuse me?" I asked coldly.

"We'll just see how the other neighbors react to a _THING_ _LIKE_ _YOU!"_ she spat again.

"Okay, listen up here you bony little bitch and listen good." I hissed, backing her into a corner. "You're forgetting your agreement already and my threat still stands. Oh yeah, I bought a raven and a snake today, my raven can peck your eyes out if he wants too and my snake can either kill you with her glare or bite you, whichever you prefer." Aunt Petunia looked about ready to wet herself on the spot. I smiled sweetly, retreated upstairs, got ready for bed, and waited for sleep to claim me.

Chapter Five: More Shopping

The next morning I woke up feeling quite refreshed. I had transfigured my bed into something more comfortable so my night's sleep was very pleasant. Nix stood on the perch that once belonged to Hedwig and preened himself in the morning light; it was only 7:00. Goldstream, however, was curled around my neck. I smiled as I got up and rifled through my closet for something to wear. The only good thing I could find were my Hogwarts robes. With a flick of my wand, they were now a royal blue and the heels I wore yesterday were blue flip-flops. I laid the outfit on the bed with a bra and underwear and grabbed up my toiletries. I went out the door and down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower. Goldstream slithered down my arm and curled up on the bathroom counter as I started the shower. I got in and sighed contentedly as the hot water rushed over me. I washed all over, lathered my hair and rinsed it, and got out.

"That sssteam felt good, Lightning-Child, thank you." Goldstream hissed.

"You are welcome, Goldstream." I hissed back as I wrapped a towel around me. I took out my brush and brought it through my black hair and then flicked my finger, drying myself off while giving my hair a bit more volume. This wandless magic thing was easy, it was coming second-nature to me. Before I left the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and put some deodorant on. After that was done, I pointed my finger at my belly button, then my left ear, then my right ear saying _CLEANIUS._ Goldstream crawled up my arm and draped herself on my shoulders as I left the room. Yes, things were getting much, much better. I quickly got dressed, put my wand in my robes, put my ring on, and made sure my necklace and hoops were on. I picked up my purse, making sure that my wallet and card were in it, and enchanted it a matching blue and bronze.

"Nix, Goldstream, do you want to come with me or stay here?" I asked.

"I will come, I can flash your things home for you." Nix said. "Just as long as you don't let other people touch me."

"And I want to ssstay with you, you are warm." Goldstream said.

"Jussst don't turn on your kill-glare." I said.

"I shall never unlessss in great danger to myself or to you, Lightning-Child." Goldstream said.

"Good, good. Now let's go downstairs." With Nix on my right shoulder and Goldstream around my neck, I headed downstairs and into the living room.

"Morning, Aunt Petunia." I said, trying to act as normal as possible.

"Alexandra." she nodded. "You would better be grateful for this, I made breakfast and it's in on the table."

"Er, thank you." I said.

"Hmph!" she muttered as I passed her. I went over to the dining room to see a breakfast of waffles, bacon, and juice. I pulled out my wand and flicked it, warming my waffles and bacon and cooling my juice at the same time. I sighed happily and tucked into a delicious meal. Part of me was expecting to keel over with every bite but when I was finished, I was still alive so that was a plus. With my wand, I levitated the dishes over to the sink and made them rinse themselves. Then, they went into the full dishwasher and it started itself. I exited the kitchen to see Dudley coming down the stairs.

"G'morning." he said.

"Good morning to you too." I responded, at least he was trying to be decent, the great pig.

"Good morning, Popkin." Aunt Petunia said.

"Hey, I'll be out today. Nix, could you flash me?" Nix nodded and flew in front of me. With a quick goodbye, I was off. Instead of Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, flashing out in a whirl of fire, Nix flashed out in a puff of black shadow. I found that he put me right in front of Diagus Fashion Boutique.

"Your clothes are hideous." he trilled, making a bird-like snort of disgust.

"I know. I was going to go here anyway." I said. It was a very nice, posh little shop. I drew in a breath and walked in.

"Hi, welcome to Diagus Fashion Boutique, how may I help you?" came a cheery voice. I looked at the person and gasped in shock, it was Lavender Brown.

"_LAVENDER?"_ I asked.

"The one and only! Come here to shop? Well I wouldn't be lying if I said you totally needed a new wardrobe." she said.

"Yeah, I know I do." I said.

"Hey Alexandra, I'm sorry about last term, I was being a real bitch saying you were loony and barmy and mental and all that."

"It's okay, Lav, it's okay." I consoled the girl who had been my roommate since first year.

"Thank you, Alexandra. Now c'mon, we've got some major shopping to do."

"Okay but I swear, no pink." I said.

"But it's so cuuute, and I bet I could make it look sooo good on you!" Lavender said.

"Nope!" I said as we walked further into the store.

"Please?"

"no!"

"pretty please?"

"No!"

"Pretty pretty please?"

"No!"

"Pwetty pwetty pwetty pwease pwease pweeeaaase?" she begged, puppy-dog pouting.

"_NO!_ Just because I just unlocked my metamorphmagus abilities doesn't mean I'll wear _PINK!"_

"Oooh, you're a metamorphmagus? I'm going to have fun, come on!" Lavender seized my arm and dragged me to the young ladies section.

"My big mouth!" I said good-naturedly.

"About three hours later, I was finally done shopping, or rather, Lavender was finally done dragging me around. She was absolutely thrilled that I had "Broken out of that terribly thick shell" of mine and got the piercings and two tatoos. "Ooh, those are so cool." she had said. For wizarding clothes, I got everyday robes, Quiddich robes, semi-formal robes, dress robes, bath robes, pajamas, and a fine fur-lined emerald cloak for the winter. In the Muggle section I got jeans, slacks, skirts, shorts, capris, scorts, T-shirts, screen T's, halters, tank tops, casual dresses, semi-formal dresses, formal dresses, and several nice coats for winter and summer alike, some for looks and some for use. Also, I got shoes upon shoes upon shoos, heels, flats, sandals, tennis shoes, boots of fancy Muggle leather, dragon-hide boots, gloves, mittens, scarves, hats, socks, underwear, bras, designer sunglasses, purses, wallets, Muggle and magical watches as well as a gold watch with a black dragon-hide band that had a Muggle, celestial, location, and mortality setting, pairs of comfy slippers, and many different accessories for my hair. Nix had flashed everything home before joining me. I was now wearing a set of fine emerald silk robes and matching sandals. It was 11:00 according to my new, and favorite watch. Like I said, it has the Muggle setting, the celestial setting which I don't understand, the location setting like the Weasley clock, and a mortality setting which shows how healthy you are. I walked across and entered Maria's once again. This time, I ordered pizza.

"Not many people order pizza." said the waitress, Adabelle.

"I know but it's just _SO_ delicious. I had it for dinner but I still can't get enough." I said as I took a bite of my large slice and sipped my butterbeer.

"You are a strange person, Alexandra Potter, good but strange." Adabelle said as she walked away. Dumb purebloods, no taste in Muggle food. About a half hour later I was out of the restaurant, it was 12:00. Well, I really needed a new trunk; to Wanderer's Wist I go.

"Hello and welcome! How can I help you today?" asked an older man from behind the counter. His eyes glanced at me but did nothing more, thank God.

"Hello, I'd like to order a customized trunk and take a look in my shop." I said.

"Oh, hello, Lady Potter. My name is John, John Whitman. All right, come to the back room and we can talk." said the man. I smiled and followed him through the store and into a door where their was a work shop.

"So what do you have in mind?" he asked.

"I was thinking cherry wood with gold fastenings, the Potter crest on the lid with my initials, ALP, arching over it. As far as the inside, what can you do?"

"I can do up to ten large compartments as well as ordinary ones. I can make them normal or room-sized or house-sized. I can put wards so that nothing can be stolen and anything you lose will automatically go back to your trunk. I can also make it so that only those you key in can enter or else they will find themselves with a nasty hex or curse depending on their intentions. Also, their is a time-delay feature I have been fiddling with, I don't have the particulars yet but I can have the finished spell applied to your trunk. I can also add a spell so that it will shrink on your command or turn into a piece of jewelry, for instance, a locket. I would recommend a gold necklace with a matching gold pendant with an emerald in the middle, or perhaps a silver charm bracelet with an emerald charm, oh yes that would be better; especially with that beautiful necklace you already have."

"Okay, I know what I want. I want a primary compartment so that it looks like a plain school trunk. Then, ten thumb buttons on the inner lid. I want the first compartment to go to a library, the second to a potions lab, the third to a dueling area, the fourth to a Muggle gym with connected weight and machine room as well as a locker room and pool, the fifth to a simulated outdoor track and Quiddich pitch, the sixth to greenhouses, the seventh to a music studio, the eighth to an art studio, the ninth to a small apartment or house with bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room, and the tenth to a room of requirement so I can have whatever else I might need. You can do that can't you?"

"Of course. Rooms of Requirement are really not that difficult to make, just to find." Mr. Whitman explained.

"Excellent!" I said with a smile. "And I'd love all the wards you could possibly add to this. Also, when you enter each compartment, I want the ladder or stairs to go to a small hall outside the door to the room. Then, I'd like you to put the same ten buttons on the wall by the ladder or stairs. This way, you don't have to leave to go from compartment to compartment."

"That is brilliant, Lady Potter." Mr. Whitman said.

"Just Alex or Lex or Lexy or something like that, please. If you want to be formal you can just call me Alexandra, Mr. Whitman." I said.

"All right, just as long as you call me John. I can have this thing ready in a week. I'll have it all furnished and ready to go for you as well."

"Thank you so much!" I said. "I saw by the sign that custom jobs are 5000, I'll give you triple." I said, holding up my card.

"You don't have to do that, Alexandra." John said.

"But I want too, you've been taking great care of my family's shop. Now why don't we go to the front? I'd like to look around." he nodded and we went back into the main store. I smiled as I saw things like instant fire pits, travel sneakoscopes and fo-glasses, and many of the types of tents that I saw at the Quiddich world cup. Also, their were meals that would automatically cook with just a spell, Muggle sleeping bags, and other camping things. I even saw a small collection of Muggle rifles as well as magically enhanced ones and some bows and arrows. Deciding that no Death Eater would expect to be shot with an arrow or a bullet, I picked up the nicest magically enhanced rifle, bullets, and handbook as well as a magical bow and quiver of arrows that could flame if you wanted them too as well as an instruction book for them. Near those I saw water canteens. I chose a small one that was actually really the size of about ten gallons of water that would automatically refill itself. Now that I thought about camping out, I might need a tent. My trunk was awesome but it would be easier to keep a tent with real time. I chose a nice emerald one that was actually the size of a four-bedroom two-and-a-half bathroom, 2500 square foot house that had enchanted windows to show you different vantage points around your camp out spot.

"Nice stuff, Alexandra. Those will be useful." John said. "I can even ward it and have it all set up for you, even make it into a lily charm for the charm bracelet. I'll have it ready with the trunk."

"That'd be great." I said, handing him my purchases. All in all, I spent 25000 galleons in their but it was totally worth it. It was 1:00. What was I going to buy now? I smiled and headed towards Noctern Alley. First I would go to Scrollmakers, I really needed a diary that could be written in by me and only me.

"Welcome to Scrollmakers, founded by Rowena Ravenclaw!" came a voice.

"Hello. I've come to...erm...look at my shop and also to get a diary."

"Alexandra Potter?" came the voice of the woman behind the counter.

"Yes, miss. So do you think you can help me?" I asked.

"but of course, we have many diaries. Come with me, please." she said. I smiled as she led me through the store. Suddenly, I spotted a rack of something that made my heart plummet to my toes.

"A-are those blood quills?" I asked.

"Yes, Lady Potter, they are." she said.

"Out, out." I gasped.

"excuse me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I want those out of my shop ASAP!" I ordered.

"But Lady Potter, we have been selling them for generations." she said.

"I don't care. I would never wish those things on _ANYONE,_ understand?" I demanded.

"But we're very careful with whoever we sell them too, we do background checks and use a mild truth potion and everything, Lady Potter."

"Okay...I'm sorry for overreacting. I have bad memories is all. Now how about those diaries, miss?" I asked, moving forward.

"Please, Lady Potter, I would feel much more comfortable if you did not call me miss. My name is Marilyn, let's just keep it like that."

"Okay, but you can call me Alex or Lex or Lexy or something like that, only call me Alexandra if you feel most comfortable with it." I said.

"Very well, you seem like an Alex to me, that's fine. Now back here we have the diaries. She led me to one shelf that had many different ones.

"Now this one," she said, pointing at a plain black one, "is my personal masterpiece. If anyone tries to get in without the password a variety of hexes, jinxes, and curses will inflict themselves upon them depending on their intentions. The diary is also never-ending so you will never need a new one. Lastly, you may personalize it however you like, just press your wand or finger on it and think of what you want it to look like. On each page I can have your name inscribed in a corner and I can also enchant the date to automatically appear in another corner."

"Sounds great." I said with a smile. "I'll have my name in the top right corner of each page and the date can appear in the bottom right. Can you also do the time and put it below the date?"

"Not a problem." with an intricate wave of her wand, the diary glowed and lay still. "Come up here to the counter and you can set the password and appearance." I smiled and did so. I made the opening password "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" and the sealing password "mischief managed" in honor of my dad, of Sirius, and of Remus. The diary became black with my full first name, Alexandra, in gold calligraphy on the front cover in the center and Diary in the same calligraphy on the spine. I also decided to get several more for notes and discoveries. Each diary had my name on the front in the same gold calligraphy but it's subject on the spine. Many of the diaries I got had nothing to do with subjects I was taking. I was, for example, not taking any sort of dark arts or healing course nor was I taking Muggle Studies, I knew plenty about Muggles, but it would be good to have every possible category. I got diaries for Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Dark Arts, Defense Against The Dark Arts, Divination, Healing, Herbology, Muggle Studies, Potions, Spell Crafting, and Transfiguration. This meant that I had fifteen diaries in total, perfect. I then decided to look around the shop a little more. I got three packages of thin little papers that were only as small as one line's worth of text. As soon as the line was filled out, they'd automatically expand for another line of text. I also got several fine quills made of eagle and hawk feathers. As Nix was fluttering around, one of his feathers came off and fluttered into my hand.

"Make a quill, whatever. Now my feathers are messed up." he then proceeded to preen himself. Marilyn quickly made a quill out of Nix's feather and I continued to shop. I picked up a never-ending bottle of black ink as well as blue, red, and emerald green ink. Also, I got several self-inking quills made of eagle, hawk, and peacock feathers. Lastly, I got several rolls of plain parchment and a few dictaquills, the more sophisticated version of Rita Skeeter's Quick Quotes Quills. When all my shopping was done, Nix took everything home and I went back out into the alley once more. Now, I would go to Wielders of Weaponry. As I entered the shop, I saw many swords, shields, daggers, and other things.

"Welcome to Wielders of Weaponry, how may I help you?" asked a man behind the counter. Luckily, he wasn't making too, and I emphasize _too,_ much of a show of taking in my veela looks.

"hello. I have come to look around and perhaps purchase some things." I said. "Also, this is...erm...an inherited shop of mine so...yeah."

"Oh, I should have known. The Potters are known descendants of Godric Gryffindor. Come along, let me give you the grand tour. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Matthew. I saw you exit Scrollmakers, my twin sister works their."

"Oh, Marilyn? She's very nice, very helpful. I sort of own that shop two."

"Wow, Gryffindor _AND_ Ravenclaw? My my my, aren't you the lucky one?" he asked.

"I suppose so. I've got ten families to head, I don't know what I'm going to do with the responsibility other than making Hogwarts the esteemed academic haven that it was in the past."

"Well it looks like you have your priorities straight at least, that's a good thing. Now come along, let's look around." he said. By the time I left the shop, I had bought several daggers made of silver and gold with different gems encrusted into them, a beautiful shield that was green and gold and had a gold lion in the center with my first name arching over it, and, best of all, a beautiful sword made of a magical metal called mythral, which my shield and daggers were also made of, encrusted with rubies, emeralds, and jades with my name engraved onto the hilt. The sword, Matthew said, could work much like a wand but you could cast a spell at multiple people and your spells would be ten times stronger. Also, I got a few suits made out of basilisk hide and the hide of the Hungarian horntail, the two strongest magical armor types around. Where would I go next, hmm? Oh yes, Noctus Rarities. I walked in and smiled at the man behind the counter.

"Welcome to Noctus Rarities where many lost treasures can be found." he deadpanned as though he had said it hundreds of times, not even giving me a second glance.

"A simple hi, how the hell are you, boss will suffice." I smirked.

"Boss?" he asked.

"Well I didn't say "floss" now did I?" I asked. "Sorry, it must be all the gold I'm spending making me giddy but I do mean boss, _NOCTUS,_ _Potter!"_

"Oh, so what are you looking for?" he asked.

"Dunno, mind if I look around?" I asked.

"You're the boss, boss. By the way, I'm Eric Strange. Don't worry, my family has nothing to do with _LESTRANGE._ Our families are _ESTRANGED,_ the families of Strange and Lestrange." he said.

"Okay, that was...strange, Eric Strange." I said with a laugh. Their were many old tomes about the dark arts, curses, healing, lost charms, and other magical subjects. Their were even some written in parcelscript that only I could read. I decided to purchase every book in the shop. Also, their were little cubes with holes all over them that would shoot off hexes and curses at your enemies. I bought three of them. Two I would give to Fred and George to see if they could make ones to sell in their shop, the third I would keep for myself. I left Noctus Rarities then and headed into Borgin and Burks. Mr. Borgin wasn't exactly helpful and kept looking me up and down like only an old pervert would but when I reminded him of just who he was messing with he was very helpful and kept his nasty, bloodshot eyes off of me. I purchased all the old tomes in the shop but nothing else really caught my interest. Reluctantly, I headed back to Diagon Alley; what would I do now? I decided to head to my instruments shop and see what I could find. It turned out to be a score. I got several dark detectors, sneakoscopes, and foe-glasses. I also picked out a beautiful pensieve that would hold an infinite amount of memories. I decided to leave anything potions-related to after my trunk was done. I did, however, get the best telescope as well as models of the solar system and of each planet with it's moons, self-updating of course.

"You know, any more crap I have to haul home for you and I might demand you pay me." Nix quipped.

"Hush, you, you were the one that offered." I said as I went back to the street. I decided that I would go to Flurrish and Blots and shop their as well. An hour and 300 books later, I left the shop. Apparently, their was a special section of the shop especially for adults with stronger magics. Quality Quiddich Supplies was across the street and I saw the most beautiful thing in the window, a new broom. I rushed across the street and looked at it. It was a beautiful cherry wood with perfectly trimmed, symmetrical twigs, some tipped in silver or gold. On the side of the broom in gold the word Hurricane was printed. By the time I was done reading the stats, I was just about ready to wet myself with excitement.

Hurricane

Made by Stellar Brooms

0 to 100 in 3 seconds.

The Hurricane turns at the slightest thought, adjusts itself for the rider, has unbreakable, impervious, maintenance, and anti-hex, jinx, and curse charms on it as well as cushioning charms. This is the finest broom yet; it out-flies not only the Nimbus 2000 and Nimbus 2001 but it also outdoes it's predecessor, the Firebolt. Also, for a limited time, the Hurricane Lily, a project began by James Potter before his death, a limited edition version of the Hurricane, will be available. Only eight were ever made by him so hurry if you want one.

"I have to have it!" I said. I rushed into the store and up to the counter.

"Excuse me, are their any Hurricane Lily brooms left?" I asked the woman behind the counter.

"Alexandra Potter? Their's a special one just for you. Your father entrusted it to the company before he died and they gave it to the shop when the Hurricane was released the other day. Come with me, please." I grinned and followed her behind the counter. From a secret cabinet she took out a beautiful cherry broom with gold and silver-tipped twigs. The tipped ones were in the center making a beautiful flower. The petals were silver and the center was gold. In gold was the title Hurricane Lily. In smaller gold letters were To my Prongslet, my Alexandra, my baby girl, remember Daddy loves you always. I felt tears prick my eyes.

"He told the company what to do and how to make it. He knew it might be several years until it was ready but it's ready now. You'll never be able to lose it and nobody can ride it without your permission." she said. "I'm Angela by the way. Your father and I went to school together."

"Oh...thank you." I said. A half hour later, I left the shop. I hadn't just got the broom, I was given my father's lucky seeker's gloves and lucky snitch. I also bought a professional set of Quiddich balls for myself and Hogwarts. Lastly, I bought new Cleansweep Nines for the broom shed and first year flying lessons, Hurricanes for the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin Quiddich teams as well as for Fred and George who had left Hogwarts, and the remaining seven Hurricane Lily brooms for the Gryffindor Quiddich team. I would be gone in a few years and their was no way I was leaving mine behind. The other Hurricane Lily might just have to be a spare for now. Feeling absolutely giddy, I headed over to the twins shop.

"Hello my little money-making friends!" I greeted as I walked into the shop.

"Look, it's our little marauder!" the twins chorused, heading right towards me. "And it looks like she's all grown up in the space of a day!" I was quite relieved to just see the twins look at me as brothers would.

"That's right and boy do I have some treats for you!" I smiled as I walked behind the counter.

"What have you got?" Fred asked.

"Hmm, two really old cubes that shoot off different hexes, jinxes, and curses that I thought you might be able to replicate." I said, pulling them out. The twins looked like Christmas had come early.

"Wicked!" they cheered.

"Aaand, I know you guys need a way to relieve stress, here's how." I smirked and showed the Hurricane brooms I had bought them.

"Are those—com" Fred started.

"Hurricane brooms?" George asked.

"For my favorite little twin troublemakers." I said, handing them over as well as the certificates of authenticity. I also showed them my own Hurricane Lily broom, No. 01, to be exact.

"Wow!" they breathed before Nix came and took it away. "You are our hero!"

"thank you very much!" I smirked. "Now mind if I look around?"

By the time I left I had bought out practically the entire store. I got Skiving Snackboxes of all types, the hour-long daydream, decoy detonators, hangman, and many other things. I also couldn't resist a little pink Pygmy Puff that I named Candy; she was so freaking cute. It was late, after five o'clock but I wanted some ice cream. Over to Florrian Fortescues I went. I got a big cone of cotton candy ice cream and thoroughly enjoyed it.

"Okay, Nix, time to go home." I said.

"Finally." he trilled. "I thought this day would never end." I smiled and grasped his tail feathers. We landed a split second later in the living room of Number Four Privet Drive.

Chapter Six: Muggle Mall Madness

The next day I woke up bright and early, making my bed with a quick flick of my finger. I still hadn't unpacked everything except for a few outfits; their was no room for everything. My room basically looked like a mall threw up, bags everywhere. They were all shrank but that didn't make much of a difference. I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and combed my hair. Once I was back in my room, I picked out a Muggle outfit to wear. I was going to go shopping at a Muggle shopping center; this was going to be fun. I put on an emerald green shirt with a Hungarian Horntail roaring from the center with the words in thick black script, Dragons are bunnies compared to me. To Muggles, the Horntail would look just like a boring cartoon dragon. For pants, I put on a pair of black cut-off shorts and for shoes I put on black flip-flops. I smiled and made sure my Gringotts wallet with my Gringotts card were in my purse which I made solid black. Then, I put my hair up into a messy bun. I added a few more artful curls and emerald streaks to my hair as well, I love being a metamorphmagus. Lastly, I put my hoops in my ears, made sure my ring was on my finger, put on my favorite watch, set a pair of black designer sunglasses with somewhat darkly tinted lenses on my head, and put my necklace from Blaise on.

"You guys stay here, Muggles won't know what to think of you. Goldstream, you're poisonous, Nix, you're scary to some Muggles, Candy...well..." I trailed off.

"I'm just too cute right?" she squeaked.

"That but in the Muggle world their are no pygmy Puffs or Puffscanes." I said.

"Awe!" she groaned.

"Well...bye. Stay in here and don't make much noise." They nodded in ascent, I smiled, and I left the room, shutting the door behind me. I headed downstairs but was stopped at the door by my aunt.

"You, what are you doing?" she demanded.

"Tut tut, Aunt Petunia, you're only to call me Alexandra. And it doesn't matter what I'm doing, I'll be out for the day." I said with a sigh.

"What will you be doing?" she asked.

"Shopping!" I said. "I might even get a porty-phone, no celly-phone, you know what I mean? "Five years in this magical world and you don't remember what things are you stupid girl? It's a _cell_ _phone."_ she said with a nasty laugh.

"Right-o, bye!" I said as I walked out the door. As I nearly skipped down the street in excitement a few of Dudley's old gang members came up to me.

"What's the freak doing out on it's own, boys?" asked Peers Polkis, Dudley's second-in-command, with a sneer, his beady eyes roaming hungrily up and down my veela body.

"I don't know but it needs to learn what is and is not our territory doesn't it?" Malcolm, another thug, sneered, his equally beady eyes searching me up and down.

"I beg your pardon, you great lump, but I _AM_ a _GIRL,_ you know." I hissed venomously. "Remember last summer, hmm? the time you pulled my pants down you sick perverts? I thought you were familiar enough with the female anatomy, judging by all the whores you've all slept with, to know what it looks like."

"Why you little—com" but I cut Peers off.

"Witch? Bitch? Snake? Freak? Abomination? Slut? Whore? Loser? Murderer? Madwoman? Filthy half-blood? Brat-who-wouldn't-die? The freak-who-lived? I've heard them all, Polkis, and I swear that if you _EVER_ mess with me again you'll pay. I have a raven, see, and he carries a grudge against people who hurt me. He almost pecked Big D's eyes out last night. I have a snake, see, who can kill you with a bite. She's among the most poisonous snakes in the _WORLD._ I swear, you lot, that if you _EVER_ _MESS_ _WITH_ _ME_ _I_ _WILL_ _NOT_ _HESITATE_ _IN_ _HURTING_ _YOU!"_ I yelled, eyes blazing.

"And what's the worst you can do, freak?" Peers sneered. I had to put on the brave front. All of the insults that I had ever been heard stung and burned even worse than a thousand basilisk bites but I had to pretend they didn't. I swung my right fist back and let all my magic enter it as I punched Polkis in the nose. The bones of the nose all crushed leaving it looking a bit like Luto Bagman's. The thugs all howled in either rage, fear, or both and ran off down the street. I cast a slow-acting healing spell, episki slomo, at Polkis's nose. It would never be the same again. Feeling a bit more subdued but still happy I headed to the bus stop three blocks away. I sat myself down on the bench and looked at the schedule, _DAMN!_ Those thugs had made me miss the last buss. The next bus would be here in a half hour. Just as I was drifting off into my own thoughts I heard a girl's voice.

"Mum look, the dragon on her shirt is moving! Isn't it wicked? Can I have a shirt like that?" asked the sweet-looking girl who was ten, perhaps eleven, but no older. She was short with robins-egg blue eyes and rich black hair that fell in curls to her shoulders. Her mother had dark mahogany hair but the same eyes.

"I don't know what you're going on about, Cleo. The dragon on her shirt isn't moving at all. I swear that if you continue this magic nonsense you'll be grounded for a week." the woman said sharply.

"But Mum I swear to you it's really moving and everything." Cleo insisted. "And why would I get a letter from that school if I couldn't see or do magic?"

"I don't know what this...Warthogs or whatever they call it is but it is a sick joke, do you here me, Cleo? _A_ _SICK_ _JOKE!"_ the mother snarled.

"Oh but Mum, I just know it must be real. Their are so many things I have done, so many wonderful, enchanting, _MAGICAL_ things. It must truly be magic mustn't it, Mum?" Cleo asked, her blue eyes round with hope.

"Nonsense, Cleo, nonsense." her mother said. "Now quieten down, we don't want to disturb that girl there."

"She's taking it better than me, you know." I said, deciding to let them know I was listening.

"Pardon?" the mother asked, surprised.

"The magic thing. I just thought that a joke had been played on me, even with the hundreds of letters that came through the fireplace when my aunt and uncle refused to let me read it or to respond. I guess you mean Hogwarts, right? I guess it is a silly name but it was founded by four of the greatest magic-users of all time."

"I don't know what you're playing at but this is no joke." the mother snapped at me.

"Seriously, I'm not kidding. Of course the thing is that when I entered the magical world I suddenly found out that my parents were murdered and didn't die drunk, that they were a witch and wizard too."

"Stop with the nonsense, magic does not exist. We won't respond to that letter at all." the mother said.

"Speak for yourself, Mum." the girl said angrily.

"Cleopatra Antoinette Tidewater I swear you will stop this foolishness this instant!" the woman snapped.

"According to my letter, Mummy dearest, my last name is _LESTRANGE!_ That's my father's last name isn't it? _ISN'T_ _IT?"_ Cleo demanded.

"Lestrange?" I asked, a shocked feeling coursing through me.

"It's none of your business! I don't even remember anything, just the name."

"So you _DO_ remember who my father is!" Cleo said accusingly.

"Later, Cleo." her mother snapped.

"A reprisal." I murmured.

"Excuse me?"

"I can't tell you if you won't believe in magic and I think I should explain this to you first before it can be explained to Cleo." I said.

"I know who you are!" Cleo suddenly said. "You're Alexandra Potter! You're the one who saved me from the bullies at the park last summer but they pulled your panties down, that wasn't nice."

"Alexandra Potter? The Dursleys' niece? The one going to the criminal school?" the woman demanded.

"Yes, I'm Alexandra Potter but I don't go to—com" I was cut off.

"We're going, Cleo." the mother said.

"But why!"

"she's dangerous, Cleo, we're going.

"No she's not!"

Yes she is. Get going right now, Cleopatra Antoinette Tidewater or I'll ground you for the rest of the summer!"

"If you don't listen to her, _TRINITY_ _ELIZABETH_ _TIDEWATER,_ than I will _NEVER_ speak to you _AGAIN!_ Have you ever seen her bullying anybody, Mum? Have you ever seen her be anything but nice? We live across the street from them. Day in and day out they make her slave away over their and barely give her enough food, Mum. But then their's that oaf of a cousin of hers and his _THUGS!_ They're always the ones beating up Mark Evans, they're always the ones vandalizing the park, they're always the ones leering and gawking at _EVERY_ _GIRL_ _THEY_ _SEE!"_

"Cleo, you are just a child, you don't understand. Things are not always as they appear to be." the mother, Trinity, snapped. With a casual flick of my wand I had them sitting on the bench. Cleo was wedged between her mother and me.

"No, _YOU_ don't understand. All my life I've been called freak, told that my parents were drunks and drug addicts that died in a car crash, that I was worth _NOTHING!_ I have always been blamed for everything weird that has happened to me, everything that I cannot control, and _EVERYTHING_ my _COUSIN_ _DID!_ I dare not even _TELL_ you where my _ROOM_ was for my first ten years with them because it wasn't a room at all, it was a _CUPBOARD!_ But now I have to live with a manipulative headmaster, multiple inheritances, and the fact that my relatives aren't even my relatives because my mum was actually adopted and that they hate me with a bloody _PASSION_ and it's only because my aunt was _JEALOUS_ that my mum, Lily, was a witch and _SHE_ is a non-magical person, a _MUGGLE!"_ just as I finished ranting, my buss pulled up. With a quick spell, I let them free and rushed on without a second glance.

"Whinging Central, please." I breathed to the driver. He nodded and I sat down. The drive didn't take too terribly long and soon I was getting off the bus and going into the center. The first store I went too was a clothing store. I got many really cute outfits and left the store three hours later. Diagus Boutique had some Muggle stuff but they didn't quite keep up with the fashions. The next shop that I went in was a bath and body shop where I stocked up on lotions, gels, shampoo, conditioner, and other things that would just make me feel good. The next shop that caught my interest was an electronics shop. I knew that electronics didn't work with magic but perhaps I could get them too. I looked at several things and ended up getting an HP laptop, a flat screen HDTV, a vcr/dvd/blueray player, and, for the hell of it, a Wii and a Nintendo DS. I also got games for the WII, Ds, and computer. Lastly, I saw a cell phone counter and walked over to it.

"Hi, how can I help you?" asked the man behind the counter. It really did seem as though veela charm had more of an affect on Muggles because I had caught every boy and man's eye, including this bloke's.

"I'm looking for a good cell phone under a good carrier, what do you recommend?"

"Got a budget, girl?" he asked.

"Taken care of." I said, pulling out my card and also opening up my wallet which I willed full of fifty and one hundred pound notes.

"What, you make honor roll or something and your parents give you all that?" he asked.

"My parents are dead, thank-you-very-much, and my godfather just died in June. This is just a very, very, very small chunk of my inheritance. I could probably buy this store a hundred times over...or close to it so please just be helpful and stop nosing around like a gossip-hungry teenaged girl." I said.

"Er...sorry 'bout that. Anyway, I recommend either the iPhone or the Droid. The iPhone is really nice because it can hold a lot of music and their's some more apps to it but it's all touch. The DROID, at least, has a Qwerty keyboard. On the other hand, the iPhone is much sleeker and less bulky than the Droid."

"Excellent! Do you have about fifty iPhones?" I asked.

"_FIFTY?"_ he exploded.

"What can I say? I have a _lot_ of friends and their parents and their families and so-on and so-forth. Like I said, I'm good for it."

"We don't have that many here...we only have about ten or so...but we can have the rest delivered to your house."

"I just need one for now. What sort of plans do you have?" A half hour later I walked out of the store with my new Apple iPhone 4, all the others would be shipped to me. Also, they would all have an unlimited plan. I was positively ravenous so I went to the food court and got some pizza and a large root beer. I smiled, patted my purse which was full of shrunken bags, and sat down.

"Looking good, Potter." came a familiar voice, it was Malfoy. Suddenly, however, I didn't feel such an aversion to him as I had before. I knew he was flirting with me, perhaps I could give him a chance. He was an arrogant prat to be sure but wasn't my father? Was it a family curse for all the women in my mother's family to fall for arrogant prats, wait, _FALL_ _FOR?_ I looked up from my pizza and took in Malfoy's appearance. He wore black shorts, sandals, and an emerald green top with a black dragon on it. It was funny how similarly we dressed. I couldn't help but look closer. He had high cheekbones, full lips, and aristocratic features all around. He was about six feet, tall and lean. His platinum hair streaked and sparkling with bits of gold was no longer slicked back like his father's but a little tousled and informal-looking, I liked it very much. His eyes were a mesmerizing shade of the purest ice blue, like they were carved out of an iceberg that had magic within. Their was something different about him, could he be a veela or something? His aura was a bright, bronzy silver that blended together surprisingly well. All storm veela had silver auras and all sun veelas had bronze auras so I had no clue what he was. Shadow veela had pure white auras and fire veela pure gold ones, mine was like a mixture; it fluctuated. The further out from my body it went it became les gold and more white just like Draco's became less bronze and more silver.

"You're not too bad off yourself, Malfoy." I said.

"What, not going to try and hex me and tell the Weasel and the know-it-all, Potter?" he asked.

"Not at all. Did you not see Weasley break my nose on Monday? Honestly he could have been a bit less barbaric than that don't you think so, Malfoy?" I smirked.

"Seriously, Potter, what happened to you?" Malfoy asked.

"Reality happened. Dumbledore has been controlling me ever since I entered Hogwarts, he's stolen money and paid off Ron and Hermione to be my friends, he blocked _NINETY_ _PERCENT_ _OF_ _MY_ _MAGIC,_ and I think he had me on some behavioral charms. You know back with the fake Moody in class and I could throw the imperius? It was like I was throwing something else off too. Then, Blaise gave me this necklace and it has some special properties, I think, because my mind cleared even more. Dumbledore's been controlling my life for too long and it's time he stopped. Plus, you don't seem as much of an arrogant git as usual, that must have something to do with Dumbledore."

"I like what I'm seeing. Tell me, Potter, won't you allow me to have lunch with you and invite you out for an afternoon of fun?" Malfoy asked, shooting me a cocky smile.

"Wipe that grin off your face, Malfoy." I said, he looked hurt. "Of course I'll join you for the afternoon."

"Excellent! So that's pizza isn't it, Potter?" Malfoy asked.

"Yup! That's right, Malfoy, and you can use my name if you want too. You never had pizza before?"

"I have but not much, it's been awhile, you can call me by my name too, Alexandra." Draco's face seemed to light up somehow as he spoke my name.

"You should get some, it's really good, Draco. You can even call me Alex or Lex or Lexy or something like that, why the hell not?" I said, smirking. Draco smiled his cocky smile at me and went off. A minute later he returned with pizza and a large soda. He took a bite and sighed contentedly.

"So what's a pureblood like you doing in a Muggle shopping center?" I asked him.

"I just didn't feel like the wizarding world today, you know? I feel like simple Muggleness." Draco said. "Mum even said I could get whatever I want, she gave me my own Gringotts wallet and card with an ID and everything. I might even buy a car or a motorcycle like she told me cousin Sirius had. I'm sorry about...about what my stupid aunt did. She is a disgrace to the name of Black and my father is a disgrace to the name of Malfoy. I've already taken the lordship of the Malfoy family and the Rosier family, Mum's mum was the oldest. MUM still has some say over me and is my guardian but I have most of the privileges of an adult wizard."

"That's cool." I said, finishing my pizza. "I'm going to get some ice cream, want me to get you some?"

"Sure sure, just not something outrageous, okay?" Draco asked, I smirked.

"Sure thing, Draky-poo, sure thing." I said in a sickly-sweet voice reminiscent of Pansy Parkinson's. He shuddered and I smirked yet again as I went over to the ice cream counter. A few minutes later I came back with two cones piled high with orange sherbet.

"this normal enough?" I asked, shooting him a grin.

"Perfect, it's my favorite." Draco said, taking his.

"Really? It's mine too. Their's just nothing like ice cream on a hot summer's day." I said.

"So what's your favorite food, Alex?" he asked me.

"It's gotta be pizza, I've had it three times this week." I said. "But I do love salmon and shrimp and steak and stuff like that."

"I agree." we sat in a companionable silence as we finished our ice cream. The two of us got up and smiled.

"Nearest car dealership?" I asked.

"Nearest car dealership." Draco agreed.

"Say, Draco, have you gotten the iPhone? It might really be useful." I said.

"Yeah, yeah I have. I've been trying to get it to work in places like Diagon Alley for more than a week now; hopefully I'll figure it out sooner or later. I'm guessing you have one?"

"Yup!" I chirped as we exited. "So where do you say we go?"

"I know a really good place, Mum got her porsh from their. Do you want to take the Night Bus? It's not in this area."

"I could just have Dobby bring us." I mused.

"_DOBBY?_ _OUR_ _DOBBY?_ Brilliant job of freeing him, by the way. Father was horrible to the elves." Draco said, he was totally acting out-of-character.

"Er, yeah. You know what, the Night Bus sounds fun, let's take that." I said. I smiled and stuck out my wand. With a _bang,_ the bright purple bus appeared and the doors opened.

"Welcome to the Night Bus, travel for the stranded witch or wizard...I'm going to be the next minister of magic, you know, beautiful! I'd love to have you by my side!" Stan Shunpike spouted.

"Enough nonsense, Stan, let us on." I said, shoving past him.

"We want to go to Luxurante Dealers, please." Draco said.

"So that's what it's called?" I asked as we sat down.

"Yeah, what was that all about?" Draco asked as men on the bus eyed me appreciatively as women did the same to him.

"Veela." I said, blushing and unknowingly releasing a spike of allure.

"Veela?" Draco asked.

"My mum wasn't Muggle-born after all, she was the daughter of Damion Noctus and Lotus Diagus, the main shadow and fire families. I'm a shadowfire if that makes sense but I'm not sixteen so I can't choose my mate yet. I'm a veela, not a half-veela, because Dad has veela genes, strong ones. That's probably why all the girls fawned over him at school." I said as the bus lurched off.

"I hate this thing sometimes." Draco muttered.

"Oh c'mon, Dra, it's fun." I protested.

"Whatever, I'm getting a car with a smooth ride to it like a Camaro or a Corvette or a Mustang. I'm a sunstorm veela...that is...on Mum's side their's sun genes and on Dad's side their's storm genes and they're descended from the Luminus and Lightus families, the other two big families so I'm head of those too. I forget, when's your birthday again?"

"July 31st, yours?" I asked.

"June 17th." Draco answered.

"Nice. So where do you guys live, anyway?" I asked him.

"We live on the outskirts of a small Muggle town called Tenbrook. Father never let me go into town but whenever he was gone from the house Mum did. It's really nice. Our house is in a special gated community with only wizard houses and a few shops, it's like a town inside a town. It's been around for hundreds or more years and the homes are all said to be the ancestral homes of many families, the first homes they built. Our house is the second-largest."

"Really, Draco? I would have expected you to live in quite the huge little secluded mansion, biggest on the street for the biggest big-head in the school!" I smirked.

"Oh whatever, Alex. Anyway, you enter to the few blocks of shops and smaller houses but then you get to the road with the ancestral manors. Their's eleven houses, five on each side of the road and one at the very end, their's a col de sack. Each house is separated by about a hundred acres and their's privacy spells. All the houses are lived in except for the one at the end, that's the largest but nobody knows who it belongs too, it hasn't been lived in since 1979. I could list you off the names of the families that live on the main street. Their's us, then the Zabinis, the Greengrass', the Bones', the Abbots, the Longbottoms, the McMillons, the Davis', the Bullstrodes, the Goldsteins, and the Parkinsons."

"Hmmm, what's the crest to the vacant house?"

"Why?"

"I might own it." I whispered.

"A cantering stag with a sword in it's mouth." Draco whispered. I squealed and hugged him.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" I squeaked.

"Erm...wha-what for?" he asked confusedly. I guess it was awkward, being friends with your school rival all of the sudden and having her hugging you.

"For finding one of my houses, that must be the Potter Manor. I've been wanting to find a spot to live once I turn sixteen where Dumbledore can't find me."

"No chance of that, only those invited can enter the community; it's called Merlinton, by the way." Draco said as the buss lurched to a halt and our destination was called out. Draco and I stood up and exited the bus to find ourselves in front of a lot with luxury cars as far as the eye could see. The entire place was gated and their was a booth with a woman sitting in it.

"C'mon, Alex, let's go." Draco said. He pulled me up to the booth and pressed a button, talking into a microphone.

"Hello. My friend and I have come to see exactly what you have in stock. We require the services of a sales clerk as soon as possible." he said crisply. I gently knocked him aside to put in my own two knuts worth.

"And not someone who's going to push us into anything either." I said just as crisply.

"Very well, someone will be with you shortly, welcome to Luxurante." the woman said. The car-sized gate in front of us slid to the side and we entered. A minute later we were met by a man dressed smartly in black.

"How may I help you?" he asked us.

"We're looking for a car...each...at least one." I said. The man's misty gray eyes landed on me and he flushed.

"What sort of car are you looking for?" he asked, his eyes not-so-subtly roaming up and down my body. God, I wasn't even dressed that fancily.

"We're not sure." Draco said.

"But when you're guiding us kindly keep your mind on the cars and your eyes off my tits, please." I snapped icily. The man gulped and flushed again. I cursed under my breath and tried to bring the allure down. This would only get worse when I became a full-matured veela on Friday.

"S-sorry 'bout that. Anyhow, name's Mike." he said.

"Riiight, nice name. I'm Alexandra, he's Draco—com" but I was cut off.

"Nus, Draco-nus, Draconus. Itsmyfullnamebutithinkitsweird." Draco said rapidly.

"I like it, actually. Draconus Malfoy, very regal." Draco blushed, actually _BLUSHED,_ and grinned a little.

"Thanks. You can call me Draco, Mike, and she goes by Alex." I ribbed him and leaned up close.

"I only let people I like call me by nicknames, you great git, and you're lucky that whatever spell of Dumbledore's is totally off me or else I'd still make you call me Potter, and I can just sense his urge to pinch my tits and snog me senseless so he can just call me Alexandra." I hissed.

"_OY!_ Sorry, Lex!" Draco said with a shrug, rubbing his chest.

"_SO,_ who's Dumbledore, he your boyfriend? So I'm guessing you're _single?"_ the salesman asked, winking.

"_Eeewww,_ _DUMBLEDORE?_ He is _NOT_ my _BOYFRIEND,_ the great lemon-sucking git!" I said, wrinkling my nose. Draco broke into loud guffaws and I stomped on his foot. "Just shut up, Dra."

"But you're single, right?" the salesman asked, looking at me desperately.

"You _DISGUST_ me!" I snapped, stepping forward. "YOU'RE, like, _THIRTY!"_

"Age is just a number." he said.

"I'm _FIFTEEN,_ you _PERVERT!_ I do _NOT_ date older guys and I haven't had a boyfriend since I was _FOURTEEN!_ Come on, Draco, let's go request another sales rep." I said. The man gasped.

"Oh no, I'm really really really sorry!" he tried.

"Just buzz off, please." I said coldly, striding back to the booth.

"Yes?" the woman asked, frowning.

"Thanks for the pervert." I said dryly. "Can you get someone else? Preferably someone who's married?"

"Sorry about him, he's a flirt. I even heard him try and talk up a couple of guys the other day." she said.

"_YUCK!"_ Draco and I said together.

"No offense to the off-swingers out their but _NO_ _THANK_ _YOU!"_

"It's Justin Finch-Fletchly adultified!" Draco laughed.

"Finch-Fletchly's a _POUF?"_ I asked as we left the booth.

"Didn't you know? Smith's caught him in the Puff girls' dorms trying on Abbot's dresses and heels. Plus, I saw him making bambi-eyes at Finnigan a few times."

"_FINNIGAN?_ _SEAMUS_ _FINNIGAN?"_ I roared with laughter at the very thought of the pudgy Finch-Fletchly making goo-goo eyes at the sandy-haired Finnigan.

"The very one. I dunno what sounds more disturbing, Justin and Seamus Finch-Fletchly, Justin and Seamus Finnigan, Justin and Seamus Finnigan-Fletchly, or Justin and Seamus Finch-Finnigan." Draco said.

"You forgot Justin and Seamus Finch-Finnigan-Fletchly." I laughed.

"That's a disturbing image. Seamus: Oh Justy-love, can you rub my feet? I've been playing Quiddich for hours and me mam isn't here to do it for me. You should know just how since you're so rich and handsome and you've had Muggles at your beck and call for your whole life. Justin: Of course, Seamykins, your wish is my command, my lovely Irishman!" Draco said with a laugh.

"Oh god, you're going to give me nightmares, Draco!" I laughed.

"Long as I'm in them I don't care." Draco said.

"In your dreams, Malfoy."

"Yes you are, Potter." he said before promptly turning red.

"Oh _REALLY_ _NOW?"_ I asked with a laugh.

"No...erm...that is to say...erm..." but Draco trailed off. I smiled at him. A crisp, business-like man with iron gray hair and a quarter-sized bald spot walked up to us then.

"I'm sorry about Mike, he is not very appropriate. I'm Jonathan Parker."

"Draconus Malfoy, you can call me Draco."

"Alexandra Potter, you can call me Alex. It's really no big deal but it's a real pain in the arse if you catch my drift." I said with a sigh.

"You only have the best of the best. As soon as I heard your names I came right out. I can't have you wandering aimlessly about, only looking at our most banal Muggle cars now can I?" he winked.

"You-you-you're a _wizard?"_ Draco asked. "Mum forgot to mention that."

"Nah, I'm a Muggle but my niece is a witch and the owner of this place is a wizard. Only those who know about the magical world can work here. Most of the cars you see are magical, to Muggles who aren't clued in, this place is half the size."

"Fascinating!" I said. "Shall we go then?"

"Yes." Mr. Parker and Draco both said. He led us to the wizard section and we browsed through the rows of cars first, leaving the bikes for last.

"Look at this camaro, Alex!" Draco said, pointing at a lime green car with black interior. "Wouldn't it show off my Slytherin side?"

"Sure, the _snotty_ one. Look at that thing, Draco, it's snot green, not the rich emerald that represents your coveted house."

"Is not, it's just a light emerald." Draco protested.

"Yeah yeah yeah, and you're a Muggle named Inglebert Humperdink who has nothing better to do but sing songs and get laughed at." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Oh c'mon!" Draco said.

"Come on, Draco, do you really want to drive a giant slime ball through the country?" I asked.

"You win you win, it's slime green all right?"

"Yay!" I chirped. Eventually, Draco found a black jaguar that he loved. The interior was black leather detailed in green. Their was even a bit of a snake theme going on.

"Look at that thing!" I said, pointing to a BMW. "It looks like it drove through a bubble-gum factory!" it was bright pink all over, including the interior.

"Or it drove through my cousin's hair." Draco said.

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever. It looks like a barbie car life-size."

"Barbie?" Draco asked.

"Don't tell me you've _never_ heard of _BARBIE!_ They're only every little girl's favorite toy! I remember finding one in the bin that Dudley nicked off some girl with her hair all matted and her clothes soiled but I was so happy to have a barbie! It took my relatives months to even discover her, I named her Lucia but as soon as Dudley got his hands on her he yanked her head off and threw her in the fire."

"Who's Dudley?" Draco asked.

"Who's _DUDLEY?_ He's my cousin, well not by blood but I thought he was. Let me elaborate, he's my mum's adoptive sister Petunia's son."

"Hmmm, you never really elaborate on your life with the Muggles do you, Lexy?" he asked.

"No and I'd prefer not too, Draco, not now. We've only been friends for, like, a few hours." Draco looked a bit hurt but then nodded in understanding. "I think I'll buy the car though, oughtta give Tonks a laugh." I said.

"Hmmm, then I think I'll buy this one for Severus." Draco said, pointing at a black car with red flames on the doors and red detailing.

"That suits him, looks like it drove straight outa Hell, that does." I said, eyes mesmerized by the magically moving flames Muggles would think were just still. The next car I found was a beautiful Mustang convertible. It was a sleek silver with chrome wheels and great tires. The interior was the softest of black leather which Mr. Parker informed me was actually dragon hide, as was the case with the pink car and Draco's two cars.

"All car companies have a magic sector but the trend hasn't made it to England yet, things like these are still technically illegal outside the Ministry, so I'm told. In places like America and even the majority of mainland Europe these things are the norm. I even think America has got electricity to work with magic but I'm not sure. In any case, it's only enough for small things." he had said. The dragon hide was detailed with green and red, forming flowers and vines that bordered and weaved through the seats, always moving like in an invisible breeze. I loved it and added it to my collection. In the next few hours, Draco and I had a lot of fun. I bought ten cars altogether, not including the one for Tonks. Each of them had different set-ups and looked different but were all of the highest magical quality and had all the magical perks, flying, invisibility, etc. I got things from sleek, feminine cars to awesome muscle cars including a few restored antiques including a sleek red camaro with red detailed black dragon-hide seats. The red details rather looked like little flames bordering the seats and moved as such. Draco bought the same sort of cars as me and we were both quite happy with our purchases. We both just decided to get one bike each but none appealed to me. Draco got a large one that was black and silver with a silver dragon on the seat. Under the seat was a bottomless compartment for everything he could put in their. We were eventually ushered inside to sign the papers where we were greeted by a regal-looking man in a black suit.

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Potter, it is quite a pleasure to meet with you. Your mother, Mr. Malfoy, has bought from us before and this is where your godfather got his infamous flying motorbike, Miss Potter."

"Really?" I asked, brushing away a rogue tear.

"Yes and we have recently acquired it from him, right before he died with instructions to give it to you." he pulled out a tiny bike from his pocket. I could see that it was black but with red detailing. A red flame was stitched onto the seat where it danced and bobbed and flickered.

"I do hope you enjoy it, Miss Potter." he said, handing it to me. "Just tap it with your wand and it will grow back to it's original size."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Smithe." I said sincerely.

"You're welcome. Now, you two, would you like to carry your cars out or have them delivered?" he let it hang like a question.

"I'll take mine." I said.

"Same here." Draco said.

"Fantastic. Miss Potter, if I remember correctly your family had quite the collection of cars at their ancestral home including full chauffeur services and a line of limousines so I think you will be quite well-provided for." he said, smirking at my goldfish expression and waving us out of the door with a goodbye. Each of us took bags presented to us with our vehicles and left the building, going back into the lot.

"And it's only 3:00, what do we do now?" Draco asked.

"I don't know but I'm having a lot of fun. Who'd ever thought I'd be going car shopping with you!" I said with a smile.

"Hey Lexy?" Draco asked, using the nickname I realized he used when speaking fondly of me or asking a question.

"Yeah, Draco?" I asked.

"Erm...I'm having fun too. I know that this is really really sudden and that we basically hated each other before this and everything but, erm, wouldyouliketogooutwithmeonadate?" he asked in a rush.

"Huh?" I asked, not quite understanding.

"You're really cool and nice and fun and I like you a lot. Alexandra, do you want to go on a date with me? Tonight?" I let a soft smile slip onto my lips.

"I'd love that. You know what, Malfoy, you're not so bad, for being the school bad-boy and the Slytherin prince." I said, smirking playfully.

"And you know what, Potter, you're not so bad for being Hogwarts very own celebrity and the Gryffindor golden girl." Draco said, smirking back. "Let's each go home and get ready. We can plan on leaving at six, okay? Where do you live?"

"In Little Whinging. My address is Number Four, Privet Drive." I said.

"Fantastic, I can't wait!" Draco said.

"Nor can I. I'd better get driving home." I said as I took out my bike and enlarged it. Draco did the same to his and we drove out of the gate and in separate directions.

Chapter Seven: A Date with Draco Malfoy

Draco's POV:

Luxurante wasn't too far from home so the drive was rather short and I was soon going through the gate to Merlinton and through the little village, up the long road to our house, the last house on the left. I drove through the gates and was met by an over-eager house-elf.

"Master Draco is home from his shopping is he? Let Mipsy take everything inside." she squeaked.

"Erm, okay. Thank you, Mipsy." I said a bit uncertainly.

"Master Draco is so good and kind to little Mipsy, oh yes he is!" the little elf squeaked before popping out of sight with the bags. I smiled and went inside the house. Mum would be in the parlor this time of day so I went in their.

"How was your day, love?" she asked.

"Excellent." I said, sitting down on the couch.

"Oh really? And what made it so excellent?" she asked.

"I met up with a certain school rival and she's really not that bad after all." I said.

"Oh really now?"

"Yeah. We met each other by chance at lunch and spent the afternoon together."

"And?" Mum prompted.

"And I asked her out tonight." I said, feeling my cheeks tint.

"That's fantastic but do you think it wise? What if your mate is out their and it's not her, Draco?"

"I don't know but their's a part of me saying that I need to get to know her, learn about her, be with her."

"But you haven't selected her, Draco." Mum said. "I just don't want either of you hurt."

"I don't think we will be. Mum, she's a shadowfire and the heir of Noctus and Diagus...and she's still just fifteen."

"In that case I'm happy for you, I hope that things work out." Mum said.

"Thanks, I've got to get ready." I said, leaving the parlor and rushing up to my bedroom. It didn't take me all that long to get ready. I showered, put cologne on, and dressed myself in black shoes, slacks, and jacket with a blue shirt underneath. Soon enough it was 5:15. The drive to Little Whinging was about forty-five minutes so I decided to get going.

"Buy, Mum!" I called as I headed out the door.

"Goodbye, Draco, have fun with Alexandra won't you? And no later than ten, all right?" Mum said.

"Fine!" I said as I left the house. As soon as I entered the house's garage I was greeted by Hanky, the house-elf that helps out with mechanics on things like cars.

"Master Draco's cars is being ready for driving, Master Draco, sur. Hanky did it himself for Master Draco."

"Thank you, Hanky." I said. I chose a convertible Mustang, silver with silver-detailed black dragon hide seats, and drove out.

The drive to Little Whinging took just the right amount of time and it was ten to six when I reached the town outskirts. I followed the streets until I came to a very bland neighborhood. The street I turned on, Privet Drive, was probably the most dull of all. Big square houses lined the road with big square lawns that were perfectly manicured. In the driveways were squarish, boring cars and I could just see some bland-looking people going about their every-day routines. I spotted a brass number four on the most tidy, manicured, boring house. Did Alexandra really live _HERE?_ I always wondered if their was something more that met the eye with her. Before now, she had always been much too short and scrawny, her frame boyish and flat. She was still short, come to think of it, but she was a shadowfire and fire veela are the smallest. She'd come back to school in old, tattered clothes five sizes too big that looked like they were meant for a boy. I remember the first time I ever saw her. Small and scared-looking in those horrible clothes, that tangled black hair, and that round face half innocent and unknowing, half mature and wary-looking. She seemed to know nothing about the wizarding world at all. At first, I thought she was just some pathetic "mudblood" with filthy muggle parents...not that I think Muggles are so bad now. My musings were interrupted when I saw her. Only one thing could be said of her and not even that was enough...wow!

Alex's POV:

It felt so good riding on Sirius's old bike, like it was made for me. I shrieked in exhilaration as I zoomed down the street. Some of my hair was covered by the helmet I found in the bottomless compartment under my seat, the helmet was black with red flames, but the rest blew behind me in it's unruly curls. I zoomed through the countryside and eventually reached Little Whinging around 4:00. I slowed down as I made my way through the town and into the residential area. I then drove through some of the more unique streets before turning onto Magnolia Crescent, Wisteria Walk, and then Privet Drive. I eventually pulled into the driveway, brought my bike into the garage, and dismounted. Once the bike was off, I took out all of my shrunk bags from the compartment, put my helmet in, and shrank the bike itself, putting it in a small bag with slots where the ten shrunken cars were. I entered with a skip in my step and smiled even though my aunt was in the house.

"What are you smiling at, girl?" she demanded.

"That's _ALEXANDRA_ to you, Aunt Petunia." I said cooly.

"Fine then." she snapped.

"I'll be out for the evening, by the way." I informed her.

"For what?" she demanded.

"Mind your manors, auntie, you don't want to lose your house do you?" I reminded her.

"I can't wait to get rid of you, girl!" she hissed venomously.

"Likewise, Prunia, likewise." I snapped as I went out of the living room and up the stairs. I entered my room and groaned at all my bags of clothes, what would I wear? I sighed and set my bags of other clothes on the rickety desk.

After almost two hours of the grueling torture that is obsessing over date preparations, I was finally ready. I had taken a shower in the master bathroom, not caring what my aunt said, and now smelled like fresh flowers. I wore a knee-length black dress with little gold flower details on the spaghetti sleeves and collar. The collar was somewhat low-cut but not too bad. My shoes were a pair of black high heels. My red streaked black hair was down and I removed the emerald streaks I had put in earlier. I straightened it and made it just curl up a little at the ends. With it being straight, my hair extended down to my butt like it had earlier before it was cut when it was curly. I wore a little bit of shimmering pink gloss and some other stuff, I hadn't done too badly in the makeup department as far as I was concerned. My ruling was to not make yourself look like Aunt Petunia and you were doing just fine. I wore all of my jewelry and I had to admit I looked good. Just as I reached the bottom of the stairs at 6:00, their came a honking from outside.

"I'm outa here, bye!" I said to my aunt, uncle, and cousin as I reached the door.

"You'd better not show up too late, girl, or we'll lock you out." my uncle threatened.

"Whatever, bye!" I said as I exited, hearing something about ungrateful freaks from behind me. Out on the street lined up to the walkway was one of Draco's cars. It was a sleek silver Mustang convertible with black dragon hide seats detailed with silver swirls around the edges. Draco got out as soon as he noticed me. He was dressed in black shoes and pants with an open black jacket and an ice blue shirt underneath that matched his eyes.

"Hey!" I said, rushing forward.

"Hey!" he said as we reached each other.

"You look...well...wow." I said with a smile.

"Thank you very much, milady. I myself must say that wow does not begin to describe you. Tel me, how did you get that mop to lie straight?" Draco asked with a mock-bow as he opened the front passenger door with a flourish.

"Prat, I'm a metamorphmagus, apparently. Didn't you notice I had green in my hair? And as to your complement I must say thank you, good sir." I said, my cheeks heating up as I sat down and swung myself fully into the car. Draco smiled at me and shut the door before going around to his own and getting in.

"Where too?" I asked.

"Oh, that's a surprise." Draco said.

"Uh-oh, _now_ I'm scared." I said, clamping my right hand over my heart as we pulled away from Privet Drive.

"Har har har. You know what we haven't done yet?"

"What?"

"We haven't asked each other about ourselves yet."

"Hmmm, good point. Full name?" I asked.

"Lord Draconus Lucius Malfoy, lord and head of the houses of Malfoy, Rosier, Luminus, and Lightus. Yours?"

"Wow, cool name. I'm Lady alexandra Liilia Potter, lady and head of the houses of Potter, Black, Noctus, Diagus, Peverell, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Merlin." I said a bit sheepishly. Draco gasped and swerved the car. It was then that I thanked God for the partial driving assistance charms for inexperienced wizard drivers to drive like Muggles.

"shit, Lex, that's a lot." Draco said.

"I know. Next question?"

"Right, I know your birthday but your most memorable one? What is it?" I bit my lip. All my birthdays had pretty much sucked except for my eleventh one.

"It'd have to be my eleventh."

"Hogwarts letter?"

"Not just that...it was the day I found out I was a witch in the first place."

"You didn't _KNOW?"_ he asked, aghast.

"Draconus Malfoy, I don't know why I'm trusting you with the full story but you've got to swear to me you won't blab, okay?"

"Erm...okay." he said uncertainly.

"No, I didn't know that I was a witch. The first question I can remember asking is what happened to my parents. They died high and drunk in a car crash, that's where I got my scar, don't ask questions is what my aunt said, I was three. I didn't know what "high" and "drunk" meant so my aunt so lovingly explained the nature of drugs and how my parents were always stoned. Oh yeah, and how I was so effed up because I was probably born addicted to some sort of drug, that's what they told the neighbors...but that's the past now."

"they really treated you like shit didn't they?" Draco asked.

"Yes...I _was_ being honest at the will reading, it's not been an easy life for me. Anyway, the letters. My uncle freaked out and refused to let me read the first. The next day, about ten came so he boarded up the entire door. The day after that, they came with our eggs through the window. It just kept getting like that until the next Sunday. You should have seen it, Draco, it was _HILARIOUS._ Ah, no mail on Sundays! I'm _so_ glad their's no mail on Sundays! _NO_ _MAIL_ _ON_ _SUNDAYS!_ Right as he said that, a letter came from the fireplace and hit him in the head. He basically went mad and drove us pell-mell through the country until by Monday night we were in some dirty old shack. Just as soon as my birthday comes their's this great bang _bang_ _BANG_ and in comes Hagrid to tell me my parents were murdered, that they were great people, that I'm famous, and that I'm a witch. Oh yeah, and he gave my cousin a pig's tale so whenever he sees a wand now he runs away squealing with his hand on his butt."

"Wow, that's really eventful. I think the most memorable birthday was in fourth year...that was the day of the third task. It wasn't memorable in a good way, of course."

"Yeah, I know." I said with a sigh.

"Diggory was your boyfriend wasn't he?"

"Erm...yeah. He was really sweet but I dunno...I think we just weren't meant to be, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Draco said.

"Anyway, what's your favorite color?"

"Blue, I love blue. Red and green tie for second though." Draco admitted.

"Green is my favorite followed by red and blue. I also like colors like bronze, silver, and gold, black, gray, and white."

"I agree. So, favorite music?" Draco asked. I fiddled with my dress nervously.

"I honestly don't know...until the Yule Ball I've never really been allowed the pleasure thanks to Petunia and Vernon. The Weird Sisters are okay, I suppose."

"No music...no music...I couldn't _LIVE_ without my music! I mainly like softer rock and middle-of-the-road stuff, Muggle and magical with a hint of punk thrown in like Greenday. U2 is good, they're some of my favorites."

"U2...It's a Beautiful Day, right? And Greenday, American Idiot and Wake Me Up When September Ends, right?" I asked.

"Very good." Draco smiled.

"Thanks. I'm mainly used to hearing Dudley blare heavy metal junk. He mainly does it when he knows I'm sleeping or doing something important where I can't be distracted. He blares the especially vial ones before I go to sleep, just loud enough so I can here them...they induce my nightmares. I always have nightmares. Nightmares of the triwizard tournament, nightmares of the battle at the Department of Mysteries, nightmares of every bad thing that has happened to me including my parents' death and my chi...no...never mind."

"You have nightmares of your childhood?" Draco asked sharply, his ice blue eyes becoming more of a sharp gray like his father's.

"It's none of your concern, _MALFOY."_ I ground out.

"Listen here, _POTTER,_ and listen good. You're not the only child who's been mistreated, you know. I have never had a hand or spell laid on me by my mother but my father's a different story. Be a good little boy and you'll get a new toy, tell Grandma you fell off the swing sort of thing." Draco said.

"Hell Is For Children. That's one song I do like. Americans are smarter than they let on. Pat Benatar sang that. How abused children hide in the dark and they hide in the light so certain things about them like their fears cannot be seen." I said quietly.

"I'm sorry, Lexy, for anything ever done to you. Your uncle never...you know...did he?"

"I'm damn lucky not. He refused to "spoil himself on a freak," thank God. He almost whored me out once but my aunt somehow convinced him not too. I'm still as untainted as the day I was born. Let's get on happy topics hmmm? Favorite book?"

"I love the tales of Beedle the Bard. Is it true the three brothers in the one story actually existed?"

"Yes. The youngest one is my many-times great grandfather, Ignatius. He is the one who got the cloak from Death. That's the very cloak that I own now. It's been in the Peverell family, and later the Potter family, for generations. Any other favorite books or do you just like fairy-tales?" I teased.

"Oh be quiet. I like the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings. Did you know that CS Louis and Jrr Tolkien were wizards?"

"_REALLY?_ Wow, that's amazing. I like those books. One of my favorites when I was a kid was Matilda. I hated that she lost her powers but I knew I was special like her and I always wished I could get rid of my family. I actually tried out a few of the tricks, even made my uncle spin round and round when he was making to strike me but those never turned out well. I also have a fondness for A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, and James and the Giant Peach."

"You have a very good taste in books, Alex. Okay, so what's your favorite subject at Hogwarts?"

"Hmmm, that's hard. I love most all of them except Divination, Trelawny is as much of a seer as an earth worm. I love defense if it's taught right."

"I agree but I think Runes is my favorite, I've been taking it since third year."

"That's right. I really should have taken that class. Oh, are we in London?" I asked, finally bothering to look out the window.

"Yes, yes we are." Draco said. In a few minutes, we were parked outside a fancy restaurant called Le Belle. It had a valet and everything. Draco got out first and came around to open my door for me before I could do anything.

"You're such a gentleman, Lord Draconus!" I said as he tossed the keys to the valet.

"Why thank you, Lady Alexandra." Draco said. Then, very shyly, he kissed my hand. I felt a tingle of pleasure shoot through me like this was right. My small hand put itself in Draco's larger, smooth, well-maintained hand and we walked forward. We entered to find an elegant restaurant with light walls and tiled floors. All of the tables were covered with a table cloth and had vases of flowers in the middle.

"Have you got a reservation?" asked a woman behind a small desk.

"Malfoy, party of two." Draco said.

"Ah, that's right, come with me." she came out and led us back through the restaurant and to a table of two set by a window looking out over a beautiful garden.

"Draco you really didn't need to do this, it's only our first date!" I stated as I sat down in the posh dining chair.

"Ah, my dearest Lexy you deserve only the best. Now then, shall we look at the menu? Don't worry, price is not an issue." I smiled at him.

"Hmmm. I think I'll have a seafood platter with shrimp, salmon, scallops, and crab." I said after a minute.

"Good choice. This restaurant serves really good seafood. I think I'm going to have a nice sirloin steak myself." Draco said. It was then that a bleach blonde woman with sky blue eyes came over.

"Hello. My name is Rosemary and I'll be your waitress this fine evening." she said in a sickly sweet voice, talking entirely to Draco and casting venomous glances at me. "What can I get for a fine specimen like you?"

"A new waitress." I muttered.

"Excuse me, I wasn't talking to you." the waitress said. "So what would you like?"

"I'll have your finest sirloin steak and a side salad."

"Okay, what do you want?" she asked, casting a glance at me.

"Your seafood platter and please don't skimp." I said cooly.

"Will that be all for you? Don't you want something to drink?"

"Oh...yeah. We'll have your finest red wine." Draco said. The woman nodded and left the table.

"Are you insane, Malfoy? You're sixteen...I'm fifteen...we're not old enough for that!" I said.

"You know the charm that lets Muggle eyes skip over the ages on drivers' licenses?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"It does the same thing for ID's. Plus, Muggle alcohol doesn't effect our kind."

"Oh...well fine then...I guess it's all right." I said. A few minutes later, the waitress came out with a bottle of red liquid. Draco and I each poured a measure into our crystal stemmed glasses.

"To the start of a beautiful friendship." I said, holding my glass up. Draco grinned and we toasted. I took a sip of the wine to realize it was refreshingly sweet.

"This is good." I said.

"yeah." Draco said, downing his own. I smiled and knocked back my glass, feeling the cool liquid slide down my throat.

"Don't get yourself drunk before the food comes out, Potter." Draco said.

"I won't, Malfoy." I said as I served up another glass and drank it. "I'd like to think I'm a stronger girl than to get pissed out of my mind with two glasses of wine."

"If you say so, Lex." Draco said, shaking his head.

"Here's your food." the waitress said a good half hour later, sniffing disgustedly at the fact that the bottle of wine was half gone and I was drinking it like a child drinks her fruit punch. "And don't expect me to help you lug your girlfriend to the car when she's pissed out of her mind."

"I'm perfectly coherent, thank you, and you look like the type of girl who'd get herself utterly hammered just _sniffing_ alcohol." I said cooly, looking steadily at her until she looked away. Both Draco and I attacked our meals with gusto and began to talk.

"So we never finished getting to know each other. Shall we continue?" Draco asked.

"Yes we shall." I said.

"Good. Let's see, what's probably the most amusing thing you ever did with accidental magic?"

"Hmmm, that's a tough one. Once, I turned my pre-algebra teacher's hair blue when I wasn't understanding a concept. Oh yeah, and right before I got my letter, I set a boa constrictor on my cousin. I was talking to it, you see, saying how boring it must be their. Then, Dudley punched me in the ribs to get me out of the way. When I fell on my arse I was pretty angry, no, I was _LIVID._ Stupid git, only did it because he caught me off guard. I don't look it but I'm wicked fast if I may say so myself. Anyway, _boom,_ the glass disappears and he falls into the little pond on the other side. As soon as he's out, my snake friend chases him all around the reptile house before he's sedated. I got pretty harshly punished but _god_ it was worth it." I said with a laugh, Draco laughed with me. "What's probably the most funny thing you ever did?"

"Hmmm, that's tough. Once, when I was about four, on a play date with those goons, Crabbe and Goyle, I got mad at them and accidentally gave them gorilla tails." Draco said.

"_REALLY?_ Oh wow, that is funny." I laughed. "I always thought of them as gorillas anyway. Why do you put up with them?"

"I really don't know, I guess just for the intimidation factor, you know. In reality they bug me, they really shouldn't be at Hogwarts. Blaise is cool though, you know that we're sort of friends. He lives in Merlinton as well."

"Yeah, I know. I've never seen his main house, though. I've been too under Dumbledork's thumb so I haven't been able to go to any of my other friends' houses. I still can't believe so many of them live in that little town."

"Dumbledork?" Draco asked.

"That's right. Wow, this food is simply amazing isn't it? I say we make this a favorite spot for future dates, Draco."

"Spot...future...date...really?" Draco stammered.

"Of course." I said with a smile.

The rest of dinner passed by quickly and I found that I was having a great time. Between us we both wound up finishing the bottle of wine and polishing off our plates. By the time we had our dessert finished we were absolutely stuffed to the max.

"I feel like I might never eat again." I mock groaned as we drove away.

"I know what you mean, Alex, I know what you mean." Draco said. The rest of the car ride was spent in a comfortable, sleepy silence and soon we were pulling up to Number Four. As I got out, Draco did the same.

"May I walk you to the door?" he asked.

"But of course." I agreed. Draco stepped to my right and our hands entwined as we walked slowly up the path. We faced each other on the porch and Draco spoke.

"I had a really great time, Lexy, maybe we can do that again?" Draco asked shyly.

"Yeah...absolutely." I said softly, my stomach doing flip-flops. Draco grinned a lopsided grin. Then, he was leaning forward, I was leaning forward, and our lips met. It was like a burst of feeling I had never felt before. Cedric's kisses, if you could call them that, were just shy and timid and not that emotional. This, while being gentle and sweet, sent me through a thrill of emotions. Hmmm, new happy memory for my patronus? I think so. After the need of air made itself present the two of us reluctantly broke apart from the closely entwined position we had gotten ourselves in. We were in each others's arms, Draco's long, silky fingers running through my hair as my fingers ran through and tousled his. We both smiled at each other, letting our racing hearts calm down.

"Thank you, Draco, for everything. Please keep in touch, I want to see you sooner rather than later." I said.

"But of course. I might give you a ring or owl you." Draco said. With an exchange of numbers we said goodbye for the final time.

"Goodbye, Draco, and thank you." I said, smiling at him.

"I should be thanking you, Alexandra, goodbye." Draco said with a simple smile. he waved at me as he reached his car and got in. My eyes stayed on the car as it was started up and as it drove away into the night. I sighed happily and leaned against the door frame, what a night.

Chapter Eight: Of Manors and Mates

The next few days passed pretty uneventfully for me. Every morning I began waking up early and running around the block on which the Dursleys' house sat. I couldn't wait to get myself out of Privet Drive. Apparently Dumbledore felt that his precious Order members had better things to do than to baby-sit me because nobody stopped me. That Thursday I was invited over to the Tidewater home and asked to please explain magic and prove that I was a witch. After I did so I had a good heart-to-heart with Cleo's mother and we talked of how Cleo was conceived. From what I knew and could tell her Rabastan Lestrange had escaped prison briefly in the mid eighties and, for a few months, kept taking Muggles for torture and reprisals. Trinity had been one of these and the Healers hadn't obliviated her properly or completely so she still got nightmares about it. Only then did I tell Cleo everything about my world including my status as girl-who-lived and her father's status as a very dangerous wizard, a pureblood and that she should probably be careful at Hogwarts, some people, when hearing her last name, might have it out for her. I didn't mention, however, that one of these people might just be Neville, his parents were insane because of her father, his brother, and his brother's wife. Every night after an eventful day of training, studying, and practicing I would go to bed and dream of one common thing, a certain blond-haired Slytherin veela with a smile that could turn the most charm-resistant girl to mush...well...except me...but now I guess it does effect me.

Friday morning dawned bright and sunny, it was my sixteenth birthday. My veelaness, if you want to call it that, seemed even more prevalent and I seemed more matured somehow. I knew that today I could start the search for my mate but my question was who was he? Their was a little part niggling me in the back of my mind, hoping and praying that it was the one whose face I saw in my dreams every night, the one who I used to hate but was now coming to like very much. I woke up, showered, dressed, and packed the few remaining things that I had. Then, with help from Dobby who I had employed the previous evening, everything went to Potter Manor in Merlinton, I would be staying their. I was wearing a simple light blue sun dress with a few flowers scattered as well as my usual jewelry and my hair was thrown up into a ponytail. With nothing more on me than my usual, including my wand in a holster, I headed down the stairs with Nix on my shoulder and Goldstream coiled around my left arm, her head on my other shoulder.

"Goodbye!" I hollered as I neared the door.

"I suppose we'll be seeing you tonight?" Petunia sniffed.

"No, I mean goodbye forever so goodbye. Thanks for fifteen years of, well, I can't say love but thanks for the fifteen years of restraint and not killing me, I must credit you for that." I said. Petunia simply sniffed and turned away. I sighed, went into the empty garage, and resized my first car, the Mustang. I then got in and started the car, pulling out of Privet Drive for good.

The drive to Tenbrook took about forty-five minutes but I was soon in the quaint little place and found I quite liked it. Their were a few shops and houses all with their own old-style quirk. I drove up the road which the Muggles had somehow named "Magician's Row" and to the gates of the little wizarding village. The wards must have recognized me as someone who belonged their for I was able to go right through the gates. Their was a road straight through the village but it looked like it wasn't meant for cars as roads seemed to do in magical towns so I took the road that brought me around the few blocks of little shops and houses. When I got to the other side I continued on the straight road with the ancestral houses and passed mansions that looked like they were fitting of true nobility. They were nothing, however, to the massive building I saw as I came to the very end of the street. Their was a hum, a glow, and a click as the gates of Potter Manor opened and I drove up and I was allowed through onto the cobbled driveway. On either side now that I was in the wards I could see pasture land, rolling green hills, and a small wood a ways from the house. I saw an out building near the house and saw that it was a rather large garage that looked like it had been built only thirty years or so ago. As I neared the doors they automatically opened and I found a slot amongst many other cars including a long black stretch limousine.

"Merlin, Mr. Smithe wasn't lying." I breathed as I got out of the car and left the garage. This was going to be the _perfect_ place to live. A bit nervously I headed up the drive and to the very front doors. I opened the door and found myself in a grand entrance hall with a large marble staircase and doors that went off into all sorts of places. With a _crack_ a house-elf in a Potter tunic appeared.

"Oh Mistress Alexandra is coming home at last!" she squeaked. "I is being Zinny, the head Potter elf. Welcome to Potter Manor, young mistress!"

"Erm, thank you, Zinny. Mind showing me around?" I asked. Zinny nodded emphatically and gently took my arm, dragging me off.

The manor was huge and marvelous with so many rooms I didn't know what to do. One of the first things I chose to do was to re-do the basement. It had many rooms that were never used so I instructed Zinny to have the elves knock down all the walls and create prison cells. They would be warded against any sort of magic getting in or out. Even a phoenix would have trouble breaching them. In case the prisoners decided to get out the good old Muggle way their would be both Muggle and magical alarms put on every door frame. Apparently my mum had come up with charms to get Muggle things working with magic, charms that barely took any power and were easy and permanent. I wouldn't have to worry any longer about having my Muggle things work in magical places. Zinny told me that Mum's journal was filled with her charms notes and was in the Potter library. Anyway, even in the rooms in the basement that weren't for prison cells would only let certain people do magic, people who I myself had added to the wards. I was sick and tired of playing nice with Death Eaters. They would either die by my hand or the hand of someone fighting for the light or they would wind up as prisoners of war in my basement, interrogated and then dealt with in whichever way was best. I had training rooms, potions labs, an in-door Quiddich pitch, an in-door pool, and bedrooms enough to fit in anyone who I wanted to keep safe. Their was even a room filled with Muggle stuff but most of it was ancient by my standards, huge, clunky computers from when my parents were fresh out of Hogwarts, TV's with Atari systems as well as some things like a NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) and all the games, vintage 1980s stereo and speakers, things like that that I would be moving into another room. My room made me feel like a princess. It was the master bedroom and the bed was like twice the size of Vernon and Petunia's king bed. It was cloud soft and had a very nice comforter set. It also had four posts and a canopy. The furniture was all cherry wood, the walls were paneled, and the flooring was a soft cream carpet. On one wall was a large fireplace with a red and gold rug in front of it as well as a cream-cushioned sofa and chairs. On one wall their was a large book case as well as a desk. Also, on the same wall as the bed, their was a large window seat cushioned with a seat cushion and fluffed pillows. The cushions on the seat were a soft cream but were trimmed and woven through with gold thread. The bedspread and hangings for the bed as well as the pillows were of the same color scheme. I found it not only house-neutral but very tasteful and classy. How can you go wrong with cream, cherry, and gold? My bathroom was probably twice the size or more that my bedroom at Privet Drive was and the bathtub rivaled that of the Prefects bathroom. It was all light marble and stone with gold fixtures. My closet was also enormous and fit my wardrobe quite well. I was very happy with the house and I told Zinny so. I didn't even need to unpack, the Potter elves had already done that which I thanked them for.

"Zinny, I'm going to head out on the town and probably won't be back until dinner." I said to the little elf as we came back into the entrance hall.

"That is being okay, Mistress Alexandra." Zinny said with a smile.

"Zinny, we're friends, equals, so at least call me just Alexandra if you can't call me Alex, Lexy, Lex, or something of the sort. If you must call me "Mistress" than Mistress Alex is fine by me." I said, shaking my head.

"Oh Mistress Alex is being so kind to Zinny!" Zinny squeaked. "You be having fun, Mistress Alex." I smiled, assured her I would, and left the house. I walked down the road and into the little town that was Merlinton. The shops really were quite nice. Among them I found a little ice-cream parlor, a small diner, and a few shops with old things in them. The one shop that I was drawn too, however, was a small wand shop. How could I ever fight Voldemort if my wand wouldn't go against his? I needed to keep my wandless abilities a secret, a surprise for Moldy-Warts and his Death Nibblers. With some trepidation I entered the shop.

"Ah, a new resident? My grandfather wondered when there would be another Potter to grace us with our presence." came a voice, I jumped. What was this place? Another Olivander's? I whirled around to see a young woman in light blue robes laughing.

"You startled me. Are you related to Olivander or something?" I asked.

"Oh yes, he's my grandfather. Rayna Olivander, nice to meet you. You are Alexandra Potter but you prefer Alex, is that not correct? We Olivanders don't go to Hogwarts, we instead are trained by our families in magic and wandcraft. If we have the gift than we get to work here in the family's little shop but if we don't that's all right too, even some relatives with the gift have gone on as aurors, unspeakables, even a pro Quiddich star or two. My grandfather trained me for my father does not have the gift of wandcraft, he wouldn't know the difference between a phoenix and a thunderbird feather unless they're pointed out to him. I know of you and your name preference for I have a very slight seer's instinct so I apologize if I have disconcerted you in any way. What is it that you need? I trust that your holly and phoenix wand is working well?"

"Yes but, erm, their's a problem." I said.

"Oh?" Rayna questioned.

"Yes, erm, you see, my wand refuses to work against Voldemort's. I discovered this about a year ago when we dueled. He shot the killing curse just as I shot the disarming spell, they hit, and their was this golden dome thing. It showed echoes of the past spells that Voldemort cast and they were of people that he murdered; Cedric Diggory, some old Muggle man, and my mum and dad." I explained.

"Priori incantatum." Rayna muttered.

"Er yeah, that's what it's called." I said.

"I see. This is the beauty of working in a gated magical community, I can do as I wish with my wand-making. Only a few families even know of this area's existence so the Ministry can't do much about it. I highly doubt that any of my pre-made wands will be any good for you so I'm going to do something special. Come on back with me and I'll outfit you with a custom wand." I smiled at Rayna and we made our way through a small door between shelves of wands. I found myself in a work room with a large table and shelves of woods, cores, and wands in various states of completion. Rayna bustled around the room getting together blocks of all different types of wood and then jars with a multitude of cores. She also got down several different gems. It looked like their was a hell of a lot more than just phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings, and unicorn hairs in the core jars and I told her so.

"Oh that? Grandfather and I have been in spats about my core choices ever since I was your age. I use more than just phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings, and unicorn hairs because I know how to get them to behave with certain woods but Grandfather has his comfort zone and he just won't stray. He says "This is how the Olivanders have made wands for generations, young lady, and you ought to respect that." Personally, I just think he's just jealous because he can't do with cores and woods what I can do. He also hates that I use gems to stabilize and increase spell power, he thinks of them as a crutch but they help attune you to your wand and your magic. He's just a bit close-minded but I think he's proud. I'm the only girl of seven. Like the Weasleys, the Olivanders haven't had a girl in at least five generations or so. I think Grandfather might let me have the Diagon Alley store but I don't care, I rather like working here."

"Oh, I see. So, erm, what do I do?" I asked.

"Well first you need to choose your wood. To do that just go over and run your hands over the blocks I've got set up." she explained. I nodded and did so. Through the wood I went but found nothing until a block of pure black wood jumped right into my hand.

"Hmmm, ebony." Rayna said, taking it from me. "Most people only ever have one wood but you never do things by half, Alex, so keep searching." Rayna said. I nodded and did just that. The next wood that I came across was a reddish wood, rather dark.

"Oooh, bloodwood. That's a magical type of wood. That's another way my grandfather and I clash, he utterly refuses to use magical woods in his wands. Pity, really. Go on. Once you're done with the woods look through the cores and the gems the same way." I smiled and did so. My hand shot right over to the cores and first picked out a basilisk tooth as well as the scale of a Hungarian Horntail, a unicorn hair, and a thestral hair. I was also inclined to have Goldstream give a little of her venom and Nix supplied both tears and a feather. The last thing that I did was pull out some of my own hair, a bit of black, a bit of red.

"And why did you do that?" Rayna asked.

"Veela hair." I answered as I pricked my finger. I let my own blood fall into an empty vial. Lastly, the stone that called to me was a beautiful emerald glowing with power.

"Come back around three this afternoon and I should have your wand done, Alex." Rayna said.

"Thank you very much." I told her. With that, I left the store. When I had last contacted Draco he had invited me over to lunch at his house around noon, it was just about that time now so I began to head through town and up to Malfoy Manor. I stopped at the gates where a disembodied voice asked me to state my name and business. After doing so, they swung open and I walked inside. Malfoy Manor was just as opulent as Potter Manor and I found myself simply gaping at the entrance hall. I didn't even notice anybody enter the room until they spoke.

"Draco has told me about you, happy birthday, Alexandra. I am Narcissa, his mother." I looked up to see a beautiful woman in a dark green Muggle summer dress, her dark golden blonde hair tied up into a braid which was wound into a bun on the top of her head. Her blue eyes were kind but also sad and regretful but I could tell she was a good woman. How could I not have noticed when I saw her at the Quiddich world cup?

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy. It is very nice to meet you as well." I said, trying out an awkward curtsey.

"No need of that, dear, and you can call me Narcissa if you are so inclined. I am "Miss Black" now in any case, I signed the papers that your godfather was so kind as to draw up. I can truthfully say the only good thing out of my marriage with Lucius Malfoy is Draco. In any case you are my head of house and Sirius was my cousin so I'm an aunt of sorts." Narcissa said, smiling.

"Mum, is that her?" came a voice. Their was the most intoxicating scent hanging in the air now. I looked to see Draco on the stairs. He wore a pair of black shorts and a light blue t-shirt. I looked into his icy eyes and felt my instincts take over. I felt my body changing and saw Draco's do the same. His mother stood back to watch. Using my metamorphmagus abilities to sense what form my body was in I realized that I was in my veela form. My eyes were large but more slanted and cat-like. My teeth were cat-like as well, my ears tapered to a point, and, as I looked at my hands, I saw they were red paws crisscrossed with black and with gold claws that were somewhat talon-like. I looked at my feet to see that they had silver talon-like claws. I turned my head to see a huge set of gold-rimmed black wings with gold crisscrossing through them. Below that was a red tail with black stripes and a black tip. My hair, I noticed, was more wild than ever, almost exotic. In this form, their was just as much red as black, it was like they were fighting for dominance. Boy did I look good! My eyes snapped back to Draco to see he was more breathtaking than ever. His eyes were slanted and more avian, a perfect mixture between blue and gray. His teeth were more canine, wolf-like, his hair was tousled and a perfect mix of light gold and silver blonde. From his back I could see a pair of white wings rimmed and patterned in silver as well as a silver and white tail. His hands were silver and white paws with bronze talons, poking from his sandals were white claws.

"You are mine." I said, low in the throat.

"You are mine." he repeated with the same ferocity. The two of us leapt toward each other and our lips met in a passionate kiss that took my breath away. Draco's eyes glowed intensely and I was sure mine were doing the same. His paw-like hands gently raked through my hair as we continued in our lip-lock, their was a bright glow of pure white around us.

"You smell like parchment, the forest, and the sea." I said through the kiss.

"And you smell like books, strawberries, and lilies." he responded.

"You are mine, Draconus Malfoy." I purred as our bodies gradually shifted to normal.

"And you are mine, Alexandra Potter." He responded. With a final flash we parted and beamed at each other.

"It's you!" we said together.

"Oh I should have known!" Narcissa squealed. Then, without warning, she swept me into a hug that I didn't think her delicate frame capable of.

"So you're happy?" Draco asked.

"You don't mind?" I questioned.

"Oh of course not, loves! I'm thrilled! Imagine if it were that ghastly Parkinson girl, she's been after Draco for years! Welcome to the family, Alexandra. As family you may call me Cissy or, if you like, Aunt Narcissa, Aunt Cissy, or even, when you feel comfortable, Mum." I smiled at the woman and reciprocated her hug, pulling Draco into it as well.

"That was a very strong mate bonding, I'll have to look into that. Usually their is only a flash of the auras of the veela or veelas, not such a blinding white flash as yours. The only thing that I could possibly think of is that your bond is stronger than that of a veela mate bond, that even without that you would have bonded anyway." Narcissa commented. "But enough of that, let us go have lunch." Draco and I smiled and followed her into an informal dining room.

Lunch was delicious and I found myself enjoying myself immensely. Narcissa was very kind, sweet, and loving, she made me think that perhaps my mum might be like that. I could already tell that, unlike Mrs. Weasley, Narcissa wasn't the type to go off and yell at the first sniff she got of wrong-doing but talk it over. I love Mrs. Weasley but she is overbearing in a way Draco's mum is not and, in some ways, I found myself feeling more comfortable around Narcissa even after a few hours. The two of us had very much in common and I found myself calling her "Aunt Cissy" by the time I left. As soon as I was out of the Malfoys gates, however, I felt a tugging to go back, almost like I was in physical pain.

"Did you feel that?" Both Draco and I asked as I rushed back into the manor.

"What's the matter, dears?" Narcissa asked.

"I think we need to be together for awhile, we can't be apart without feeling something." I said.

"Yeah. Mum, may I please go out with Alex for the afternoon?" Draco asked.

"Not a problem but be home for dinner, all right? If this continues to be a problem than you're more than welcome to stay over here tonight or Draco can go to your house, I trust the two of you."

"Thank you." we chorused before rushing out of the house.

"Lunch was great but you know what sounds good?" I asked, gripping Draco's hand.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ice-cream." I said with a smile. Draco smiled back and nodded. The two of us went right to the little parlor, ordered sundaes, and sat outside at a little table.

"I thought it might be you." Draco admitted as we tucked in.

"Really? How?" I asked.

"Hmmm, just instinct, I think, and it was like something was pulling us together...or at least...pulling me to you, do you know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I think I do. Admittedly, I felt the same way." I said as I scooped up a bite of ice-cream.

"Let's sit here, Susan." came a familiar voice from the parlor. My head whipped around and I saw Neville Longbottom, a close friend, carrying two sundaes with the arm of Hufflepuff Susan Bones around his shoulder.

"Shall we invite them over here?" Draco asked.

"Don't be an arse, Malfoy, of course we will." I snapped.

"Sorry, Potter, jeez!" Draco said, rolling his eyes. "But hey, you're awfully cute when you're defensive of your friends."

"Awe thank you!" I said with a blush. "Oy Neville, Susan, come over here!" The people in question turned sharply and faced me.

"Alexandra?" Neville stuttered.

"Hey Neville. Why don't you guys come join us?" I called.

"Sure!" Susan said, pulling Neville along. Neville, being a gentleman, pulled out the chair for Susan before sitting down himself.

"Malfoy their isn't giving you any trouble is he?" Neville asked, giving a harsh look to Draco. A feeling of defensiveness overwhelmed me and I took hold of his arm, letting my emotions get away with me.

"_DON'T_ _YOU_ _DARE_ _Talk_ _TO_ _HIM_ _LIKE_ _THAT!"_ I hissed, giving Neville a shake, he paled. My sanity restored itself right then and I paled, pink tinges streaking through my hair and pink coloring my cheeks. I could feel allure going out but Neville seemed immune.

"Erm, so-sorry?" Neville stuttered.

"What was that all about?" Susan demanded.

"Oh...oh my gosh I'm so sorry...this is all new...but I'm babbling like a fool...I'm sorry, Neville." I stammered, blushing even more. With a pop my hair went straight and dark pink and my cheeks colored more.

"Wait...how did you do that?" Neville asked.

"Metamorphmagus." I said as an explanation.

"But you weren't before were you?" Susan asked.

"No but someone put a power block on me, a certain someone obsessed with lemon drops. A metamorphmagus isn't all I am." I said. I then told them everything I had learned from the goblins including Dumbledore stealing from me, Ron and Hermione's betrayal, and my locked abilities.

"Nevv, I know you're not confident in your magic but what if somehow it's been blocked? I really think you should tel your gran my theory." I said after awhile.

"Yeah, I guess I will but I don't think it'll make much of a difference. So how weird does it feel to be bonded to someone who you would have loved to hex before the summer?"

"Honestly, Nevv, I love it." I answered. "So you two won't go owling Dumbledore that I'm here will you?" I asked.

"Absolutely not! You have earned my loyalty as a friend, he has earned nothing of the sort." Susan said.

"Exactly. Don't worry, Alex, your secret's safe although I'll have to tell my gran, she can sniff a lie from a mile away." Neville said.

"What's this about lying, Neville Longbottom?" came a sharp voice from our left. An old woman dressed in a red summer robe with a hat with a stuffed vulture wobbling on top of it came striding regally down the street.

"Oh...erm...hello, Gran." Neville stuttered.

"Neville, I told you to be back by 2:00, it's 2:15. Hasn't your little date gone on long enough?"

"Well...erm..." Neville stuttered.

"I apologize if Neville was late for anything, Madam Longbottom, but he and Susan were side-tracked by myself and my mate." I said, standing up. "Alexandra Potter, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Oh...my goodness you look different. And what do you mean "mate?" Are you referring to the Malfoy boy?" Neville's gran asked, looking over Draco with a scrutinizing eye.

"I cannot condone my father's actions, Madam Longbottom, and I am not the same pompous, stuck-up little prig I was at the beginning of the summer. I would like to think that I have toned myself down a bit and that my Lexy will give me a good kick in the arse now and again to keep me in line. All those people, Death Eaters, Voldemort, they are disgraces. We would be long gone if not for Muggle-borns bringing new blood and ideas into our society. Look, I'm not expecting you to believe me, especially not being the son of a Death Eater and the nephew of Bellatrix Lestrange but Alexandra's veela half has bonded to mine and so that's where we stand. Mum never wanted to marry my father in the first place, she was given the choice of him or being disowned like my aunt Andromeda so don't hold any of my previous actions against her either. I'm trying to start off right with everyone else and make true friends this year." Draco said, standing up.

"Boy, you've done some good growing up. Narcissa was a good girl who got in a bad situation and I'm glad that you both have come out better for it." Neville's gran said with a smile. "So how exactly were you side-tracked?"

"Long story short, Dumbledore's been stealing from my accounts since my parents died, he paid off Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger to be my friends, he blocked up ninety percent of my magic, and he stuck me with guardians who were not supposed to be my guardians and who are not even related to me since my mum was a shadowfire veela glamoured and sent away as a baby for her own protection." I breathed out. "And I'm thinking that if he was so easily able to block my magic could he have done the same for Neville? Basically their was a prophecy made stating that someone born at the end of July would be able to defeat Voldemort and that could have meant either Neville or I so Dumbledore could have blocked Neville's and my power before Voldemort even attacked." I explained. Madam Longbottom's face reddened and she promptly went into a fit of cussing all the foul words in the English language as well as some in Latin, Spanish, and French.

"What the fucking hell was that horrible old man thinking? Doing that to you? Perhaps blocking my Neville's power? Oh I swear the next time I see him I will skewer him _ALIVE!"_ she roared at the end, sitting down. Thankfully nobody else was around.

"So I can assume you won't go telling him I'm living in my manor here?" I asked.

"Of course not, you silly girl! Oh, and happy birthday. Neville, it's time we get home. I'll be flooing a trustworthy healer _IMMEDIATELY!"_ with that, she stood up, took Neville by the arm, and led him down the street.

"I'd better go too, I still have some summer homework to finish." Susan said. "Oh yes, and happy birthday." with that, she walked down the road.

"So what do we do now?" Draco asked.

"It's almost three and I've got to go to Merlinton Wands to pick up my custom that Rayna made me. Do you have a custom? I could buy you one if you like." I offered.

"That's not necessary, I have a standard and a custom but let's get yours." Draco said. The two of us walked down the street and into the shop.

"Ah, back again? Come on back, I think you'll _love_ what you see." Rayna said. We followed her back and I saw one thing on the table. The wand was black and red swirled together intermingled with crisscrosses of emerald green. At the very tip of the wand was a piece of the emerald cut into a perfect sphere except for a little nitch shaped just like my scar.

"Let's just say it practically made itself and is the finest wand I've had the pleasure to make...aside from yours of course, Draco." Rayna said. "Wood of ebony and bloodwood swirled with cores of ground basilisk tooth, Hungarian Horntail scale, unicorn and thestral hairs, basilisk and precious diamond hybrid venom, a molt raven feather, molt raven tears, a strand of your red hair, a strand of your black hair, and your own blood with a focus stone of an emerald. All in all the wand itself is nine and a quarter inches."

"Wow!" I breathed. "But isn't nine and a quarter a bit short? My holly wand here is eleven."

"You got your holly wand for two reasons. The first is because of the core that it has, the second is because you were not at full power. Did you know that the longer a wand the more focus one needs? Even voldemort himself needs more wand focus than you even when you were blocked, his wand was twelve inches." I snorted, so Ron bragging about his fourteen-inch wand just meant he needed more focus and wasn't powerful?

"But Rayna, we had this professor last year and I shiver at the thought that she has this little wand, probably about seven inches or so, and she's nasty." I said.

"Oh, Dolores Umbridge? Hmph, short, stubby wands like hers aren't really like that, they're just under a masking spell." Rayna scoffed.

"Hey Draco, what's your two wands made of?" I asked.

"My standard wand is hawthorn and dragon heartstring, eleven inches but my custom wand is white oak and ebony with the cores of a thunderbird feather, a demiguise hair, a Chinese Fireball scale, runespoor venom and tooth, a bit of my hair, a little of my blood, and the focus of a bloodstone, it's nine and a half inches." Draco pulled out his wand which was a swirl of black and white with red crisscrossing it and a red gem sphere on the tip.

"Wow." I breathed.

"Yeah. Hey, would you like to come back over to my place?"

"But of course." I nodded, smiling at him. The two of us intertwined our hands, smiled at each other, and left the wand shop.

Chapter Nine: Taking Care of Business

Monday morning dawned bright and sunny and I woke up with a smile on my face. Ever since Friday night I had been sleeping either at Draco's or Draco would sleep at my place because our bond kept us together. No owls from Ron and Hermione came with anything for my birthday but a nondescript owl was able to find me with gifts from Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley with a note of apology for Ron's actions and that that "little bookworm bint Hermione," Mrs. Weasley's words, was not welcome at the Burrow any longer. I also got owls from the friends that lived out of town. Over the weekend I met with the rest of my friends that lived in Merlinton including Blaise, Daphne, Astoria, Susan, Hannah, Neville, Ernie, Tracy, and Anthony. They gave me birthday gifts and we were all able to talk. They all were outraged at Dumbledore's actions and vowed to help me take him down. I expressed my desire to totally change how Hogwarts works for the coming school year and they all agreed to help me. They also were very supportive of the relationship between Draco and I and promised to help keep an eye on little Cleo Lestrange in case anybody bullied her.

"She didn't even know who her father was until her letter came and even then she just had the last name. Her mother was a Muggle who was taken, raped, and then improperly obliviated and is very nervous about the entire thing. The only reason the child gets to go is because I swore I'd look out for her." I had said. This week I was going to meet with my employees at the Daily Profit as well as gather all my friends together that didn't live in my secluded village to discuss Hogwarts. Once the decisions about the school were made I was going to send the new information to the Ministry of Magic as well as a summons to a meeting with the Board of Governors and the Hogwarts staff. Lastly, I was going to attend the wizengammot meeting that was set for that Friday, August seventh. I got out of my bed in the room that was deemed mine by Narcissa, decorated in tasteful blues, golds, and whites, and stretched. I went into the large bathroom, slipped out of my silk nightgown, and got in the large, multi-headed shower. After taking about fifteen minutes I got out, toweled off, and wandlessly cast a drying charm. With that done I brushed my teeth and hair before taking a styling brush and styling my hair the Muggle way. At least now it was in semi-neat curls. I padded out of the bathroom and over to the closet which Narcissa insisted on filling to the brim with still more clothes. I picked out an emerald green set of robes and quickly dressed in them before putting on my jewelry and putting my wands in my wand holsters that Draco had bought me that weekend "For your birthday, love." Also, I picked up a somewhat large, white leather purse. I headed back into the room and over to the desk that I had filled with parchment. I put all of the parchment in the bag and smiled. The parchment consisted of new contracts for all current and future Profit employees which were spelled to let me know if any of the rules stated had been broken via a master roll of parchment I had on my desk. It had taken me all weekend to find the spells but it was worth it. Also in the papers were papers that could be signed if I was to fire any employees as well as a new set of rules that would be hung up on every notice board in the building. Once I knew I was ready I came out to see Draco standing casually against his door in a pair of crisp gray robes, a smile playing at his lips.

"Beautiful." he murmured.

"Why thank you, Dra, you look rather dashing as well." I said, smiling. He smiled back, came forward, and kissed me. I happily returned the kiss and we headed down the hallway, downstairs, and into the dining room.

"Good morning Draco, Alexandra." Narcissa said as we sat down and began to eat.

"Good morning, Mum."

"Good morning, Aunt Cissy."

"So you're going to the Profit today?" she asked.

"absolutely. I'll be giving those reporters an earful, that's for sure." I said, smirking wickedly.

"This ought to be interesting." Draco said, also smirking.

"Now now, don't get up to too much trouble." Narcissa said, shaking her head and smiling.

"We won't!" Draco and I said perhaps a little too quickly. Narcissa just laughed. Soon enough we were finished with breakfast and at the fireplace. The Profit's office was in Diagon Alley so we would be flooing to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Ladies first." Draco insisted as he took the pot of floo powder off the mantel.

"No, I think you ought to go first, Draco." I said.

"Why?"

"Well...you see...the first time I flooed, just before second year, I choked on the ash." I said, blushing.

"What happened?" Draco asked.

"Well instead of saying "Diagon Alley" like I was supposed too I fudged it up and said "Diagonally" and do you know where I wound up? Borgin and Burks just as you and your father walked in."

"What...how...why didn't I see you?" Draco stuttered.

"I hid. You were rather taken by the hand of glory weren't you?" Draco was the one to blush this time.

"Er...yeah...but I suppose if you're _that_ bad in the floo I'll go first." With that, Draco stepped in, shouted his destination, and was whisked away in emerald flames. I went next, whirling through the fireplace at dizzying speeds. Eventually I was shot out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron a bit dizzy and disoriented but before I could fall two lean arms wrapped themselves around me.

"Thanks, Dragon." I said, using a nickname that I had started over the weekend.

"You're very welcome, Lexy." Draco said with a smile, I smiled back. Arm-in-arm the two of us headed out of the pub and into Diagon Alley.

"The idiots will want proof, let's go to Gringotts so I can get that." I said, Draco nodded. The two of us headed down the streets and into the grand building. I walked right up to a teller and spoke.

"Good morning, sir goblin. I wish to meet with my account managers, Griphook and Snapfang." I said to the goblin.

"Very well." the goblin said. With a few hand gestures, the goblin twins appeared by my side.

"What a surprise it was when we learned of our new job." Griphook said.

"Very much a surprise, we should know, we're never surprised." Snapfang said.

"What can we do for you?" they asked together.

"I'm going to visit the office of the Daily Profit but the goons will probably want proof, can you get that for me?" I asked them.

"Of course." Griphook said.

"Right away." Snapfang added. Quickly the two goblins jogged away. Only a few minutes later they came back with papers including the ownership deed. I smiled, thanked them, and put the papers in my purse which already had several other papers for this very day inside of it.

"May your gold always flow." I said as I left.

"And may it shine like the sun." Draco added. The goblins nodded and did the goblin grin and we walked out the door. I spotted the Profit office a few doors down and started briskly towards it. Bracing myself for the confrontations I was to surely have I opened the door and stepped inside, Draco right behind me. We were in a lobby of sorts and behind a desk sat a young woman with her face buried in Witch Weekly Magazine. I cleared my throat, she didn't respond. I pressed the little dingy bell on the desk, she still didn't respond.

"_OY!"_ I finally shouted. "You gonna help or are you gonna just keep reading the competition?" her head finally snapped up at my blunt question.

"What do you want?" she snapped.

"What _I_ _WANT_ is for _MY_ _STAFF_ to address people professionally and courteously when they enter the building. Apparently you missed out on that portion of orientation, yeah?" I said icily.

"Excuse me, girl? Who are you to go around calling me _YOUR_ _STAFF?"_ the woman sniffed derisively.

"Who am I? Who am I? _WHO_ _AM_ _I?"_ I asked, voice starting out as a whisper but ending rather loudly. "Who indeed. I am _ALEXANDRA_ _FUCKING_ _POTTER,_ the _OWNER_ of this rag you people call a newspaper, and I _WILL_ have _RESPECT."_ my voice dipped down to being low, not much more than a whisper, but very dangerous, carrying through the room.

"Oh, you _OWN_ the Profit do you? That's a lie!"

"I don't need little bleached bitches like you telling me what is and is not the truth. I have the papers here to prove it." I said. From my leather purse I pulled out the deeds that Griphook and Snapfang had given to me earlier that day. The woman snatched the papers from me and read them, her lips curling in an angry sneer. She shoved them back at me and I took them, putting them into my bag again.

"So what do you want?" she demanded again.

"I don't care what they're doing, where they are, but I want every employee of the Profit rounded up and in a conference room in fifteen minutes." I said commandingly.

"But they've got better things to do—com"

"Like what, reading Witch Weekly like you were earlier? You _will_ have them rounded up or need I remind you that this is your job on the line." I said, tone low and dangerous.

"Fine!" the woman humphed, ripping a piece of paper out of her drawer and scribbling furiously on it before making several copies with her wand.

"And what do you plan on doing with that?" I demanded.

"Making memo plains." she said.

"Or you could just use the sonorus charm and broadcast yourself throughout the building since everyone needs to know." I suggested.

"If you're so good at this, Potter, than why don't you do it? _I_ _QUIT!"_

"You can't quit." I snapped.

"Oh, and why not?" she asked.

"You tell her, Lexy." Draco cheered from where he leaned against the wall.

"Because, as I will be explaining during the meeting, every single employee of the Profit is suspended pending investigation and the re-hiring process. Plus, I didn't get your two-week." I said, Draco beamed.

"_FINE!"_ the woman snapped.

"All right then, I'll just make the announcement. Sonorus! Attention all Daily Profit employees. Their will be a meeting in the conference room in five minutes. All those who are not their will find themselves in, as the Muggles say it, up shit creek without a paddle. Am I understood? I will know who is and is not their, I have employee profiles right here. I own this trash rag and I'm making changes! Quietus!" I said, my voice booming through the building. "Draco, love? Can you please guard the door?"

"Of course, Alex." Draco said, beaming at me. I smiled.

"Now firstly tell me your name. Secondly, show me to the conference room." I said to the secretary.

"My name is Kayleigh Landry." the secretary said, standing up. She motioned for me to follow her which I did. She led me into the hallway and to the first door on the left. I entered to find a rather posh room with a long mahogany table surrounded by black leather chairs. I sat down in the head chair and stretched. After a few minutes men and women of diverse ages started to trickle in and sit around the table.

"That's my chair, girl." said a fat brown-haired man with multiple chins from behind me.

"Really? I don't see your name on it, do you?" I asked.

"Why you impudent little...little...I am Chief Editor Zedediah Zwick and _THAT_ is my chair! When did I ever hire you anyway?" the man sputtered.

"I'm not a little _ANYTHING,_ chief editor Zwick, and you never hired me. I called this meeting and I'm not taking any shit from a man that looks like a brown-haired version of my pig of an uncle with an over-inflated ego to boot. and before you ask I own this place, yeah I'm sixteen but I'm a hell of a lot more mature than you, apparently, and as for my name, does Alexandra Liilia Potter ring a bell? Oh yeah. So sit down, chief editor, and keep your mouth shut." I said coldly as I dug out one of the papers the goblins gave me, a list of my current staff. The man went purple and he sputtered indignantly but he sat down all the same.

"Very good. Now shall we begin? Since those whom I have met thus far have acted like petty children I shall treat you like petty children. Firstly, I shall take roll and you shall answer me with a clear "present" and nothing else. If I get any tongue-and-cheek from any of my staff here I will put a silencing spell over this room so only I can talk. You will not leave the building or this room without my say-so, their is a guard to prevent such an occurrence. Now where was I? Ah yes, Chief Editor Zedediah Zwick?"

"Present." the fat lump grunted from my right.

"Assistant Editor Demeter Methos?"

"Present." said a relatively young woman of clearly Greek origin.

"Reporter Carl Brunner, specialty Ministry activity?"

"Present." said a rather pompous-looking man in his mid forties.

"Reporter Rita Skeeter, specialty gossip?"

"Present and it's not gossip it's—com"

"Trash! Okay, Reporter Brennlyn Jeffers, specialty correspondence?" I asked.

"Present!" piped a young woman with dark blonde hair and sparkling gray eyes. And so it went, I read out the names on my roster and received responses, some neutral, some supportive, and some downright nasty.

"All right, now that that's out of the way here's how things are going to go down. Until further notice the Daily Profit is _SHUT_ _DOWN._ I will be performing investogations on all employees and stories ran from the time my parents, the previous owners of this rag, died and the present. Do I make myself clear? Also, every single employee here is hereby _SUSPENDED_ pending investogation and the rehiring process. If _ANYBODY_ wants their job back they will have to sign a contract and take oaths of honesty, loyalty, and secrecy to ensure that this paper stays as _UNBIAS_ as possible, do you understand?" I asked cooly. An uproar began from the more stubbern members of the Profit staff.

"Impudent little—com"

"How dare you—com"

"I can't believe—com"

"Disrespectful—com"

"I am of a noble and ancient house—com"

"_SELENCIO!"_ I roared, wand out. All the jabber stopped at once. "Thank you. Now listen closely. I am neither impudent nor am I disrespectful and _YES,_ I _DO_ dare. As for noble and ancient houses how many of you are from them? Just a few of you? I thought so. I really don't give a damn where you're from but trying to use that as clout in my paper isn't going to work. Those who are from old families are from what, one? Two? I happen to head _TEN_ noble and ancient houses, one of which my mated is a member of, and my mated heads four additional houses so don't try to lord that over me. Also, I won't have any of you purebloods lording your supposed status over those who are considered halfbloods and Muggle-borns. I don't care if you're pureblood, halfblood, Muggle-born, Squib, or a Muggle in the know. All I care about is getting the work done. Do you understand me?" most of the people nodded.


	5. Aiden Potter and the SS

Aiden Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

An attempt to write a female Harry, brought up in an orphanage, who doesn't turn out like Tom Riddle. Features a good Draco, and lots of ridiculousness including wizard versions of Muggle tech circa 2010 or so! I had several versions of this, this is one of the two that survived, and it's a bit longer. Stuff gets a bit crazy at the end, but what the heck? 😊

Chapter One: Begin again?

"What do we do with this little freak?" Vernon Dursley asked his wife as they looked at the now sleeping baby set on the kitchen table. "I know she's your sister's child but—com"

"I _have_ no sister, to me, she died a long time ago." Petunia Dursley, formerly Evans, sniffed. "I'll bring her to the most grim, gloomy orphanage I can find, then we'll be rid of her."

"Fine." Vernon said. You can go tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, I'll go tomorrow." Petunia said with a smile.

The next day...

"We don't want her." Petunia said to the young matron of the orphanage, Miss Coal, who almost scared her in how much she looked like the witch twins, Rose and Lily, with her dark red hair and emerald green eyes. "My sister and I never really got along and I do not want her _brat_ stinking up my house, the stupid freak. Just take her off my hands, all right?"

"But surely you can raise her? Won't you do it because this child is family? Does it truly matter how you and your sister got along? Do you not realize that this baby girl is not your sister?" the sharp-witted matron asked in a voice equally similar to that of the twins.

"Just take the brat off my hands and let's be done with it shall we?" Petunia snapped.

"I need her birth certificate and inoculation papers." the woman said. Petunia pulled a manilla packet out of her purse and passed it to the woman who promptly read the first paper, the birth certificate.

Aiden Lily Potter:

Parents: Lily Aiden Evans Potter and James Charlis Potter

Born: July 31, 1980 at 7:13 PM

Height at Birth: 19 Inches

Weight At Birth: 7 lbs 13 oz

Place of Birth: North London Hospital

"Everything seems to be in order." Miss Coal said, frowning at the heartless woman. "Aiden is now a ward of Stonewall Orphanage." Petunia sighed in relief, picked up her purse, and strode out of the, to her opinion, disgustingly shabby office and out of the disgustingly shabby building. Leila Coal looked down sorrowfully at the baby wrapped in the pink blankets clutching a small stuffed stag with hazel eyes as tight as she could, wearing a heart-shaped gold locket with a lily engraved in it around her neck. She turned it over to see a small sentence engraved into it. Lily, I will love you forever, Love James. Such a sad thing for this child's parents to be dead. The child was adorable with big, almond-shaped emerald eyes and a tuft of curly hair that was a rich, raven black in color with streaks of an equally rich dark red running through it. Her face was round and sweet, the cutest baby she had ever seen. What Leila didn't know was that Aiden Potter looked almost exactly like her mother except for her hair which went all over the place and was black just like her father's.

"_Not_ _again."_ Albus Dumbledore thought as he saw the address of Aiden Potter's Hogwart's envelope. Petunia had given the child up, apparently she had not wanted her own flesh and blood. Stonewall Orphanage had been the very same place that Tom Riddle had grown up.

"_Hopefully she won't turn out like him."_ he thought. "_I'd better deliver this one personally."_

One Week Later...

Dumbledore appearated to a nearby alleyway and stepped onto a bustling Muggle street in London. As he had fifty years ago, he wore a flamboyantly cut suit of plum velvet. This time, however, his hair and beard were white, not auburn, and he was older, more experienced. He walked across the street and a short distance further before he passed through a set of iron gates onto a bare courtyard in front of a rather grim square building surrounded by high railings. He mounted the few steps leading to the front door and knocked once. After a moment or two the door was opened by a scruffy girl wearing an apron. This was so much like before it was scary.

"Good afternoon. I have an appointment with Miss Coal who I believe is the matron here."

"Oh!" said the bewildered-looking girl taking in Dumbledore's eccentric appearance just as the girl exactly fifty years earlier had.

"Um, just a mo. Miss Coal!" she bellowed over her shoulder, creepy. Dumbledore heard a distant voice shouting something in response and the girl turned back to him. "Come in, she's on her way." Dumbledore stepped into that same hallway tiled in black and white. As it used to be, the whole place was shabby but spotlessly clean. Before the front door had closed a rather harassed-looking woman came rushing towards him. Her face appeared more anxious then unkind and she was talking over her shoulder to another aproned helper as she walked toward Dumbledore. He noticed by looking at her that she looked just like the "dead" Rose Evans and her twin, Lily.

"And take the cough syrup to Marty. Bernadette Sands has been picking her scabs and Erica Winters is oozing all over her sheets. Chicken pox on top of everything else." she said to nobody in particular. If Albus didn't know better, he'd surely say he'd gone back in time. Her eyes fell upon Dumbledore then and she stopped dead, looking as astonished as if an elephant had just crossed her threshold.

"Good afternoon." Dumbledore said, holding out his hand. Miss Coal, as Mrs. Coal had done, simply gaped. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I sent you a letter requesting an appointment and you very kindly invited me here today." Miss Coal blinked several times. Apparently deciding that she wasn't imagining things, she said feebly, "Oh yes well, well then you had better come with me into my office, yes." She led Dumbledore into the same office Mrs. Coal had had. It seemed, as it had fifty years ago, to be part sitting room, part office. It was as shabby as the hallway and the furni_ture_ was old though thankfully not the same as it was before. She invited Dumbledore to sit in a chair and seated herself behind a desk that was neat and well-organized, eyeing him apprehensively.

"I am here, as I told you in my letter, to discuss Aiden Potter and arrangements for her future." Dumbledore said.

"Are you family?" Miss Coal asked. "That woman said she had none other then herself, her husband, and son."

"No, I am not family. I am a teacher. I have come to offer Aiden a place at my school."

"What school is this?"

"It is called Hogwarts." Dumbledore said.

"How come you're interested in Aiden?"

"She has qualities we are looking for."

"You mean she's won a scholarship? How can she have done? She's never been entered for one." how much like Mrs. Coal could Miss Coal get, were they related? It was likely since they shared the same last name.

"Well, her name has been down for our school since she was born."

"Who registered her, her parents?" Miss Coal was just as sharp as Mrs. Coal had been, Dumbledore mused. He slipped his wand out of his pocket and picked up a piece of blank paper from Miss Coal's desk.

"Here." he said, waving his wand as he passed the piece of paper. "I think this will make things clear." Miss Coal's eyes slid across the piece of paper which he had put registry information about Aiden and her parents on.

"I see, her parents attended and wished for her to as well." she said, handing it back. As she was distracted, Dumbledore had conjured a bottle of gin and two glasses, he had leaned from her mind that much like Mrs. Coal, Miss Coal was no novice to gin drinking.

"Er, may I offer you a glass of gin?" she asked in an extra-refined voice.

"Thank you very much." said Dumbledore, smiling broadly. Miss Coal poured them each a generous measure and drained her own glass in one gulp. She smiled at Dumbledore for the first time so he pressed his advantage.

"I was wondering if you could tell me anything about how Aiden Potter came to be here. Didn't her aunt leave her?"

"That's right." said Miss Coal, helping herself to more gin. "I remember it clear as day because I'd just started here myself. It was chilly for November, sleeting you know. This woman, a bit older then me, came into the building. She demanded to see me at once so I brought her here to this office.." Miss Coal took another deep swig of gin.

"What did she say?" asked Dumbledore. "Did she say anything?"

"Yeah, yeah she did." Miss Coal, who seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit with the gin in her hand and an eager audience for her story said. "I never met a more heartless woman since I met Petunia Dursley. She told me that the girl was 'bout a year old and her parents had gotten "blown up" in a car crash where the babe had gotten this strange lightning cut in the middle of her forehead. She didn't want her, she said, and that she and her sister had had a row some years back and she didn't want _the_ _brat_ in her house and then said, "stupid freak" though I don't know who she was referring too, her sister or her niece. Just take her off my hands, she said. So I tried to persuade her that this was her niece, she should keep her, you get the picture. Just take the brat off my hands and let's be done with it, she had snapped. She handed me her birth certificate and vaccination papers and I looked over them. Not long after that the papers were signed and the heartless aunt was gone. If I ever see that horsey face again it'll be too soon, I say. Nobody, family or otherwise, has come to get her so she's been here ever since." Miss Coal poured herself another healthy measure of gin. Two pink spots appeared high on her cheekbones like Dumbledore could remember Mrs. Coal's cheeks doing so long ago. Then she said, "She's an intriguing little girl."

"Yes, I thought she might be."

"She was an interesting baby as well, she hardly ever cried except for her parents, mama, dadda, that sort of thing. When she grew older, she was...well...odd."

"Odd in what way?" Dumbledore prodded gently.

"Well she—com" but Miss Coal pulled up short and their was nothing vague about her piercing gaze. "She's definitely got a spot in Hogwarts you say?"

"Absolutely." Dumbledore said, feeling a sense of foreboding wash over him.

"And nothing I say can change that?"

"Nothing." she squinted at him, deciding on whether or not to trust him. Apparently she decided she could.

"She scares the other children." she rushed out. Oh dear, this is not what he wanted to hear.

"Is she...a bully?" Dumbledore asked with a sigh.

"No, not a bully. It's just...she's very bright, eerily smart and she seems to know more then a child her age ought to know." Dumbledore was interested now, perhaps she was not like Tom Riddle after all. She took another swig of gin and her cheeks grew rosier still. "She always speaks the truth but sometimes it is uncomfortable. Their have been strange incidents too. She claims she can see auras, that she knows when she is being lied too. One time, I saw a boy in the dining hall punch her in the stomach and then he flew back ten feet into a wall. I don't see how she could have done it but Marty Hughes didn't just collide with the wall all by himself, did he?"

"I shouldn't think so, no." Dumbledore said quietly.

"I don't know how she could have done it but I know Marty had been bullying Aiden for quite awhile." Miss Coal took another swig of gin, slopping a little onto her chin this time. "On the summer outing, we take them out, you know, once a year to the countryside or seaside. Well, I suppose as revenge Marty pushed her off a cliff into water that would have drowned any normal person but this big wave formed and pushed her back up onto the cliff again. Their have been plenty of other funny things." She looked at Dumbledore with a steady gaze. "I don't think most of the children will be sorry to see the back of her. I, however, have grown quite fond of the interesting little girl. She is polite, she loves to learn and read, she's independent, witty, has a wonderful sense of humor, and is top of her year at school. However, she does have a volcanic temper when she's angered and that's usually when she is being bullied or someone else is bullied. She also has a penchant for pranking, harmless pranks, of course. Harm just isn't in her vocabulary."

"She is her mother's child. Her father was the biggest prankster at our school and they both, especially Lily, had short fuses." Dumbledore muttered. "We will have to send her back here every summer, understand."

"Oh, well, that's much better then not seeing her at all." Miss Coal said with a slight hiccup. She got to her feet and was quite steady even though the gin was gone and Dumbledore had only had a cup. "I suppose you'd like to see her?"

"Oh yes, very much." Dumbledore said, rising as well. She led him out of her office and up the stone stairs, calling out instructions and admonitions to helpers and children as they passed. The orphans all wore threadbare clothes that were similar to those worn fifty years ago. As he had observed in the past, they looked well cared for but this must have been a somewhat grim place to grow up.

"Here we are." Miss Coal said as they turned off the second landing and stopped outside the first door in a long corridor. Dumbledore recognized it at _once_ as room 13, the same room Tom Riddle had lived in. She knocked twice and entered.

"Aiden, you've got a visitor. This is Mr. Dumberton, sorry, Dunderbore. He's come to tell you, well, I suppose I'll let him do it." Dumbledore entered the room and Miss Coal shut the door. It was a small room. On the left wall was a cork board filled with certificates and drawings and all sorts of things. Under this was a small desk with a lamp. A rickety swivel chair was pushed up against it. On the back wall there was an iron bed with a threadbare quilt on it. Leaning against the pillow was a white stuffed stag with hazel eyes. The bed was just behind the desk. Just to the right of it was a nightstand with an old fashioned alarm clock on it. On the right wall was an old wardrobe with five drawers built into it. A relatively large window looked out over a small playground behind the orphanage that had certainly not been their fifty years ago. Their was a cushioned window seat and on the seat sat a girl casting an inquisitive glance at Dumbledore with intelligent emerald eyes just like Lily's. An open book lay on her lap. She looked like Lily in miniature except her nose might have been a bit longer like James's and her hair was curly and black with red streaks, going in ringlets to just above her shoulders.

"How are you, Aiden?" Dumbledore asked, walking forward and holding out his hand. Aiden marked her book and closed it before getting off the seat and she grasped it in a firm grip. She was tall and willowy for eleven, looked reasonably well fed, and wore a threadbare royal blue sundress with a bronze-colored ribbon tied around her waste and a pair of lighter blue flip-flops. Perched on her nose were a set of bronze-colored glasses, oval in shape. So she had gotten more than just James's hair and nose, Dumbledore thought to himself. Also, hanging around her neck was the gold locket James had given to Lily on their wedding day.

"Hey! I'm Aiden Potter but you probably know that don't you?" she asked. "Please take a seat on the bed, it's more comfy then it looks." she then sat back on the bed. In stead, Dumbledore pulled up the rickety chair and sat down.

"I am Professor Dumbledore. It is very nice to meet you."

"Likewise, sir." Aiden said with her mother's gentle smile.

"Yes, well, I come from a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school. It can be your new school if you'd like to come." Dumbledore said.

"Really? I never applied to any school, how did I get signed up?" Aiden asked curiously. Ah, as sharp as her mother.

"Hogwarts is a school of magic. Both your parents attended and you can too."

"My parents? Magic? _REALLY?"_ Aiden squeaked excitedly. "I knew I could do stuff but I didn't know what to call it. For lack of a better phrase, I've been calling them my super girl powers. I knew their was something different about me."

"What all can you do?" Dumbledore asked.

"Lots of things. I can see auras, is that normal? Your aura is brighter then almost anyone's I've seen. Their have been a few odd people in the street who have bowed and waved at me with bright auras but you're the first I've talked too. I know what the auras mean. Yours is a light grey, almost white but not completely. You are an essentially good person but you feel as though everything you do is for the greater good even if it is not. I know when Someone's being honest, you are. Once, I actually found myself reading minds before I blocked it out. I can go deeper and even control, I tried this on my hamster when I was six but I realized it was wrong so I stopped. When I focus I can be really strong and I do things that hurt or embarrass bullies, I hate bullies. I can talk to animals, I can heal cuts and scrapes easily, I can turn on the lights without using a switch, I can levitate things, and do all sorts of other stuff when I concentrate. I can see things too, visions of the future and the past. I saw you come in last night so I put on my best dress for the occasion. I can change my looks, I can become anyone I want too. I can become animals too. Lots of other odd things have happened to me but I can't remember them all; their's more things then my fingers and toes put together times two." Aiden breathed excitedly, her face glowing with joy. "I knew I wasn't like other kids." she whispered.

"You were right." said Dumbledore, smiling even wider. "You are a witch. Aiden's face glowed with glee.

"Are you a wizard? Do only wizards and witches know about Hogwarts?" Aiden asked.

"Yes, I am a wizard. The only non-magic people who know about us are those who are related to magical people. This would include your mother's family, your aunt, uncle, and cousin." Aiden's face hardened.

"The ones who abandoned me. Ah well, I expect life's better here then their." and with that she was happy again. "Can you please show me, sir?" Dumbledore smiled and flicked his wand. The stuffed stag soared into the air and landed in Aiden's arms.

"Wow, that was really neat, professor. I can't wait to learn magic." Aiden said, cuddling her stag close. "This is Prongs, he's one of the only things left I have from my parents, I just wish they didn't die in that car crash but it's not like it was something they could help, right? I mean, you don't just decide, "Oh, come on, Lily, let's crash the car today." "Oh James, you're _so_ smart, and for kicks let's take little Aiden along and see if she survives." not unless you're high, drunk, or just suicidal." she had done a very good job of making a harsh situation a funny one and Dumbledore found himself chuckling.

"Aiden, I have to tell you something about your parents. They didn't die in a car crash." Dumbledore said gently. Aiden's eyes widened.

"They-they-they _DIDN'T?"_ she asked softly and then gasped. "The green light, mum screaming, a thud, the cold laugh, the searing pain where my scar would be...was it magic?" goodness, this girl was bright.

"Yes, Aiden, it was." Dumbledore said gravely. "You see, about ten years ago their was a wizard who went about as bad as a wizard _can_ go. His given name was Tom Marvolo Riddle but he fashioned a new name, Lord Voldemort. He rounded up followers called Death Eaters. They did horrible things to Muggles, they're the non-magic people, Muggle-borns, that's what your mother was, and people he considered blood-traitors, purebloods like your father's family who opposed him as well as halfbloods, people with a pureblood parent and a Muggle or Muggle-born parent. In wizard society, you would be considered a halfblood because your mother was Muggle-born and your father was a pureblood. Do you follow?"

"Yeah, so I'm starting to think that either he or one of his followers killed them." Aiden said, combing her hands through her curly black hair.

"Correct, Aiden. Anyway, on Halloween night of 1981 he came to Godric's Hollow, the little town you lived in, and he broke into your house. James, from the looks of it, put up an admirable fight before he was hit with the killing curse, avada kedavra. Lily was trying to keep you safe and barricaded the both of you in the nursery. He was able to make it in and she let him kill her if only to delay your murder as well. He used the same curse, of course. However, when he used it on you, it backfired leaving you alive with that scar and Tom without his body. I think he's still around somewhere but powerless, unable to do anything." Dumbledore said. "You're famous in our world, Aiden, you are known as the girl-who-lived."

"Wow..." was all Aiden could get out as she rubbed at her eyes. "At least I know my parents weren't drugged high or suicidal...but why would Lord Voldemort want to kill us? To grow up to become so vial he must never have gotten any love. At least I've gotten some love. I'm not saying it's right but Aunt Leila, or rather, Miss Coal sort of favors me, she's a bit like...well...not like a mum, exactly, but like a quirky cool aunt. I like her. Didn't Tom Riddle ever have anyone like that?" Aiden asked curiously.

"Only the matron of the orphanage he grew up in and nobody really liked him very much, I'm afraid, he used his powers to manipulate and control at a very young age, unlike you." said Dumbledore. Aiden jumped off the bed at once and rushed over to the wall just to the right of the window.

"TMR!" she said, pointing at a spot on the wall. Dumbledore stood up and went over. In a tall column of initials carved into the plaster so that not even paint could cover it their was one set that jumped out, in all caps it read TMR. "That was him wasn't it? He lived in my room?" Dumbledore sighed. He really wasn't going to tell her that until she was at least thirteen but their she was, figuring everything out.

"Yes, he lived here." he said grudgingly. "But please don't start comparing yourselves, you are entirely different."

"Are you trying to reassure me or yourself?" Aiden asked. Ouch, the truth does hurt, Miss Coal was right. "I know I'm nothing like him. A child who cannot give love can never receive it. If he was a brat and a bully then it's his own damn fault he got tangled in the dark arts and nobody loved him. I'd rather be loved and respected then hated and feared." what a wise little girl this was.

"Yes, I quite agree. It was exactly fifty years ago that I was meeting with him to give him his letter.." said Dumbledore.

"You've been making comparisons all day long haven't you? It's places like these that don't change much. Aunt Leila, she's the granddaughter of the last old matron, Miss Louise, or rather, Mrs. Coal. Was that who was around when Tom lived here?" Aiden asked.

"Yes, that is correct. I thought they might be related." said Dumbledore thoughtfully.

"Do you have a letter for me? What about school supplies?" Dumbledore smiled and took out a parchment envelope. Aiden grinned as she took it and read the contents.

"Where do I go to get this stuff? How am I to pay for it? I haven't got any money, have I?"

"You go to a place called Diagon Alley. You surely don't think your parents left you with nothing, do you? I'll come with you to Diagon Alley and help you find your way around. I can also help you get money from your vault at Gringotts, the wizard bank." Dumbledore said.

"No offense, sir, but I'd rather shop on my own if that's okay?" Aiden said. "I mean you no disrespect but I just like being independent and not having people breathing down my neck...not that you'd do so. I just like to shop on my own, that's how I am.. If you feel you must accompany me then I s'pose you _can_ but if it isn't totally necessary then may I please go alone, Headmaster?" the truth was that Aiden didn't totally trust Dumbledore. She knew their was a lot that he wasn't telling her. His intentions were noble and good and all that but he was a somewhat manipulative old coot from what she could tell. He wouldn't have even told her about she and Tom Riddle sharing the same room if she hadn't remembered that, just saved it for when she was _old_ enough.

"Very well, you may go on your own." Dumbledore said as he dug out a small gold key from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Thank you very much, sir." she said as she slid it into her dress's breast pocket.

"The Leaky Cauldron is on Charring Cross Road, only magical people can see it. It is between a music shop and a book shop." said Dumbledore.

"I'll find it easily enough. I got a few pounds saved up from helping the people in the neighborhood with stuff so I'll take a cab." Aiden said. "Thanks again, Professor Dumbledore, for introducing me to the world of magic."

"You are quite welcome, my dear. I'll see you at Hogwarts and happy early birthday to you." Dumbledore said before he swept out of Aiden's room and shut the door.

"Weird old geezer." Aiden muttered to herself as she grabbed her book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and plopped onto her bed.

Dumbledore was very intrigued by Miss Potter, she was certainly interesting. At least, he thought to himself as he exited the orphanage and appearated to Hogsmeade, she was nothing like Tom Riddle.

Chapter Two: Into the World of Magic

I went to sleep that night excited about what the next day would be like. At least I wouldn't have to deal with that old man, ugh. He really did unsettle me. As I slept my dreams were full of witch's hats and magic wands and steaming cauldrons along with the voice of my mum, crooning me a lullaby.

"Riiiiing, riiiiing, riiiiing!" my alarm clock jingled at 6:00 the next morning. I almost went back to sleep before I realized what I would be doing today. Not only was today my eleventh birthday but it was also the day I would be going to Diagon Alley. I disentangled myself from my blankets and made my bed, leaning Prongs against the pillow. I know that if Marty Hughes found out that I still slept with a stuffed animal he'd call me a big baby but I'm not, it's all I have of my parents other then my name and my looks and the heart-shaped gold locket engraved with a lily that always hangs around my neck. In it is a picture of my mum and dad on the left and on the right is a picture of all of us together. The weird thing is that they move, it must be magic. On the back their are words engraved, Lily, I will love you forever, Love James. I opened my wardrobe and grabbed my toiletries from the top shelf. I then got out some underwear, my sunshine yellow dress, and matching flip-flops. The shoes I dropped to the floor but the dress and undies I flung over my arm. I padded across the hall to the communal bathroom and put my clothes in my marked cubby. I then went to the lou and did my morning business before going over to the shower area, stripping naked, haphazardly tossing my PJ's onto a set of hooks, and starting up one of the two showers. That's how it is on each floor, their's four toilet stalls, four sinks, two showers, and a bath. I dug in my toiletries for my ziplock bag that had shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in it as the water warmed up. I then went to the shelves to the left of the bathtub and grabbed up a washcloth. By the time I was in the shower, the water was hot and steamy. I let it run over me, relaxing me, soaking me from head to toe before I washed and conditioned my hair and washed the rest of my body. To save hot water their was a limit of 5 minutes per shower so I was soon out and drying myself off with a towel. I wrapped it around me and got out my toothpaste and toothbrush as well as my hairbrush. I went over to the sink and brushed my teeth. After that, I brought my brush through all the tangles in my hair. On each end of the counter their's a hair dryer so that if we want we can dry our hair. I took it off it's little stand and turned it on. So what if the other girls on the hall wine and complain? It's not my fault I'm a morning person who almost always wakes up with the sun. Soon enough my thick, curly black hair was dry and I was combing through it again. I was tempted to use my magic to straighten it but people would notice. I went over to my cubby and grabbed up my dress and underwear, slipping them on. I went back into the shower area and gathered together all my toiletries, grabbed my pajamas, put my towel and washcloth in the basket for dirty towels, and then left the bathroom, going down the hall to my room once more. I opened up the drawer of my nightstand and looked through my hair things. Ponytail, no. Braid, maybe. Clippies, definitely not today to make my scar stand out. _ AHA!_ Their it was, my yellow bandanna. I set it smooth on my head and tied it under my hair, perfect. Finally, I put my glasses on and picked up my bank key, what kind of a bank was it to need a key? I slid my flippers on and grabbed up the simple cream thread purse Aunt Leila had gotten me for my ninth birthday. I then made sure I had my locket on and put my key and my letter in my purse which I threw over my head so it rested on my left hip. Feeling satisfied, I left my room and shut the door. I went to the stairs and went down one floor and then the other. Knowing that Miss Edna, the cook, would want me to have breakfast I decided to join all the other kids in the dining hall. I joined the small line that was up at the counter already and got a bowl of cherios, pouring a bit of milk into it, grabbing a spoon, and pouring myself a glass of orange juice.

"You sure you don't want more?"

"I'm sure, Miss Edna. I'll be going into London to get my school supplies today." I said.

"Oh that's right, your new school!" she said with a smile. "Leila told me about that."

"Yeah, I can't wait. It's a boarding school, though, so I'll be gone during the year."

"Well at least we get to see you during the summer, dear." Edna said. I nodded and went over to the table.

"What's this?" Marty Hughes sneered as he came over. "Do my own ears deceive me? Is Nitwit Aiden Potter _FINALLY_ leaving us?"

"Sod off, Hughes!" I snapped.

"Oh, very witty, Potter, _wherever_ do you _get_ it." he mocked.

"Not from an ignoramus like you, that's for sure. Wit beyond measure—com"

"Is man's greatest treasure, bla bla bla bla bla." Marty laughed, getting caught up in a cough.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" I asked.

"What Coal dunno ain't gonna hurder." Marty said, scowling at me. "Will the matron's pet tell her?"

"As long as you get your lumpy pizza pimple face out of mine I'll be happy." I said icily. "You know, you really ought to get those popped." Marty sputtered in rage but decided that he wouldn't mess with me for the time being and headed to another table.

"Miss Potter is correct, Mr. Hughes, you are to be in bed." Miss Edna admonished. Marty jumped up and headed towards the door, giving me a nasty look. I returned it with one of my own death glares. Soon enough I was done with my cereal and orange juice and putting the dishes in the wash tub.

"Thank you, dear." Miss Edna said to me. "And happy birthday."

"You're welcome, and thank you." I said as I left the dining hall. I went down to Aunt Leila's office and knocked on the door.

"You may enter." she said from the other side.

"Hey, Aunt Leila." I said as I entered.

"Hello Aiden, dear." she said warmly. "Please shut the door." I did so and sat down.

"Are you excited about your new school?" she asked.

"Yes, very much so." I said with a smile. "Professor Dumbledore said that it's a school of magic. That's what I can do, it's magic. I'll get to be able to use it and everything, I'm a witch, see."

"Magic? Really? I thought it might be a strange school what with that strange old man being it's headmaster. I won't tell anyone though, I assume that I shouldn't know in the first place since they keep themselves so well hidden. I've never heard of your world but I've always believed in magic."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, really. I knew you were a special little girl, Aiden Potter, I just knew it. I have a birthday present for you." She got up and went through the door leading to her quarters and then came back out again with a little carrier. Inside it was a little white ball of fluff with streaks of apricot barely bigger then the palm of my hand. She set the carrier down and opened it up. In a whirl of action, the animal ran and jumped into my lap licking me all over my hand. It was a little puppy. It was _so_ cute. It seemed as though it had hair, not fur and it was very soft and curly, curly like my own hair. It's eyes were big, brown, and adorable, the classic puppydog eyes.

"That is a purebred toy poodle. Even the children here who are allergic to dogs cannot be allergic to her. She won't get too large, she'll always be able to fit on your bed with you, in your lap, or in your arms."

"Oh Aunt Leila, she's so precious but poodles are awfully expensive aren't they?" I asked.

"Not for me. My sister just bred her toy poodle and she had puppies. This little one's eight weeks old, just old enough to be away from her mother. What do you want to name her, Aiden?" I brought my hands up and combed my fingers through my hair subconsciously as I thought about it..

"How about Sadie? That was my favorite movie and now I have a dog just like Annie. You're no Miss Hannigan, Aunt Leila."

"I certainly hope _not."_ Aunt Leila said with a sniff.

"Well anyway, I'll be going to get my school supplies." I said.

"You know what to do." Aunt Leila said as she pushed the sign-out sheet toward me. I took a ballpoint pen and signed my name with a flurrish, Aiden Potter out at 7:37 AM.

"Their ya go." I said cheerily. Aunt Leila reached into her drawer and pulled out something, passing it to me. I took it and saw that it was a 50 pound note.

"No, Aunt Leila, I can't take that. You've worked hard for it, I know this job doesn't pay didly squat for you and you've made this orphanage so much better then I heard it was in the past." I said, almost dropping it in shock.

"You take that right now, Aiden Lily Potter. No child has ever made this job easier then you have. It's your birthday money, enjoy it."

"But I already have some cash and Professor Dumbledore said my parents left me some money in this vault in a wizard bank so I kind of get the impression they were fairly well off. I'm sorry, I can't take it." I said.

"Please, please just take it." she said. I sighed and put it in my purse.

"All right but I'm not saying I'll spend it." I said.

"Fair enough." Aunt Leila said.

"Could you please watch Sadie for me today?" I asked.

"Not a problem." she said as I stood up, pushed in my chair, and handed Sadie over to her.

"You have fun now and be back by six, make sure you eat lunch and spend your money wisely."

"I promise." I said as I left her office and shut the door softly behind me. I walked towards the heavy oak front door and heaved it open. I stepped out into almost blinding sunshine, it was a lovely day. I shut the door behind me, descended the stone steps, crossed the courtyard, and slipped through the old iron gates onto the busy street. As it drove past I hailed a cab and got in.

"Where too?" the driver asked. What was I to say? The Leaky Cauldron? No, so I simply said, "Charring cross road. I'm looking for the book shop next to the music store." The driver nodded and set off down the street. The ride lasted a few minutes and soon enough the cab was slowing down.

"Six pounds seventy-five pents." the driver said curtly. I pulled out a ten pound note.

"Keep the change, sir." I said as I got out. The driver almost smiled at me as I stepped onto the sidewalk and he drove away. I almost didn't see the grubby old pub at first between the two stores but after I looked at the spot between for a second it showed itself to me. I walked briskly toward it and entered. The place was shabby and pipe smoke hung thick in the air. I found myself sneezing, the stuff in tobacco and cigarettes and cigars doesn't react well with my sinuses. Many people were wearing strange clothes, robes, apparently, for they were on the supplies list. No wonder Dumbledore was dressed so oddly, most of these witches and wizards probably didn't know how to dress like norm-er-Muggles.

"Excuse me." I said as I approached the nearly toothless old barkeep whose head somewhat resembled a walnut. "My name is Aiden Potter. Can you please tell me how to get through to Diagon Alley?" I asked. Unfortunately, the only thing he seemed to here was "Aiden Potter."

"Aiden Potter? Bless my soul, the girl-who-lived. I'm Tom the barkeep." he said in awe. Suddenly, I was surrounded by a throng of people, all wanting to shake my hand. After a few minutes I started to get really annoyed.

"Excuse me!" I yelled, everyone fell silent. "If you want to gawk at something go to the zoo, I _am_ a person, you know. You consider me famous, a heroine, someone to marvel at and bow at and all that. I don't even remember anything except for the light of the killing curse in my eyes. All you can think about is that I defeated your stupid Tommy Ridiculous, Lord Moldywart, Lord Voldemort, _WHATEVER,_ not that I lost my parents at fifteen months, not that I was dumped on my aunt's doorstep only for her to hand me over to, ironically, the same orphanage where Tom Riddle grew up and where I have grown up in his very same room. How would you feel if you were me? I'm eleven, I found out I was a witch, a famous witch, _YESTERDAY._ Please, I ask you and the wizarding community to be more considerate from now on, I am just a girl, not some heroine to fawn over like a bunch of mindless idiots. You surround and pester me like fans pester Muggle actors and actresses, like followers group around their leader; I am neither. I mean you no offense but leave me alone." the entire crowd grew silent. Suddenly, the morons all started clapping.

"Such a modest little child." Doris Crockford, a woman who must have shaken my hand at least five times, breathed.

"She is wise beyond her years!" Dedilus Diggle said, awed. Frustrated, I jostled my way through the Aiden Potter Fan Club and rushed towards the back of the pub.

"I'm awful sorry about that, Miss Potter. Let me help you through Diagon Alley." Tom said as I went through the back door.

"It's not your fault, a man can never know exactly the impact of his words before he says them. He might have an idea but that is just that, an idea." I said placidly. "And please, Tom, just call me Aiden, no Miss Potter for me." Tom smiled at me. We were in a small backyard that just had a few trash cans. He stepped forward then and tapped his wand on a brick, I'd have to remember that. It was a good thing that I had a memory that could be called photographic. I stood in front of the wall and watched, awed, as the bricks formed an archway into a street I could only describe as magical. "Welcome, Aiden, to Diagon Alley. Will you be all right?" Tom asked. I nodded, thanked him, and stepped through the arch which immediately disappeared behind me. Just what I had told the people in the Leaky Cauldron not to do to me I was doing to the alley at large, gawking. I wished I had fifty eyes all over my head. I could try that but I would look quite ridiculous, a head of eyes. Instead, I just took in one thing at a time. The wonderful shops, the people in robes, everything. A group of boys about my age were ooing and awing at a broom in the window of a shop, Quality Quiddich Supplies.

"It's the Nimbus 2000!" one said.

"It's the fastest yet!" said another. Several yards away I could see a building that towered over all the rest. This _must_ be Gringotts. Sure enough, it was. As I neared the door, I noticed that their was a creature on either side wearing guard uniforms of scarlet and gold. I couldn't help asking them a question.

"Pardon me, I mean you no disrespect but...um...what are you? I mean...well...you don't look human so—com"

"We are goblins." the one on the left said.

"Are you Muggle-born, miss?" the one on the right asked.

"Erm...no. I'm Muggle-raised though, I'm Aiden." I left off my last name so hopefully they wouldn't start _fawning_ over me, which I hated.

"Ah, the wizard-slayer." the goblins said together.

"The what?" I asked.

"You are Aiden Potter, are you not?" the one on the left asked.

"Yeah..." I said a bit uncertainly.

"He-who-must-not-be-named was terrible to us goblins, we are grateful to you." said the one on the right.

"I knew you were Aiden Potter, you look like your mother in miniature but you have your father's nose, hair, and, apparently, the Potter sight." the one on the left said.

"May your vaults flourish and your gold not run dry." the goblins said, bowing me through the doors. On the second set of doors was a poem which I quickly read before moving into the large marble hall. Their were perhaps a hundred goblins behind a long, high counter made of redwood. Some were examining gems through magnifying glasses, others weighed nuggets of gold on scales, and still others leafed through large, old tomes. I walked up to a free goblin and began to speak.

"Erm, hello. My name is Aiden Potter and I would like to go down to my...erm...my vault." I said, fishing out the small gold key from my purse and passing it to the goblin. Very well, I shall escort you." the goblin said as he came out from behind the counter. "Miss Potter, my name is Griphook. Please follow me." I did so and he led me across the large hall and through one of many doors on the back hall. He let out a shrill whistle and a small mining cart came zooming up on tracks to meet us. I climbed in behind him and it started zooming down underground. We passed by stalactites and stalagmites and even over a very deep ravine. Eventually, we stopped in front of a door.

"Vault 687." Griphook said. I got out and stood near the door. He stepped forward then and put the key in the door, turning it clockwise until a series of clicks resonated up and down the door. It swung open then and a cloud of green smoke came billowing out as Griphook took the key and handed it to me. I stepped forward and nearly fainted at what I was seeing. Inside were mounds of gold coins, columns of silver, heaps of little bronze coins.

"Wha?" I gasped.

"All yours." Griphook said, grinning toothily.

"I guess I won't need these." I said, pulling out all my Muggle cash. I should have known they'd have a different currency.

"I can have that made into wizard money for you." Griphook said.

"Would you? That'd be great." I said as I gave all 150 pounds to Griphook.

"Go on in and grab up some. The gold ones are galleons." he explained. "Seventeen silver sickles to a galleon and 29 bronze knuts to a sickle."

"What is the exchange rate? How much is one galleon to a pound?" I asked.

"Ah yes, a galleon is worth five pounds, a sickle is worth three pounds, and a knut is worth one pound." Griphook said with a smile. I stepped forward and gathered up 100 galleons, 100 sickles, and 100 knuts. All together now I had 900 pounds.

"Would you like a money bag?" Griphook asked. We have ones that are enchanted to give you whatever currency you need so you can do currency transfers without us."

"That would be fantastic, thanks." I said. Griphook grinned and gave me a brown leather drawstring bag. "You will be the only one to be able to use this bag unless you willingly say otherwise." he explained.

"Wow! I thought my mum and dad might be well-off but this...wow. This is a fortune." I said.

"This, Miss Potter, is only your trust vault for school. You may lay claim to your other vaults when you come of age. Your magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore, forbids you to access them beforehand." Griphook said as though he was displeased with Albus. I liked the goblin, his aura was a phoenician purple flecked with gold, silver, and bronze. He was protective of his gold and his clients. Suddenly, I was thrown into a vision which I knew was of my past.

"James, I do _not_ want Albus Dumbledore sinking his claws into Aiden or our assets if we die. We have to make a will stating otherwise. We'll put it in the Potter family vault and if anything happens Sirius can get it out, okay?" said my mum as she held me in her arms.

"I agree. Thank god you're a seer, Lils, and you've got that aura sight. Without it we could still be following him blindly." my dad, who was sprawled out on the couch, said. "And if none of the guardians we list can take her in then she is to be emancipated as soon as she turns eleven which will technically make her of age and able to take on her titles."

"I agree, James. Also, she is not _not_ _NOT_ to go to _PETUNIA!"_ Mum snapped.

My vision ended then and I found myself sprawled out in a pile of galleons with Griphook standing over me.

"Are you all right, Miss Potter?" he asked.

"Yeah, I usually see them coming." I said as I stood up with his help.

"See what coming, Miss Potter?" Griphook asked curiously.

"My visions, this one was of the past. And please, Griphook, just call me Aiden. Mum and Dad were planning out their will." I told Griphook all about my vision and his eyes popped wide.

We must go to the goblin chief's office immediately." he said. With that, we exited my trust vault and locked the door before I put my key back in my purse.

Soon enough we were exiting the mine cart again and going back into the marble entrance hall. Griphook led me through another door and we were in a wide marble hallway. We went all the way down to the end to grand double doors with a sign in gold: Goblin Chief Ragnok. Griphook knocked three times with his long fingers and the door opened.

"What is it you need?" an old goblin asked, sitting behind an ornate sixteenth century oak desk.

"Miss Potter has just brought something to my attention." Griphook said. We then sat down in armchairs we were pointed too and told him everything.

"Please give me one moment, I will search the Potter family vault personally." the wrinkly old goblin said. In a puff of smoke he was gone. Five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen. Suddenly, just as I thought he could not find it, he appeared behind his desk again, smirking.

"We've got Albus Dumbledore cornered here. Your guardians were supposed to be either Sirius Black, your godfather who was murdered the day after your parents were killed, Frank and Alice Longbottom, they were tortured to insanity the week after your parents died, or Rose Lily Evans, your second aunt, your mum's twin sister who was also a witch and was also murdered. Albus Dumbledore is _not_ on this list. According to their will, if you are not with your specified guardians, which you are not, you are eligible for emancipation, let's see, today. Your eleventh birthday, July 31, 1991. Since no guardian was ever specified then your magical guardian was set as Albus Dumbledore by default. You must realize, however, that you will only be emancipated in the magical world. Who is your Muggle guardian?"

"The matron of my orphanage, Aunt Leila Margaret Coal. I don't want to be emancipated from her, though, but I do want my wizarding world emancipation and to see a list of assets." I said. A paper appeared magically in front of me.

"Just sign here." Ragnok said, pointing to several different places on the paper. I dug out a pen from my bag and signed my full name or initials in the places required, Aiden Lily Potter, LLP, before putting it away. The paper automatically rolled up, made two extra copies of itself, and then two out of three of the copies vanished.

"One will go to the Ministry of Magic and the other will go to our files. You keep the third, Miss Potter." Ragnok explained. "You are doing incredibly well for not knowing very much about this world."

"Thank you, goblin chief Ragnok, and please just call me Aiden."

"Then just call me Ragnok." the wizened goblin said with a smile, snapping his fingers. On the desk a silver dagger, a gold cup, and a blank piece of parchment appeared.

"Now their is the matter of your inheritance. Most witches and wizards come into their magical and financial inheritances when they come of age and when their parents die respectively. Both now apply to you so expect to be feeling something tonight as you sleep. I will put at least five drops of your blood into the cup so you can receive your family ring or rings. Five or more drops will go onto the parchment to get your family tree from you upwards. Would you like to cut or shall I?" Ragnok asked. Without saying anything I seized the dagger and slashed open the palm of my right hand. I wasn't trying to be a show-off or anything but I could easily heal it. I squeezed a good bit of the blood into the cup and another good bit onto the parchment. Immediately the blood on it started to spread out creating branches, names, and dates.

"Do you want me to heal that?" Ragnok asked. I shook my head no and placed my left index finger on the cut and it immediately sealed up.

"Amazing!" Ragnok breathed, making another piece of parchment appear. "Could you drop some blood on this so I can get the information about your power level and individual powers?" I nodded, slashed my palm open again, squeezed it over the parchment, and healed it as red words started to form on the second parchment. Curious, I looked at the family tree. On top it read: The Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter. Below it their was something in Latin that I couldn't translate.

"That, Aiden, says Ever Good, Ever Kind; Ever Strong and Sharp of Mind." Griphook said. I looked at it and saw that scattered on the tree in the same generation were four people, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They were all linked to one man a few generations above them, Merlin. _ MERLIN?_ _THE_ _MERLIN?_

"Who are those four related to Merlin?" I asked.

"The four founders of Hogwarts. Their has never been an heir of all four. Your father was heir to Gryffindor and Hufflepuff and your mother was heir ravenclaw and Slytherin. I suggest you read your power list, it really is quite shocking." Ragnok said, passing me the list.

Aiden Lily Potter:

Merlin Scale of Magic:

0-0.9: Muggle or Squib (a non-magical person born into a magical family)

1-1.9: Barely magical

2-2.9: Mediocre magic

3-3.9: Below average magic

4-5.9: Average magic

6-6.9: Above average magic

7-7.9: Relatively powerful

8-8.9: Rather powerful

9-9.9: Extremely powerful

10: Superior magic, Merlin level

10.1 onwards: Immensely powerful, more then Merlin

Aiden Lily Potter's Merlin level is: 10.3. Her magical core has not expanded all the way yet; this will take a few days. According to calculations, her final magical potential will be at least a 13. As it is, this is the highest magical core recorded for an eleven-year-old and her magic already just surpasses Merlin, her many times great grandfather and that of the four founders, her many times great grandparents.

Mental IQ: 180. Aiden is very bright, things come easy to her and she is very smart for her age. This will only become better in time.

Aiden Lily Potter's Powers:

Aura sight: She is able to see all auras on all Muggles, witches, wizards, magical creatures, and animals. She knows what is good and evil and can discern the different colors easily.

Magic sense: she can see and feel spells and enchantments, things most people cannot see. She can also se any magical creature, even those invisible to normal witches and wizards. The only known person with this ability was Salazar Slytherin. She knows what is good and evil magic; light and dark are not the correct words because light magic can be used for evil and dark magic for good.

Natural legilimens: Not even the best occlamensers can keep her out of their mind. Legilimency is the art of entering the minds of others. Her level is so high that it is possible for her to even gain control of the mind.

Natural occlamense: Not even the best legilimensers can enter her mind. She can easily enter her own mind with self-training and organize it to her liking. She is even able to stay in their, learn, and train and take up no time at all in the outside world.

Panorama seer: This is the highest level seer possible. The only other known panorama seer was Rowena Ravenclaw. She can see events in any one of the possible futures at will or during visions. The forced visions are the most likely futures at the time she sees them. She can look back into anybody's pasts, even her own, and will sometimes get important visions with clues to something she needs to figure out.

Full natural healer: She can heal anything as she grows older, even things that phoenix tears cannot fix. Eventually she will be able to do this without physical contact. However, at this point, she can only handle cuts, bruises, scrapes, and minor bone fractures without magically exhausting herself. Though she is emancipated and has such a strong magical potential, it will still take a few years of natural growth for her body to get used to all the magic. The only known person with this ability is Helga Hufflepuff.

Multimagus: This is the highest level of metamorphmagus. She can become any species and race of human, magical creature, and ordinary animal and use their magics, even in her normal form. It is not simply an illusion, she can become creatures even thought to be extinct; the magic is all their.

Natural resistance to truth potions and mind spells: Along with her natural occlamency, she is able to resist any attacks on the mind via spell or potion. This includes veratasyrum and the imperius curse.

Natural shield: She is immune to all magic used on her for evil intent; this includes the avada kedavra curse which she already has survived once. Not even cursed objects can have an effect on her; they just don't work. The only known person with this gift is Godric Gryffindor.

Beastspeech: She can speak to all animals even when in her ordinary form. Anything from slugs to hippogryffs and flies to elephants. The only known person with this gift was Merlin. However, the Hogwarts founders had the ability to some extent. Godric Gryffindor could speak Gryffintongue, the language of lions and griffins. Helga Hufflepuff had the gift of aquaspeech, the ability to speak to freshwater and saltwater animals alike. Rowena Ravenclaw could speak Aerospeech, the language of the birds. Lastly, Salazar Slytherin could speak Parceltongue, the language of the snakes and other reptiles.

Multilingual mastery: It is possible for her to speak any language once she has heard or read even the slightest bit. Languages and words come easy to her. Merlin and the Hogwarts founders all had this gift.

Natural affinity for wandless magic: Any spells will come easily with or without a wand. It does not matter which. Nonverbal spells will also come easily to her.

Elemental manipulation: She can bend fire, earth, water, and air to her advantage. Gryffindor was a fire bender, Hufflepuff a water bender, Ravenclaw an air bender, and Slytherin an earth bender. Nobody today can control the elements.

Passed down on both sides of the family, though her mother is Muggle-born is veela blood. Since she will be undergoing her magical inheritance overnight, she shall take on the veela beauty. James Potter came into his inheritance as a shadow veela and Lily Potter was a fire veela.

Veela Abilities:

Enhanced beauty: She will catch everybody's eye; she will be absolutely lovely. Fire veelas are surrounded by a soft gold aura and shadow veelas by a pure white one making Aiden's combined aura white gold. Everyone can see the aura, though Muggles only can see it faintly.

Enhanced senses: Her five senses will be drastically sharpened. Her glasses will be unnecessary to her after the transformation.

Power of allure: Unknowingly at first, she will start giving off certain chemicals that attract all men and boys who are sexually straight, even some who think they aren't as well as girls who prefer to go the non-traditional way about things. Eventually she will be able to reign this in but it will be hard at first. Her allure can be used to seduce any boy into doing what she wants them to do. Their will, however, be a few people who are immune to her extremely rare combined shadow and fire or "shadowfire" veela charm.

As soon as she turns sixteen, the search will be on for her mate. She will not die without him but will be very unhappy until she finds him. Her parents, Lily and James, were mates.

"Oh...my...freaking...god!" I gasped out, Ragnok smiled and tipped the contents of the cup onto the table.

"I thought you'd say that. Now, I must tell you of your titles. Firstly, you are the last heir of the Potter title and fortune. Second, your mother's family used to be a prominent pureblood one a few hundred years ago so she is really the descendant of Squibs. Their is a fortune in the Evans family vault that is a bit smaller then the Potter fortune. The Potters alone have more money than any of the prominent families around today. Third, your father's mother was Doria Black. Their are no heirs available to take the Black title, the only male heirs have died, one of the female heirs is married and in Azkaban Prison, the second is married and does not want the title for herself or her son, and the last female heir is disowned as well as her daughter so that leaves you. Next, you are the last descendant of the Peverell brothers, the wielders of the Deathly Hallows. Lastly, You are the sol heir of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Merlin. Tom Riddle was descended from Slytherin but you receive that title as well. Now, if you please, put your rings on, make sure the Potter family ring is on your right ring finger." Ragnok instructed. I picked the rings up one at a time. Gryffindor on my left thumb, Hufflepuff on my left index, Slytherin on my left middle, Merlin on my left ring, and Ravenclaw on my left pinky. Then I put the Evans ring on my right index finger, the Black ring on my right middle, the Peverell on my right thumb, and the Potter ring on my right ring finger. With a multicolored flash of light and a swirl of magic, just one ring, somewhat large but very pretty, was on my right ring finger. It was a bright scarlet ruby set in yellow gold. The Potter crest, cantering stag, was outlined in gold in the center of the ruby. Interspersed around the band were the eight other crests.

"Wow." I said, awed.

"Yes, quite. To change the appearance to that of any of the other rings just tap it and think it." Ragnok instructed. I smiled at him.

"Thank you. Now may I see a list of my assets?"

"I can tell you. Your trust vault has 1 million galleons, the Potter family vault has 1 trillion galleons, priceless family heirlooms, weapons, and things like that. The Evans family vault has 750 billion galleons with much of the same in it. The Peverell family vault has one trillion galleons and family heirlooms. The Black family fortune is 800 billion galleons. Their are many things in their as well as some dark objects. The Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Merlin vaults each have 5 trillion galleons in them along with heirlooms, precious jewels, and books. Several of the heirlooms from all of your family vaults have gone missing. We will, however, use a tricky bit of summoning magic in the next few days to get them all back as they should be. Anyway, you also own several houses all over the world including Hogwarts." Yikes! What now?

"Oh...my...god. May I come back another time and see the vaults? I don't have time today."

"Of course!" Ragnok said.

"And Griphook? Would you like to be, um, my estate manager?" I asked.

"Of course Lady Potter-Evans-black-Peverell-gryffindor Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw-Slytherin-Merlin." Griphook said with a little bow.

"Just Aiden, Griphook." I admonished. "Ragnok? Is there any way I could wire some money to the Muggle world?"

"Do you want to start a Muggle bank account?" he asked.

"No. It's just, I'm so grateful for the way I've been cared for my entire life. The orphanage I live in could use some money, perhaps even a new location. It's called Stonewall Orphanage and I would like to donate ten million pounds from the Potter vault. Also, I want Leila Margaret Coal to receive 1 million pounds. Only she is to know who this is from, since she's my guardian I told her about magic. Can you do that, please?" the two goblins before me looked gobsmacked which was how I felt.

"You have a big heart, Lady Aiden." Ragnok said. "I know the perfect location, too. there Is a farmhouse out in the countryside near a small Muggle town that is a property owned by your Evans ancestors. It is more like a manor house, rambling, and has four stories. Malfoy Manor, another wizarding home, is down the very same road. Your mother grew up in that house. Their is a good school nearby and enough room to build a playground in back. We can have contractors start work on it immediately."

"Really? Oh that would be _so_ wonderful." I said, grinning as I stood up. "Thank you _so_ much!"

"You are quite welcome." Ragnok and Griphook both chimed as I left.

Chapter Three: Shop Til You Drop

I was hungry, I mused as I left the bank. I guess finding out you're filthy rich does that to you. I looked around the alley for a restaurant other then the Leaky Cauldron and finally found one, Le Bella Italia, an Italian restaurant. I entered and went up to the counter.

"Excuse me, could I have a table?" I asked.

"Wouldn't the Leaky Cauldron be more in your budget, girl?" she asked, looking down at my rather cheep Muggle dress.

"Not at all, the smoke makes me sick, literally." I said.

"Fine then, follow me." She led me to a table near the counter and I sat down. A minute later as I was looking at the menu, a waitress dressed in light pink robes came out.

"Hello! My name is Dayna and I'll be your server today." she said. "What would you like?"

"What's a butterbeer?" I asked.

"Only the best drink ever!" Dayna piped.

"Right, a butterbeer it is then, thanks." I said, brushing a stray piece of hair out of my eyes. The waitress gasped. "Shhhh, I want a normal lunch. How about your shrimp fediccini alfredo?"

"I'll be right out." Dayna said before bustling off. Soon enough she was back with my food and I had to admit that the butterbeer was awesome. The alfredo was also very tasty and I, after paying for the food and tipping Dayna 5 galleons, said that this was the best restaurant I'd ever been to. It was one of the _only_ restaurants I'd ever been to but they didn't need to know that. After I was outside, I took out my list. Clothes, they'd definitely be first. I entered Madam Malcon's Robes for All Occasions and a squat, smiling witch dressed in mauve greeted me.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked.

"Yeah." I said. Her smile broadened and she led me to a stool in the back next to a boy about my age with intelligent, blue-grey eyes, aristocratic features, and platinum blonde hair. His aura was a light blue showing him to be a calm, collected person but some sparks of red danced near the surface showing that he could be fiercely protective of loved ones and that he had a volcanic temper when provoked.

"Hello." he said.

"Hi. Hogwarts too?" I asked.

"Yeah. I can't wait. Mother and father sort of want me to be in Slytherin house, the house of the cunning, but I want to be in Ravenclaw, they're happy with anything really, it's just that that was their house. How about you? What house do you want?" he asked.

"It depends, could you tell me each house and what they stand for? I only found out I was a witch yesterday." I said.

"Muggle-born?" he asked.

"Nope, just the famous girl who doesn't want to say her name in front of everyone in the shop." I said in a low voice. "But I am Muggle-raised."

"Oh, I get it. I'm Draco Malfoy. Well their's Gryffindor for the brave and daring, Hufflepuff for the loyal and hard-working, Ravenclaw for the clever and witty, and Slytherin for the cunning and ambitious." the boy said.

"In that case I like the sounds of Ravenclaw; wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure." I said.

"I thought you only found out you were a witch yesterday? How do you know what Rowena Ravenclaw used to say?" he asked.

"I don't, I've always said that." I said with a shrug.

"Hmmm, interesting." Draco said.

"That's you done, my dears." Madam Malcon said as she slipped the robes over our heads, I hadn't even noticed them going on.

"See you later?" I asked.

"Yeah, see you later." Draco agreed as we both paid for our clothes and he left the shop.

"Um, Madam Malcon, could I get some casual robes?" I asked. The squat witch nodded and we set to work.

An hour later I was leaving her little shop behind with shrunken bags full of witch clothes and shoes stuffed into my handbag. The next shop I went to was Flurrish and Blots, the book shop.

"Hello!" I said cheerily. "Could you help me get my books for Hogwarts? I'm a first year." I said to the man behind the counter.

"Not a problem, young lady." he said with a smile.

"And could you help me find some interesting books for a bit of background reading?" I asked. He nodded. Fifteen minutes later I was leaving the shop with twenty-five shrunken books in my purse and a featherweight charm cast on it to make it lighter. I went to the next shop which sold parchment and quills. I got an eagle feather quill, a bottle of black ink, and a bottle of color-change ink. I also got a self-inking eagle feather quill. I picked up several rolls of parchment and found a royal blue journal that caught my eye. Their was a bronze clasp on it with just a little indentation for a fingerprint.

"That's an endless journal." the clerk said. I can have it charmed for you and put your name on the front if you like it."

"Yes please." I said.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Aiden." I said. Her eyes bulged for a second, I look a lot like my mum so she must have known, but she waved her wand and my name appeared on the cover in fancy bronze calligraphy, Aiden. I put my thumb in the indentation and the journal opened. I flicked through the pages to see that my full name was written at the bottom right corner of every page in the same bronze calligraphy, Aiden Lily Potter. I smiled and paid for everything before she shrank them and I put them in my purse.

"I suggest you get a backpack soon." the clerk said as I walked out. The next things I got were my telescope, scales, files, and pewter cauldron. I also couldn't help getting a model of the solar system with all it's planets and moons. It was self-updating too. Next it was the potions ingredients. The apothecary was fascinating to me, I got the first year kit along with what the clerk said were other common ingredients.

"I still need a wand...what time is it. I need a watch." I said to myself. I entered the ramshackle little wand shop and was greeted by Mr. Olivander, the wandmaker. I tried wand after wand after wand with no success. Suddenly, I came up with an idea.

"Can I let my magic pull the right wand to me?" I asked. Olivander nodded.

By the time I had left the shop Olivander was muttering "curious...curious" over and over and over again like a broken record. Not only did I have Voldemort's brother wand, holly, 11 inches, phoenix feather core, but I had the wands of all the founders. Their was Gryffindor's, redwood and phoenix tears, eleven and a quarter inches, Helga Hufflepuff's, ebony and crushed unicorn horn, eleven and a half inches, Rowena Ravenclaw's, cherry and dragon scales, eleven and three quarter inches, and Salazar Slytherin's, basilisk fang and venom, twelve inches. He had even given me a special bag saying that only I could take the wands from it.

"I really need a trunk." I said as I walked down the street. I eventually entered a shop called Wanderer's Wist and was helped out by a nice clerk.

"This one's very nice, five compartments to it, the last one's a room. It has anti-theft charms and charms so only you and those who say can enter will enter. It has a permanent featherweight charm and will shrink and resize on your command." he said.

"I'll take it in blue and bronze." I said.

"Great! I can also have your name or initials engraved onto the lid, would you like that?" he asked.

"Very much. I'm Aiden Lily Potter." I whispered. The old clerk gasped then nodded.

"I should have known, you're the spitting image of your mum, almost. You've got your dad's hair but I see some bits of Lily made it through." he said. "And what about a backpack?" A few minutes later everything I had bought was in my shrank trunk with Aiden Lily Potter on the lid in fancy bronze script and in my new royal blue backpack with Aiden on it in bronze. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a clock and watch shop down another alley so I entered.

"Hello. I'm looking for a new alarm clock and a watch." I said to the woman behind the counter.

"How about watches first? We have many different models, gold, silver, bronze, plain metal, even family mortality and location watches and clocks. We also have celestial models."

"Um, just normal ones with the numbers 1 through 12." I said. She nodded and rooted around in the display case, coming up with a bronze watch with a dragon hide band, royal blue face, bronze numbers, and bronze hands.

"I peg you as a Ravenclaw girl. This watch has multiple settings, Muggle-style, celestial, mortality, and location. For mortality and location, just put the hair of the person on the watch and it'll absorb it right up." she said.

"Deal!" I said, pulling out a black hair and pressing it to the watch. It absorbed it and the setting changed. Their were things like fit as a fiddle, doing all right, and feeling crummy all around the border. A lone bronze hand was their with my name on it, the woman stifled a squeal of delight.

"All right, to change the setting just tap it and think of what you want." she said. Now, a clock, you say?" I have just the one." she came out from behind the counter and led me to a display of old-fashioned alarm clocks.

"They consider _these_ _dark_ just because one of the alarms is "avada kedavra," that'll wake you up in the morning. It's got the same settings as your watch but has a bunch of different alarm sounds to it. You can even make your own. It will also chime every hour if you set it and let you know if a loved one is in danger." she said.

"Deal!" I said, snatching up a bronze one with a white face, bronze hands, and royal blue numbers. A few minutes later I walked out of the shop with my new watch on and my clock in my trunk. Another thing she had told me was that they were always right and I never needed to set them. It was only, surprisingly, 3:00. She had even given me a book on how to read the watch in it's celestial setting. Suddenly, as I was walking by a pet shop, two little balls of fluff came sprinting out of it, chasing each other. One of them made an almighty leap and landed in my arms while the other curled around my foot. A rather harassed-looking woman came rushing out.

"Oh their's the little balls of fluff!" she said in relief. "They're always escaping from me. I hope they're not bothering you."

"Not at all." I said. "What were you doing out their?"

"I smelled you, you're my familiar, or rather, I'm yours." the creature in my arms said. She was very cute, really, with a gray back, back legs, and tale. The very tip of her tale was white and poofy, her stomach was white, and her front legs and the area around her mouth, nose, and chin was too. The rest of her face was grey, she had a cute little pink nose, and her little grey ears were capped in white. Her eyes were big, crystal blue, and adorable.

"And I was chasing her because I want to come with you too, it's boring in the shop." said the second cat with black fur, a tale and ears tipped in dark red, and grey eyes. I picked him up as well and walked towards the woman in the doorway.

"I'll take them both. I know someone who will like him and she's really sweet."

"Did you...did you just beastspeak?" she asked as we entered the cool shop.

"Yeah, yeah I did." I said.

"You know, I could use some help around here, would you like a summer job until you go to Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Yeah but _no_ money. I, um, have plenty." I said as I fiddled subconsciously with my locket and my ring. She nodded in understanding.

"Aiden Potter? I _will_ pay you. That fortune won't last more then ten generations if nobody takes money to keep it at the same level. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Carrie Burk."

"Nice to meet you." I said.

"You know, those cats aren't ordinary cats, they're half kneazel. They're dead useful for catching stuff, even get along with dogs."

"Good, I have a poodle back at the orphanage that the matron gave me today." I said. Suddenly, their was a flurry of wings and a stunning red and gold bird with bright green eyes landed on my shoulder.

"Hello, nestling. You are a good person and I would be honored to bond as a familiar to you." a gentle voice crooned.

"Um, all right. So that makes three. Can I call you Lily?" I asked.

"After your mother? Of course you may. And may I suggest Jamie for your kitten?" I nodded.

"That phoenix has been here for years. Here, take a gold perch, matching cage, and phoenix treats. Also, for the two cats, let me get you food and water bowls as well as carriers."

Not long afterward I was leaving the shop with Jamie and the as-of-yet unnamed cat in carriers and Lily on my shoulder. Carrie had told me that this street was called Nocktern Alley.

"Just because we sell rare things or things that are considered dark doesn't mean we're evil. I mean come on!" she had said. "At least I get good business even though my father helped found the most notoriously dark shop on the street." I continued walking until I found something interesting, an ear piercing shop. I entered and greeted the woman behind the counter.

"Hello! I would like to get my ears pierced." I said.

"Do you have a parent or guardian's permission?" she asked as though she wished she didn't have too.

"I have my own permission." I said, casually laying my hands on the counter.

"Ah, I see. Come over here, Miss Potter." she said. I looked through many different sets of earrings until I picked out a light blue pair that were in the shape of flowers. In the very center of each was a sparkling white diamond. The earrings were just the right size, not too big or too small. I sat down and she and an assistant stood on either side of me. With a flick of their wands the earrings were in my ears. It stung a little but that was to be expected. I paid for them shortly afterward and left the shop. I glanced at my watch, drat, 5:30. I would be late for sure.

"Now how am I going to get home?" I asked nobody in particular.

"I can easily take you." Lily said. "Just make sure you have everything and then grab onto my tail feathers." I did just that and suddenly, in a swirl of fire, we were in an alley across the street from Stonewall. I simply gaped and headed across the street, through the gates, across the courtyard, up the steps, and through the door. I then lugged everything up to my room and let Jamie out of the cage.

"Can you wait here a minute?" I asked her.

"No problem." she said, jumping onto my bed and curling up. I smiled.

"What about me?" the other cat asked as I picked up his carrier, food, treats, toys, and dishes.

"You'll see, my friend." I said. Back downstairs I went and to Aunt Leila's office door. I rapped on it and heard little, squeaky barks from inside.

"Come in." Aunt Leila said. I entered and shut the door.

"How was your day, Aiden?" she asked.

"It was excellent. I have a present for you, Aunt Leila. Well, more than one but this is all you get right now." I said. I set the cat's carrier down and opened it up. He and Sadie sniffed curiously at each other before he jumped onto her lap with a soft meow.

"Aiden, he's precious!" she said thrilled.

"He's all yours. Here's all the stuff for him. I got one myself, I named her Jamie. They're half cat and half kneazel, a cat-like magical creature, dead useful at catching things, I was told. I hope you like him."

"Like him? Dear, I _love_ him." she said. "He's precious. You know what? I think I'll name him Damion, he just looks like a little demon cat, demon Damion." she said fondly.

"I resent that." Damion mewed.

"He resents that." I translated.

"What's that _beautiful_ bird on your shoulder?" she asked.

"Meet Lily, my phoenix. She bonded herself to me."

"Magic really is something isn't it?" Aunt Leila asked.

"Yeah, yeah it is. I got a job at the pet shop in the alley, I'll be going their Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays until the end of the summer, is that okay?"

"That's _fantastic!"_ she said. "I'm proud of you. Now why don't you go get some dinner?"

"Aiden? May I come in?" it was Aunt Leila. It was 9:00 and I was sitting on my window seat reading Hogwarts: A History. Sadie and Aiden were curled on my lap and Lily sat on her perch I had hung by the door. My trunk lay resized by my wardrobe and my backpack, already filled with books, sat in the rickety swivel chair.

"Door's open." I said. Aunt Leila entered, her face alight with excitement and shock.

"Aiden Lily Potter, you did _not_ need to do that." she said.

"Whatever do you mean, Aunt Leila?" I asked innocently, wandlessly putting up a privacy spell which I had come up with when I was nine.

"You know very well what I mean!" she said. "We got word that a generous benefactor had wired the orphanage ten million pounds and put one million in my personal account. Not only that but a country _manor_ house is being prepared so that we can switch locations if we want; the school system their is much better, would we like to move their? You said you had more than one present for me, spill. The generous benefactor, and only I know this, happens to have the initials LLPEBPGHSM, informally ALP. What is this all about?"

"Well, um, I'm kind of sort of filthy dirty stinking rich." I said in a rush, clambering out of the window seat. "Not to mention I'm the heir of all four of my school's founders so I basically own the school. In the magical world I'm emancipated but in the Muggle, non-magic world, you're still my guardian and I like it that way. You've done so much for everyone here and this place has been in your family for years, I just thought I'd give back. I basically have enough gold to buy the crown jewels ten times over or more and still be able to fill a swimming pool with the stuff. Basically, their's more then Bill Gates could _dream_ of having." Suddenly, Aunt Leila was engulfing me in a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you thank you thank you! You're too stubborn rescind the offer aren't you?"

"You know it. And _please_ don't tell anyone. It's our secret."

"Our secret." she repeated, smiling. "Well I'd better get to bed, and so should you. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Aunt Leila." I said as she shut the door.

Chapter Four: Muggle Mall Madness

In the middle of the night as I was sleeping, I felt a hot prickling wash over me. It was as though I was submerging myself in a hot, comfortable bath. I could feel parts of me changing, my core expanding, but I slept on. It was as though I was a baby all over again and in the comforting arms of my mother. Warm, comforted, safe from all evil. My new alarm clock rang right at 7:30. I had used my own voice to say, "Aiden Lily Potter, get your lazy rear out of bed this _instant!"_ Needless to say, I was wide awake. I lazily turned it off and snuggled in my covers. Jamie slept on the pillow using my hair as a blanket while Sadie was curled up under the covers in the crooks of my knees. I saw Lily on her perch, head turned around on her back and fast asleep. Grudgingly, I got out from underneath my covers and got dressed in one of my uniform dresses, a simple grey threadbare dress which all the girls had along with a pair of simple white slip-on tennis shoes. The only reason I had the yellow dress and the blue dress was because of the money I had saved up. I went to put my glasses on when it hit me, I didn't need them anymore. Instead, I just put on my locket, my watch, and my ring. I then went across to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I noticed as I brushed that they seemed straighter, smoother, perfectly symmetrical. I have pretty good teeth if I may say so myself but they were just _perfect_ now. It was then that it hit me; I had come into my inheritance last night. As I brushed my teeth I closed my eyes, as I combed my hair I closed my eyes. It was a lot more silky to the touch and the curls were a bit more graceful in the way they fell. Finally, I set my brush in my bag, zipped it up, and opened my eyes. I gasped at my appearance. My skin was flaweless, not a freckle in sight unlike before where a few very faintly spattered my nose and cheeks. However, my lightning-bolt scar still remained, a red line marring the middle of my otherwise flaweless forehead and I'm not just saying this to sound vain...really I'm not. Flaweless is a describer so if I use it to describe my skin is that so bad? Plus, if you took a microscope to it their could be tons of flaws. My skin was a bit tanner as well, a light golden brown that still went wonderfully with my red highlighted black hair. My eyes were their same emerald but their seemed to be an ethereal glow from within. Then their was my teeth, they were perfectly straight, aligned, and pearly white. My hair had only gone barely to my shoulders before but now it went in graceful spiraling curls down the middle of my back. I had grown probably a half an inch putting me at about five five and I gained some definite curve. Other than that, I hadn't developed at all which was fine by me. All around me their was a shimmering white gold aura as bright as the sun, or so it seemed. I knew it was my shadowfire aura, not my true aura. All in all, not bad. I smiled and headed back to my room.

"Hey guys, I'm going down to breakfast." I said to Lily, Jamie, and Sadie. The three of them nodded and I headed downstairs and into the dining hall. I could se some of the older boys and quite a few boys my age staring me down, hunger in their eyes.

"Hey, hotty, how about you sit with me?" Bobby Boggles, a thirteen-year-old playboy called from the table where he and his rowdy friends sat.

"No, sit with me! I'll be the next Prime Minister, you just wait and see." Milton Forbs, a twelve-year-old, called from the same table.

"Ignore those losers, it's me you want." a third boy from the table, John Schimpling who was eleven hollered. Oh boy, my allure. I frowned and focused on bringing it down a notch. I could feel the level lowering until their was just a minor little bit I couldn't get to go away. I got a bowl of cereal and some orange juice before sitting down.

"Who is she, seriously?" asked one of the boys from the rowdy table.

"It's just me, Aiden Potter." I hollered over to them, trying to not let my voice leak with allure. I realized then that it was almost more melodic, hypnotic, then it used to be but still essentially the same.

"Bet you're loving this, Nitwit Aiden." Hughes sneered as he waddled over to me. "Think you're hot stuff, do you?"

"I never said that." I snapped, he was clearly immune to me.

"Clever, Potter. Thought you would just go out and come back hot stuff? What makes you so _special?"_

"Maybe for the first time my life I feel totally _satisfied!"_ I snapped.

"Oh, do tell." he mocked. I jumped out of my chair.

"I found out that I wasn't born unloved, that my parents loved me. I actually know how they died, too. Some madman wanted them dead, he blew up the house with an amateur bomb he made but it only killed my parents who were on the first floor. I was in my crib on the second; just a little cut on my forehead and that's it."

"Make up something more original, Potter." he sneered before walking away. I plopped back down and attacked my cereal with more force then necessary and was soon done.

"Was that true or is their more to it." Aunt Leila asked as I left the dining hall.

"It was a mad wizard, they _were_ murdered." I said and then told her everything I had learned myself.

"That's a lot on your shoulders, Aiden." she said as we sat in her office a half hour later.

"Yeah, yeah it is. I was mobbed by witches and wizards yesterday that all wanted to shake my arm off. Then, when I basically told them to bugger off they clapped and said how _modest_ and _wise_ I was."

"Oof!" she said, running her hands through her dark red hair and brushing it away from her emerald eyes that looked exactly like mine. Actually, I look a lot like Aunt Leila, almost like her in miniature, in fact, and people mistake me for her daughter and not just another orphan. "That must be harsh."

"Yeah, yeah it is. I'm going to go shopping in London today for some non-magic stuff, could you watch over my pets?"

"Not a problem." she said with a smile as I left.

Five minutes later, Lily, Jamie, and Sadie were all in Aunt Leila's quarters, I had my cloth purse, and inside it I had my bag with my five wands and my instant money bag. I hailed a cab to a shopping center and entered, looking around at all the shops. I didn't want to stand out too much from the orphans lest they find out about my gobs of money so I would mainly buy simple things. First I went to a teen clothes shop and picked out jeans, T-shirts, sweaters, shorts, shoes, and everything in between. My styles stayed simple but nice all the same. The clerks were helpful but annoying because the girls were jealous and the guys kept drooling at me. I didn't buy too terribly much just yet. Soon enough, I was out of that store. One store caught my eye, a Verizon store. I walked in and looked at the phones. One caught my eye in particular, the Droid.

"Excuse me, sir, can you tell me about this phone?" I asked.

"Out of your league, kid." a guy behind the counter, obviously immune to me, scoffed. "You, you're from that old orphanage across town aren't you?"

"Not for much longer." I said.

"Don't tel me a family's adopting a ten-year-old." he snorted.

"Actually, you dunderhead, I'm eleven." I snapped, losing my temper.

"And that's such a difference." he sneered.

"Whatever. Look, I've been accepted to my parents' old school and I have a trust fund, all right?" I snapped. "I don't mean to be rude but honestly, you're probably the biggest prick I've ever seen that was actually _allowed_ to work behind a counter. How many customers do you turn away, Sal, 20? 30? 40? 50? Well you're just about to lose me, I'm perfectly willing to go to one of your competitors." Just for show, I willed five hundred pound notes to come to me from my money bag. I withdrew my hand from my purse and fanned them out, making sure that he could see them.

"What'd you do, steel that money?" he sneered.

"_I_ _HAVE_ _A_ _BLOODY_ _FUCKING_ _TRUST_ _FUND!"_ I hollered, rushing to the counter and getting right in his face. I know my choice of words weren't exactly appropriate or polite or ladylike but I have a _very_ bad mouth sometimes. Anyway, to add insult to injury, or rather, injury to insult, I slapped him in the face before rushing out of the store. I stopped, however, when I heard whispered voices.

"That little _bitch_ slapped me!" came the voice of Sal.

"How _dare_ you call her a little bitch! Are you an idiot? Do you know who you just upset?" came a rough voice.

"Some filthy Muggle orphan?" Sal asked, clearly disgusted.

"You idiot, you stupid Squib, didn't you see the scar? That was Aiden Potter, the girl-who-lived. No witches and wizards did more during the war for the wizarding world than her parents, Lily and James."

"I don't give a rat's—com" but Sal was cut off.

"I remember winter when I was twelve. I was still taking it hard that I was a Squib and then, of course, my little sister, Nymphadora, who was seven at the time accidentally set fire to our house with magic. The Potters took us in even though Aiden was only five months old. I remember that that was the best Christmas I had ever had and that they made it possible, even easy to forget, that I was a Squib. Lily and James were so nice and Aiden was the sweetest baby I ever saw, other then Nym, of course, and Nym was _thrilled_ that their was another metamorphmagus around."" It was then that I decided to make my presence known.

"My parents were really something weren't they?" I asked nobody in particular as I stepped back into the shop.

"Nobody asked you." Sal snapped.

"I never said they did. Look, their's nothing wrong with being non-magical." I said.

"Oh yeah, says the most _powerful_ baby born since _ALBUS_ _DUMBLEDORE!"_ Sal snorted. This could get loud so I put up a privacy spell.

"Trust me, I know it's not bad. I grew up thinking that I was non-magic until just the other day, in fact, when my entire world turned topsy-turvy and inside-out. I would have been perfectly happy to be a Muggle orphan girl who thought my perfectly normal parents died in a car crash. You know what they say, ignorance is bliss, at least sometimes. If I was a Squib, I wouldn't care. If I was a Muggle, _I_ _WOULDN'T_ _CARE."_

"Their's nothing good about the Muggle world, _nothing."_ Sal spat. "I, Salazar Flint, was supposed to be head of my family. Now I'm as good as Muggle and my brother Marcus gets the title."

"Salazar, just learn about the Muggle world. We've got TV's, computers, football, pizza, soda, and Muggles have been to the moon and sent rovers and ships past the solar system. Please stop thinking like a pureblood for just one second and enjoy what you have. What I'm saying, Sal, is to just be true to yourself." With that, I dispersed my privacy spell and ran off. Another shop appealed to me, a Muggle pet shop. I entered it and started looking at toys and treats for Sadie and Jamie. I found a bag of squeaky balls that both Sadie and Jamie could play with as well as a small rubber bone for fetch and a mouse on a string Jamie and I could play with. I also picked up some small rawhides, catnip, a brush for Sadie, a brush for Jamie, and dog and cat shampoo. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a towering cat scratching post. It was probably about six feet tall with little alcoves to curl in, poles to scratch, toys hanging to play with, little tunnels, and open carpeted perches. I also saw a little blue dog bed with white bones all over it, perfect for Sadie if she wanted it. Lastly, their was a self-cleaning litter box, perfect. I waved over a kindly looking assistant.

"Excuse me but could you please help me take this stuff up to the counter?" I asked her, motioning at a box with the scratching post in it, the box with the litter box, and the dog bed.

"Not a problem, dear." Together we were able to lug everything to the counter. It was then that I saw an isle of dog and cat collars. For Sadie, I chose a reddish brown Coach collar with matching leash with a little silver tag for the pet's name to be engraved. For Jamie, I chose a black leather Coach collar with the same silver tag. I decided to leave off the bell so she could hunt, I wasn't _that_ cruel. For good measure I picked up a matching one for Damion too.

"Their you go." the clerk said as she rang up my purchases. "That'll be 177 pounds and 95 pents." Unbelievable, those animals had me wrapped around their little paws/wings didn't they?

"Hey, um, could you do the engraving for my pet collars?" I asked, pointing at the machine. She nodded and smiled and we went over. First we put in Sadie's tag.

"And your dog's name?" she asked.

"Sadie." I said.

"What's your name and phone number?" she asked.

"Aiden Potter, 426-843-4475." I said as she typed them in.

"Aiden and Sadie, huh?" she asked, smiling.

"Yup, that's right. Aunt Leila, the matron of the orphanage I live in, gave her to me. She's really not my aunt but everyone calls her that."

"How can you afford all this, no offense?" she asked.

"Trust fund. I just found out about it and I'm going off to my parents' old boarding school. Some madman blew up our house when I was a baby, I was the only one to survive." I pointed to my scar. She gasped.

"That's terrible. And the name of your next pet, dear?"

"Jamie. It's feminine for James, my dad's name. I have a red parrot named after my mum, Lily, because her feathers are red like I've been told my mum's hair was and she has emerald eyes like me, eyes I got from Mum." I explained. The clerk, Bonnie by her tag, nodded. Next it was Damion's collar.

"His name is Damion but he's Aunt Leila's cat, Leila Coal, 426-843-7863." I said. Soon enough, I was out of that store and in a deserted bathroom with my purchases. I pulled out my holly wand and pointed it at them, using a charm I had read about yesterday.

"Reducio." I said. With a pop, everything was small enough to fit into my purse. I put my wand away and went out of the bathroom and to the food court, getting a cheeseburger and a large root beer which I quickly devoured. After that, I got a huge cone of white chocolate macadamia nut cookie ice cream, my new favorite. It was already 1:00 and I wanted to set everything up for my spoiled little creatures. Also, I wanted to read more of my fascinating school books. Smiling, I set off out of the shopping center. I hailed a cab and rode home, excited at the prospect of getting everything set up for my animals and reading my books. Soon I was through the door of the orphanage and greeting Aunt Leila.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"Awesome. Here, this is for Damion." I said, pulling out the collar and resizing it.

"Why thank you!" she said with a smile.

"I've got to set up some stuff so I'll be taking them upstairs." I said, motioning to Lily, Jamie, and Sadie. She smiled and nodded and I exited the room, Jamie in my arms, Lily on my right shoulder, and Sadie trotting along behind me. When we got to the stairs I picked her up as well and went up to my room. First, I set out Sadie's dog bed. Then, I dumped out everything in the cat litter box.

"Reparo!" I said, using another spell I had read, wandlessly this time. The litter box's parts snapped together and I poured some litter in it. I also cast an ever fresh charm so it wouldn't begin to stink. Like a good little kitty, Jamie went right over and took a big old, well, you know. Next I dumped out all of the bits and bobs to her scratching post and put it together. Jamie immediately jumped up onto it and started playing with a hanging feather.

"Good, I'm glad you like it." I said to her.

"Like it? I love it." she said excitedly.

"Good, hey Sadie, have a rawhide." With that, I tossed the little treat to my poodle who yipped happily and settled on her bed. When I knew they were happy, I grabbed my Transfiguration book from my backpack, curled on the window seat, and began to read.

Chapter Five: Alley Explored

I went to work the next day, all witchified in baby blue robes and stuff. I had a great time working with Carrie and was pleasantly surprised to see Draco come in with his parents around 10:30. Both of his parents were very nice and had good auras along with a veela aura. They insisted I call them Lucius and Narcissa and I liked them immediately. They had come to get Draco a familiar and also to see if Carrie needed another assistant. Draco has basically all my powers though he has some specialties. Eventually, an ice phoenix which he named Isaac, a blue camiliacat, a metamorphmagus cat, basically, which I named Blue for him because of his baby blue fur and eyes, and a Boston Terrier, black and white with brown eyes which I named Harley much to Draco's protests, bonded to him. Then, we had a playful argument where we called each other names, said we hated each other, and then shook hands to be best friends. I guess we have a bipolar relationship like that. Carrie let me off for the rest of the afternoon and Narcissa and Lucius took us out to lunch at a really nice restaurant in Nocktern Alley called Le Belle Fleur where I got to try magic squid and snails and calves brains and other fancy French foods that I can pronounce but not easily write here so I'll just say one thing, delicioso, no wait that's Spanish, awe never mind. After we left the restaurant Narcissa and Lucius left for home and Draco and I were left to explore. The first shop we went in was Borgin and Burk's where we got a lot of things. The first thing that I got was an amethyst jewelry set that is rumored to be able to shield the wearer from almost all spells, amplify one's magic and perhaps give a Muggle or Squib temporary magic. Draco got this thing called the Hand of Glory that will shed light only for the holder even in total darkness. Then, I spotted these really cool silver cubes with holes on every side except the top which has a bunch of different buttons. It can cast multiple jinxes, hexes, and curses at your enemies or whoever you want it to hit.

"Excellent, no roommates waking me up in the morning, hahahaha!" I exclaimed triumphantly.

"You really are violent aren't you?" Draco asked with a result of me sticking my tongue out at him. The next thing was something Draco saw, two pairs of dark green gloves made of basilisk skin that will protect you from fire and explosions and shield you from some mild to moderate spells. Lastly, we picked up memory magic crystals that work only for the owner and can store as many memories, as much magic, and whatever abilities you want it too. You can view memories like a pensieve but it's better because only you and those who say can view them can view them. Also, they can project memories onto a blank bit of wall or even a Muggle TV screen and show them like a Muggle movie. It's even rumored that you can duplicate and pass magic and abilities to other people, maybe even Muggles and Squibs making them magical. Also, another rumor says that the longer magic is stored in their the stronger it gets. Then their's the books, we both got one of each book they have. There's books on dark magic, curses, ancient wards, runes, illegal potions, and much much more. We each had Isaac and Lily bring us our trunks and levitated our books into the rooms. It turns out that Draco's trunk is just like mine but green and silver. Mr. Borgin and Mr. Burk even helped us decorate our rooms. My room-in-the-trunk is fifteen feet by fifteen feet and the ceiling is twenty feet high. The carpet is fluffy, soft, and royal blue. I had the walls spelled a soft baby blue and the ceiling enchanted to show the sky outside. On the south wall just behind the latter are three attached bookshelves going floor to ceiling taking up the entire wall. They're made of oak and painted white with lilies and roses carved into them in honor of my mum and Aunt Rose. Only the first set of shelves is even taken up by the books I got from Mr. Borgin and Mr. Burk. On the north wall near the west wall is an oak bed, also white. It's huge, maybe bigger then king sized. The bed frame itself has lilies and roses winding their way up the legs and canopy poles and across the upper rails. They also go in a row across the bed rails. The foot board has a square bordered in lilies and roses with my name written in fancy script in the middle, Aiden. On the headboard the flowers boarder it and form a heart that's half on, half off the rest of the headboard. The hangings to my bed themselves are royal blue velvet with baby blue crisscrossing through them. My quilt is the same, thick and soft. The sheets are baby blue and their are many pillows, all with royal blue cases trimmed in baby blue. There is a nightstand on the side of the bed facing the rest of the room. It is white stained oak like everything else and also carved with lilies and roses. The knob of it is carved with a lily as well and the spot around the drawer is carved with lilies and roses. I had Mr. Burk put a bronze lamp with a royal blue shade trimmed in baby blue on the nightstand but I'm not sure what else I'll do. About halfway up the north wall their is a couch with royal blue fabric and comfortable cushions sitting a few feet from the wall, facing it. The legs, like with all my furniture, have the twisting flowers. In front of it is a glass topped coffee table made out of the same wood as everything else with the lilies and roses twisting around the legs. I left the rest of the wall blank to fill up later. The only thing on the east wall is a white stained oak desk with five shelves attached and three lily-knobbed drawers on either side of where my feet go. It, like everything, is carved with my two favorite flowers. The chair with it swivels and has royal blue fabric on it, it is quite comfortable. Lastly, on the west wall perpendicular to the bookshelves their is one set of shelves that goes for five feet. They're to hold extra potions ingredients and potions I make. Their's two and a half feet for ingredients, two and a half feet for finished potions. Their's even three cubbies in the bottom for my cauldron, extra scales, and a box of crystal files. Lastly, in the very center of the room, their's a metal work table big enough to fit four cauldrons comfortably. Draco's room turned out exactly like mine but with a forest, emerald, and cherry wood scheme with a silver lamp and a notable lack of the flowers that were everywhere in my room.

The next shop we went too was an American-based store called Teslow's Technology. Apparently, their were companies in America making computers and things just for wizards and witches.

"They're really popular in America. Like instead of the Muggle word processor, Microsoft Word, that goes by pages, their's a program called Electronic Parchment that goes by inches with the little markings to the right. This stuff will even work in places like Hogwarts." Draco said. When we had gotten inside, we were greeted by a pair of totally crazy twins named Keely and Keery Teslow.

"Hi and welcome to Teslow's! I'm Keely, how can I help you?" asked a tall woman, about twenty, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"No how can _I_ help you?" came another voice from our right. We whirled around to see an identical girl in the same outfit. "My name's Keery."

"Twins?" we asked.

"You know it!" the girls had said together. "And what's your name?"

"Draco Malfoy." Draco said.

"Or _DRACONUS!"_ I had joked. That was Draco's full name, apparently, because his mum had used it when she caught him cussing.

"Shut up, _AIDEN!"_ Draco had said, elbowing me.

"Aiden Potter?" Keely squeaked.

"Yeah, yeah I am." I said.

"Oh my god, Keer, it's Aiden Potter!" she squeaked.

"I can see that. Don't go all celebrity-happy on the poor girl, Keel."

"Oh _you're_ the one to talk! You wouldn't shut up for weeks after you found out Jonny Dep was a wizard." Keely pointed out.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Aiden, I'll help you. Draco, do you mind going with the fan girl?" and that's how it basically went. Apparently, magical devices run off magic, not electricity. When I had asked about cell phone plans Keery had laughed.

"_PLANS?_ Oh, you mean like the Muggles. They run off magic, it's limitless." she had said. I had picked out the nicest one, it was the magical version of the Droid I had seen the day before. It was black and silver.

"Some Muggle companies have just started developing secret wizard sectors. I think Motorola is the only cell phone company, though. The Magidroid is awesome, way better then the plain Muggle Droid." Keery had said. The next thing I had looked at were the desktops. I wanted a computer I could keep in my trunk at all times and a computer that I could take with me on the go. Their was a magical computer company, Maximagica, based in Spain.

"Oh, they make the very best computers!" Keery had piped. I had chosen the best quality Maximagica desktop, called the Maximagica Ultramagica, with a 21 inch flat screen, the nicest keyboard, and a very responsive mouse.

"Like the Magidroid, all the computers run both Muggle and magical programs. The operating system all our computers run on right now is Microsoft Wandlight Sol." Keery had explained. Next, I chose a Maximagica laptop called The Whiz which had a 17.3 inch screen. It was quite thin because, well, no battery was necessary. It did, however, have all the Muggle ports standard to laptops as did the Ultramagica. I couldn't wait to use it, good thing their was an old computer in the orphanage's lounge that I had been using since I was old enough to read. On one table their were magical printers.

"You just point your wand at the printer and whatever computers and say connect. The nicest one, the HP Masterprint, does regular parchment rolls, Muggle pages, and photo prints." Keery explained. I picked that one up in black and silver just like my laptop, desktop, and phone. I then went over to the TV's. I chose a sixty inch big screen to go in my trunk and a small thirty-inch TV to go in my room at Hogwarts or down in the common room or wherever.

"This picks up all channels, wizard and Muggle alike, all around the world. Their's only one wizard TV channel in England so far but the American ones are really cool." Keery said. "Of course I'm bias though because that's my country." she laughed. Their was a DVD/VCR player in silver as well and I bought one of them. I picked up all the wizard-made DVD's that they had as well. Even, to my chagrin, their was an American-made documentary about me.

"Now how did they get all this stuff about me being in the orphanage?" I had asked.

"No clue." Keery said. In one corner of the shop their were stereos and I chose a tabletop one, that's what I'd put on my nightstand. It was silver, had a six CD changer, a double tape deck, and picked up all the radio stations in England including the National British Wizard Wireless Network stations. I decided then to get two, one for my room and one for my trunk. Their was nothing odd about a preteen girl owning a stereo.

"Well at least they've made some progress since electricity was invented." Keery had sniffed. Lastly, I just about flipped when I saw that their was a magical version of the WII, called the WizWii which I picked up immediately. Their was the classic controls but also you could use your wand for play. I, tech nut that I am, grabbed up all the games for it and all the games I saw for the computer. Their was even a magical DSI, the MagiDsi. I snatched it and it's games too. Draco, I could tell, just stuck with the laptop, the printer, the cell phone, and the big TV. He didn't seem to know anything about anything when it came to technology. Keely and Keery were nice enough to help move stuff down to our trunks too. The stereo fit beautifully on my large nightstand with plenty of room to spare for another clock or a glass of water or whatever. The big screen went right on that bare wall in front of the couch and the WizWii and video player went right next to it. For the remaining five feet of the north wall, they conjured shelves like my book and potion shelves and made a section for DVD's and a section for games and I did my little "organize" trick. Lastly, my desktop went on my desk and the printer right to the left. Draco's room was arranged the same way and we soon left the shop to go to another one.

That next shop that we went to was a music shop.

"Ooh, a piano!" I had said upon entrance. It was a beautiful white piano with ivory and ebony keys along with the standard three petals. The shopkeeper, a man named Jay, had explained that that was no ordinary Muggle piano but a full synthesizer with many different sounds that actually were genuine, "Not that fake-sounding Muggle rubbish." he had said. It could even record what you came up with and spit it out on a record, tape, reel-to-reel, or CD.

"This piano's like a recording studio without the studio!" Jay had said to me. Also, it was the reason the shop was in Nocktern Alley. Apparently, the more you had it on a certain musical setting the more you could play the real instrument. I purchased that and Draco had bought a blue and silver electric guitar that did the same thing as far as sound. I felt compelled to buy a violin made of cherry wood and a little silver flute. I also bought the books on how to play my instruments. Draco bought not only the guitar and amp but a base and a drum set. jay and his assistant, Tish helped us move everything down to our trunks.

"You know." Lily had complained. "I'm about to demand you to pay me for all the stuff I'm lugging. Your trunk, your electronics, everything." I had laughed and shook my head. In the end, the piano had gone on the same wall as my desk about a foot and a half away and the violin had gone right next to it. My flute went on the coffee table, in it's case, of course, and the books on the middle section of the bookshelf. The next shop we went too was an apothecary specializing in more questionable ingredients, basilisk skin, unicorn blood, grindilow scale, that sort of thing. In the end we had bought the "amateurs" kit and put them in our trunks to unload later. Also, we bought four cauldrons that can change from iron pewter to copper to silver to gold to platinum with a tap of the wand. We bought some unbreakable scales and a box each of unbreakable crystal files and then were out the door. Next their was the coolest, and I mean _COOLEST_ Quiddich shop. I had read Quiddich Through the Ages yesterday and absolutely loved Quiddich now. Their brooms were also really nice but not very well heard of, mostly rare brooms.

"I've been hoping you'd come here, Aiden Potter. Your father used to make brooms for us in our spare time." said an older man. "My name is Rosco and I've been running this shop for more than thirty years. come with me and I will show you what your father left for you." he led Draco and I to the back of the shop where a lone broom sat in a special display.

"I've had people asking after this baby for years, mind, but I haven't sold it. If you hadn't come I would have sent it to you for Christmas. This is the last broom your father ever made, the Wildfire in honor of your mother and of you. He gave it to me before he died knowing that I'd give it to you. I know by tests that it's a hell of a lot better than those _nimbus_ _2000s._ Way faster, 0 to 150 in less than a minute, turns at the slightest thought of it, truly amazing." I looked at the broom closer. It was made of a beautiful cherry wood, the branches at the end were perfectly symmetrical. Some of them were even covered in a thin layer of shining yellow gold. Near the middle, the branches were tipped at the very end in gold to make the shape of a flower. Written in gold on one side was the word, Wildfire. Also, right below that, their were the words, To my little wildfires that I will love forever. I couldn't help it, tears sprang to my eyes.

"Here, take it." he said, taking it out of it's case and giving it to me.

"But first-years aren't allowed brooms." I protested.

"Nor are they allowed dark objects but I won't say anything. Don't think I didn't see you and Mr. Malfoy traipsing into Borgin and Burk's. Don't worry, I don't care. Dark isn't evil."

"Thanks." I said again, clinging to my new broom. I called Lily with my trunk and put it in.

"I have one more thing for you." Rosco said, pulling out a small black velvet box. "This was your father's lucky snitch." and with that, he released it. It only took me a second to see it and then the fluttering gold ball with silver wings was in my arms and back in the case.

"Only he could catch that thing. Under one of the wings he carved his initials and under the other he carved your mother's." Rosco said.

"Thank you so much. How much will that be?" I asked, putting the box in my purse.

"Free, you silly girl." he said.

"But sir, you've held these for so long." I protested.

"Just buy something else and we'll be even, okay?" he asked. I nodded and saw a set of Quiddich balls. In their was another snitch but this one was bronze with silver wings.

"The bronze snitch, very rare indeed." Rosco said. "That entire set is Ravenclaw themed. They don't make those anymore." In deed it had Ravenclaw colors, the quaffle was a baby blue and the bludgers were dark blue. Even the bats had a bronze tinge to them. The case itself was royal blue with a bronze clasp. I smiled, paid for the set, and put it in my trunk in the fourth compartment which would surely be for Quiddich. Draco bought a broom made out of a Womping Willow called the Aurora Borealis and a set of Slytherin-themed Quiddich things with dark green bludgers, emerald green quaffle, and a silver snitch with golden wings. After that, we were out of the shop. The next shop we went too was Celesta's Arts and Crafts. Draco stood outside refusing to go into a "girly shop" with me. Celesta Lovegood was a very nice, if somewhat eccentric, person but she was eccentric in a good way as was her daughter, Luna. Both had pink, dreamy auras, Celesta's sparked red with power and love for her family, however, and Luna sparked yellow with joy and mischief. I got cloth in many of the different colors and fabrics to sew and yarn and thread and other things for knitting and crocheting. When I was looking for stuff to make jewelry, particularly earrings, Luna came up.

"You should get the radishes. They help keep the rackspurts out of your brain. Also, may I recommend the bag of butterbeer corks? When strung onto a necklace they help keep away the nargles." she said airily.

"can you tell me more about rackspurts and nargles?" I asked her.

"You can read all about them in my dad's publication, The Quibbler. We're also trying to hunt down a Crumple-Horned Snorcack." she told me.

"Really? I can't wait. I have a fire-phoenix, Lily, and she can come to pick up The Quibbler at 7:00 every morning or whenever it's published, is that okay? She's got to pick up that gossip rag they call The Profit anyway." I said. It was true, Draco and I had come across a Daily Profit stand earlier. Though I subscribed to the rag, I detested it. Their might be a good bit of news, perhaps, once a year.

"Of course. I have an icefire phoenix, it depends on her mood, really. Her name is Yinyang, like yin and yang, you know. When she's fire she's yin and when she's ice she's yang. When I don't quite know what she is or when I'm calling to her I call her Yinyang."

"You're a beastspeaker?" I asked.

"Oh yes. I'm a lot of other things too. I'm a multimagus but when I try and turn into a crumple-horned Snorcack it doesn't work out so well because neither Dad or I have ever seen one." Luna said with a shrug. In low voices we talked about our powers, Luna was the second person I had met with the same powers as me. I even got Draco to come into the shop. Needless to say, Luna joined our little group of friends and we were glad that she was already eleven, her birthday being April 22, and she would be coming to Hogwarts.

"This is nice. I've never had friends before, not really. The Weasleys are rather nice, the twins are very funny, pranksters who'll be in third year, but their older brother, Percy, is a fifth-year and quite rude and pompous. Ron is our age and he's very rude and insensitive, he's been calling me Loony ever since we met. Ginny is very nice too, she's a year younger then us, and the only girl with six big brothers. The two oldest, Bill and Charlie, are very nice too, so are Mr. and Mrs. Weasley." Luna said.

"Well we're your friends, Luna." I said.

"Yeah." Draco agreed.

"so Luna, do a certain pair of Weasley twins live near you? I would very much like to send them a letter to see if they might be able to help us with a first-year start-of-term prank." I said mischievously.

"Oh no, _pranks."_ Draco groaned dramatically as Luna giggled.

"Of course. I'm already helping them, I'm sure you could join in on the fun, perhaps your phoenix could bring you their sometime." Luna said.

"Yeah." I agreed. "And Draco has an ice phoenix so he's got no excuse. Oh c'mon, Dra, all pranksters need a voice of reason."

"Fine." Draco said as Mrs. Lovegood bagged everything up for me, shrank it down, and gave it to me. I called Lily to bring me my trunk and Mrs. Lovegood helped me bring everything down and set it on my work table which could easily be used for other things. She also conjured a chair for each side of the table matching my other decor.

"Ravenclaw colors?" she asked.

"my favorite, even before I read about Ravenclaw." I said as we went up the ladder and Lily flashed the trunk away.

"I agree." Luna said serenely. "Their's nothing like blue."

"Aye, their isn't." Mrs. Lovegood said wistfully. "My old house, Xenophillius's too. Do you think we might see you around Devon this summer Draco? Aiden?"

"Totally." we said. After a few more minutes our goodbyes were said and we were out of the shop. We went to another shop in Nocktern that specialized in magical appliances and rooms disguised as other things. Both of us wound up buying a huge fridge only the size of a regular fridge on the outside that we could walk into and put things in. The door to the left led to the walk-in freezer, the door to the right led to the walk-in fridge. Inside they had a permanent stasis charm so that food would last as long as you needed it to. Draco's was silver with black handles and mine was bronze with black handles. Also, while in the shop, we each bought cabinets as tall as the fridge that held food that, like the fridge, would stay under a permanent stasis charm. They were expanded to be large kitchens inside. Draco's, like everything else in his room, was cherry while mine was white stained oak with the lily knobs, lilies, and roses. We both put our cabinets right by our potions shelves. Instead of using the fridges that they came with which were normal, we each put our expanded fridges in there. This would do until we could get real kitchens built into our trunks. Draco's kitchen had cherry floors and cabinets with white marble countertops. His oven and dishwasher were stainless steel but painted silver as was his two-basin sink, the stove was a flattop and digital and the oven door had a window to look inside. In the very center was a small cherry table with matching chairs with emerald green cushions. On the counters were a high-end silver espresso maker, a silver microwave with all the bells and whistles, a silver toaster, waffle iron, a mixer, and a Kitchen Aid blender. The drawers were filled with all the utensils imaginable. My kitchen was much the same save for the fact that my cabinets and table set were white with lily knobs and lily and rose carvings, my cushions were baby blue, and everything was bronze, not silver. The next thing we each got was an old-fashioned dressing room stall, on the outside, that is. Draco's was cherry, of course, and mine was white stained oak with the lily knobs on the swinging doors and the lilies and roses carved into it. Both of ours are just about the same except for the sink, toilet, and shower fixtures are silver in Draco's but gold in mine; I thought gold would be better for such a huge bathroom. Let me elaborate a little bit, or maybe a lot. The floor is a smooth marble with white as it's base color but an entire miriad of colors swirling through it. The same marble creeps halfway up the wall all around the room where it then meets smooth white plaster that goes all the way up to the high log ceiling. The counters and sinks are made of the same marble and even the toilets have the same design. I wondered about that to the storekeeper before he told me that both the bathroom, kitchen, and fridge are self-cleaning with a price of twenty extra galleons apiece. Anyway, the shower is big enough to fit that American family, the Duggers, in easily with their ever-multiplying family, (no offense intended, just a fact.) It also can spray you from all sides. The grand daddy of them all, however, was a bathtub just as big as a swimming pool and just as deep. All around it were at least a score of different-colored taps that would come out with different things, no need for bubble-bath. You could use it as a swimming pool too, apparently. Three steps led into the shallows and a diving board was ready to come out as soon as the first tap was turned. Needless to say, this would be fun. aWe put the "dressing room" by the "cabinet" and moved on. The next thing we saw was a wardrobe that could become a very large walk-in closet, a bit bigger then my bedroom at home and I told him so.

"Your bedroom is _this_ small?" Draco asked.

"No, it's probably half the size of it at most. It can barely fit my bed, nightstand, wardrobe, desk, and trunk in it." I said. Draco made his with cherry paneling, ceiling, rods, and floor but mine became much lighter. The twenty built-in drawers in the back were, of course, white stained oak with the lily and rose carvings and the lily knobs. I did, however, have to forgo the flowers on the white oak hanging rods. The carpet became royal blue, the walls and ceiling white-washed with a Muggle light ran by magic, my shoe shelves the same white-stained oak with the lilies and roses edging them. I'd have to do some major shopping tomorrow or Saturday, maybe both. This wardrobe we each put next to the bathrooms. Lastly, We left to go into diagon alley to get some food for our trunks. The first place we went too was Honeyduke's Sweets where we practically bought out all the fudge, tarts, chocolate frogs, ice cream, and basically everything else in the store. The owner, Hannah Honeyduke, a woman with a kind smile and kindness you see in grandmas, at least from what I've read about Grandmas since both mine are dead, was quite thrilled. When she saw who I was, she threw in a five-gallon tub of Honeyduke's Best Flavor-Changing Ice Cream. She even helped us unload our stuff into our trunks. She didn't seem to mind at all that we had gotten so much stuff from Nocktern or that Draco was the son of a so-called dark family. Dark but not evil, I told myself, for his parents were the perfect representation of kindness and goodness even if they were dark. We next went into Magical Meals, a grocer's with pre-made meals along with ordinary cooking ingredients. We practically bought them out as well and the store owner, Jason Green, was happy to help us unload. The next shop, and the last in the alley, we went too was on the corner of the alleys, a portrait shop.

"Hello and welcome." a woman behind the counter greeted us. "How can I help you?"

"How do portraits work in the magical world?" I asked. "Do they all talk? Can you make a portrait of someone after they have died?"

"Yes you can. You have to have an essence of them though, jewelry, a toy they had as children, that sort of thing." she said. "My name's Amata, by the way. Kind of a lame name, I think, it means milk in the language Kinyarwanda, something they speak in Africa. Please just call me Maty."

"Okay, Maty. I have a locket with their pictures, a stuffed stag, a broom my dad made, his lucky snitch, and my own hair. I want the portrait to be of both of them." I said. I handed over the locket, the snitch, the broom, grabbed out a handful of my hair which grew back instantly, and had Lily go get Prongs. Maty bustled into the back room and returned a minute later.

"You're Aiden Potter?" she gasped, awed. "Your portrait will be ready in a week. What scenery do you want as the background? How old do you want them to be?"

"I don't know, perhaps the Hogwarts grounds? As far as their age, how about twenty-one, that's how young they were when they died." I said.

"No problem. What about the frame?"

"Cherry." I said as I put the snitch and broom away, put on my locket, and as Lily took Prongs back home. I paid her the fifty galleon fee and walked out of the shop, Draco behind me.

"Are you okay, Ay?" he asked.

"I'm okay. It was just hard is all. Dang, it's already 6:00 and I said I'd be back by then."

"Me too. I'm going to call home, good thing we have a Muggle phone." Draco said.

"Me too, I'm glad we got these." I said.

Chapter Six: Clothes, Pizza, Ice Cream, and Crazy Pictures

We went a few feet from each other and took our phones out. Draco's was clipped to his robe but mine was in my purse, nice and safe in it's blue dragon hide case. I called the number to Aunt Leila's office and she answered after a few rings.

"Hello, Stonewall Orphanage, my name is Leila, how can I help you?" wow, it was funny to here her sound so professional.

"Aunt Leila! It's me, Aiden." I said.

"Aiden? Where are you? You were supposed to be back five minutes ago. Is everything all right? Are you using a payphone?"

"No, I got a cell phone so I can talk to you, it works on magic and everything. I was wondering if I could stay out a bit longer, the shops close at nine, is that okay?"

"Aiden, you're only eleven, I don't know about this." she said.

"Don't worry. If I'm in a pinch then Lily will flash me home no problem." I assured her.

"Somehow I'm not reassured." she said with a sigh. "All right, but you better be home by nine, ten at the latest do you here me young lady?" she asked sharply.

"Yes, Aunt Leila." I said.

"Good, now you have fun and tell me all about your day when you get home." she said.

"I promise." I said and then hung up. Draco was just getting off the phone so I walked over to him.

"Hey, what'd they say?" I asked.

"You'd better get home by ten at the latest, young man, or you'll be in a whole world of trouble." Draco mocked in his father's voice.

"Basically the same thing for me." I said. "So how 'bout we get some dinner? I'm hungry for some pizza. First, though, we should have our animals brought home." I dug out a piece of paper from my bag and scrawled a note on it.

Aunt Leila,

Please watch over them until I get home.

See you soon, Aiden

"Lily!" I called. she flashed to me in a twist of bright flames.

"Yes? you don't want your trunk again do you?" she asked.

"No, no, but could you flash Jamie and Sadie home and tell Isaac to flash Blue and Harley home?"

"No problem." Lily said. Then, in another ball of fire, she was gone.

"All right!" Draco said as we walked down the isle. "So what's pizza?"

"Gasp! You've never had _PIZZA?"_ I asked.

"We don't really go out to Muggle restaurants much and when we do they're the real uppity up ones." Draco explained.

"My friend, you are in for a treat." I said. With a smirk, I grabbed his arm and dragged him down the cobbled street, through the barrier, and into the Leaky Cauldron.

"You kids want somethin' to eat?" Tom asked from behind the counter.

"No thanks, Tom. I'm going to take Draco here out for some Muggle fun!" I said with a smirk.

"All right then." Tom said, waving at us as we left.

"Muggle London, are you _NUTS?_ I've heard there's thieves and pickpockets and-and-and _cereal_ killers!" Draco stammered.

"Don't tell me that you, Draconus Lucius Malfoy, pureblood heir to a noble pureblood house, are afraid of a little Muggle!" I laughed.

"No-no, it's just that we live in a small town and all and I haven't been in the big cities much." Draco said.

"Well the first thing we're doing is taking a cab." I said, smirking. I stepped forward and hailed a cab.

"I'm not _not_ _NOT_ riding in that contraption." Draco stammered.

"Oh yes you are!" I said, opening the door and shoving him in.

"Hey!" he said indignantly as I got in and shut the door.

"Where too, kids?" asked the cab driver, a middle-aged woman.

"Pizza Hut on sycamore Street, I go their a lot, they know me." I said.

"It had better be close." Draco said through clenched teeth. "I don't want to be in this monstrosity for any longer then necessary."

"He's never been in a car before or to a big city." I explained. "By the way, Draco, say cheese!" I then took out my phone and snapped a wizard picture of the horrified-looking Draco.

"Oh, I understand. He must be a country bumpkin." the driver said with a laugh. "Must be for the clothes he's wearing." I smacked my head, how could I have forgotten that Draco was wearing wizard clothes?

"I am _not_ wearing weird clothes, you are. Oh yeah, and I am _not_ a country bumpkin, you're just a—com" but I knew what he was about to say, "You're just a Muggle." I elbowed him in the side and began to talk.

"City slicker? Yeah, yeah we both are, Draco. And our clothes are a bit funny because we just finished rehearsing for a play about the witch hunts, Draco's the one that gets hanged for not shutting his mouth!"

"Well you get yourself hanged because you're an obnoxious blabbermouth." Draco said.

"Arrogant toerag."

"Obnoxious blabbermouth"."

"Arrogant—com"

"We're here, kids, five pounds." the driver said.

"Actually, I weigh—com" but I cut him off.

"Here you go." I said, holding out the money. Draco looked a bit chagrinned but I pulled him out of the car so he couldn't dig himself any deeper.

"_WITCH_ _HUNTS?"_ Draco asked as she drove away.

"_I_ _WEIGH?"_ I shot back.

"You acted like an idiot!" we said together. "Whatever."

"C'mon, we need to get you some proper clothes first, let's step into that Eddy Bower their."

"My clothes _are_ proper!" Draco whined.

"Sure sure, for Merlin's time, that is." I said, rolling my eyes. Before he could say anything more, I dragged him into the store.

"Hello, I'm just looking for a simple outfit for my friend, he came from a circus." I said, Draco scowled at me. The clerk looked a bit baffled as to why a circus boy was in London with a perfectly normal-looking girl but he smiled.

"Not a problem." Soon enough, Draco was fitted in an emerald green T-shirt, black shorts, and black converse with green laces. I also got a more normal looking outfit, a baby blue tank top with a little angel on it and a faded denim skirt that went to my knees, my flippers stayed the same.

"I look ridiculous!" Draco whined as we exited the shop a half an hour later.

"Say cheese!" I said, taking out my phone again and snapping a wizard picture of the scowling Draco.

"Will you stop doing that?" he demanded.

"No way, I'm gonna print them and give them to your parents." I smirked. He scowled but allowed me to lead him into the pizza place.

"Welcome to Pizza Hut, how many?" asked a teenaged boy from behind the counter.

"Just us, Tim." I said.

oh-ho! A date, is it? Ay Ay Ay, I knew you were a flirt but not _that_ much." he joked. "And isn't it past town curfew for you at the orphanage?"

"Aunt Leila gave me permission. Draco here has never had the piece of heaven that is pizza." I explained.

"_GASP!_ Let me get you a booth right away!" he said. He led us through the restaurant and finally to a booth. Draco and I sat down across from each other and he passed us each a menu.

"Your server will be here in a minute to take your order, I've got to go up to the front." he said and then walked away.

"Hmm, what should we get." I said, twirling a strand of my hair around in thought. "How about half pepperoni, half cheese? Yeah, that's classic."

"They serve Sprite here? I thought this was a Muggle restaurant, how do they get a hold of fairies?" Draco asked. I couldn't help it, I burst into laughter.

"A sprite isn't a fairy, dummy, it's a soda." I giggled.

"Soda? What's that?" he asked.

"Only one of the best types of drinks, it's all fizzy and cool and, well, it's good. You can have a sprite, that's a good starter one, I'll have a root beer and we'll share a small half pepperoni half cheese pizza." I said. After a few minutes a peppy blonde waitress with her hair in a foofy ponytail and her blue eyes smiling along with the rest of her face came over to our table.

"Sorry for the wait, guys. I'm Gail, what would you like to eat?" she asked.

"Hey Gail, how are you? My underprivileged little friend here will have a sprite, I'll have a root beer, and we'll share a small half pepperoni, half cheese pizza." I said.

"All right, I'll be back in a few." she said and then walked off.

"Ooh, Draco, pose behind the menu like you're actually reading it, I want a picture." I said.

"What's with you and your bloody pictures?" Draco demanded.

"Tut-tut, Dra-Dra, your mum said you couldn't talk like that now didn't she?" I mocked. Draco stuck his tongue out at me, still holding the menu, and I took the opportunity to snap a picture. Just as I was laughing at his scowling face, my mouth open wide, Draco whipped out his cell phone and took a candid camera shot of me. And so their we were, taking turns making silly faces for each other's phones. All of them, of course, were wizard shots. Just as I was taking one of Draco sticking his tongue out at me, Gail came back and gave us our pizza, plates, and drinks before bustling off again. I took a sip of root beer and sighed happily.

"C'mon, Dra, try your fairy." I joked.

"Shut up, Ay." Draco said, taking a sip of soda through the straw just as I snapped another picture.

"You like?" I asked, helping myself to a piece of pepperoni pizza.

"I like." Draco confirmed, taking a big gulp and then grabbing a piece of pepperoni pizza for himself. Just as he took his first bite of pizza ever, I snapped yet another picture. Jeez, I was really camera-happy wasn't I?

"Will you stop with the pictures already?" he demanded.

"Maaaybe!" I said innocently, smirking and taking a huge bite of pizza, grabbing a second slice. "So do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's really good." Draco said, smiling and eating his pizza in what he probably thought was a dignified, proper way.

"Draco, their's so much you don't know. Tomorrow, I want to take you out on the town. I'll show you the cinema, we can go bowling, ice-scating, go to a McDonalds, that sort of thing." I said.

"Only if I don't have to ride any more Muggle contraptions." he said.

"Sorry, that's all in the experience. Come on, Dra, do it for me?" I begged as I started on my third piece of pizza.

"Well, okay. I swear, though, that if we crash and I die I'll haunt you forever." Draco said, starting on his second slice as I finished my root beer and began to eat my fourth piece of pizza.

"Merlin, Ay, how much can you eat?" Draco asked incredulously.

"A lot but I'm full now and it's a good thing since the pizza's gone." I said.

"Yeah, I'm full too." Draco admitted. Gail came bustling back over, bill in hand. I reached into my purse and pulled out a twenty, plenty enough for her to have a good tip.

"Keep the change." I said, smiling.

"Wow, Aiden, you must be helping a lot of people to get all this cash. Did I see you push a Droid out of the way in their?" Gail asked.

"It's not money from helping people. It's my parents' money." I said in a low voice.

"Your parents? But I thought they were dead." Gail said.

"They are. I have a trust fund, Aunt Leila didn't know about it since I was pretty much dumped their by my aunt Petunia when my parents were killed. I'll be going to a boarding school in Scotland, it's where my parents went. My mum was a doctor before she died and my dad was a commander of a police force." I said.

"How old were they again?" she asked. "No offense, I was just wondering."

"Mum had me when she and Dad were twenty, they were murdered when they were twenty-one." I said.

"Oh my god, it was murder? I thought they died in a car crash." Gail gasped.

"No. A madman tried to blow up our house because he didn't agree with my parents' political views. Imagine watching the telly and _pow,_ you're dead the next second."

"Oh my, where were you?" she asked.

"In my crib upstairs, asleep for the night. The only thing I got from the explosion was this scar." I lifted my bangs. "Well enough of me lamenting my life, I'm going to take Draco here for ice cream, he'll be going to the same school as me and his parents knew mine." I said as I stood up.

"Well I'll see you later!" she said, waving us out of the restaurant.

"Ice cream now? I've had ice cream." Draco said.

"Not Muggle ice cream. C'mon, their's a Baskin Robins right next door!" I said, pulling him in.

"Aiden?" came the voice of an older girl, Sarah, who lived at the orphanage. "What are you doing here so late?"

"Aunt Leila said I could stay out until nine, maybe ten. I'm showing my friend around London; he's mainly just been in the country until now." I explained.

"Oh, okay. So what's this mystery friend's name?" she asked.

"Draco Malfoy." he said quietly.

"Sorry, he's a bit shy." I said.

"Hey, I am not." Draco said indignantly.

"Well he's shy around new people anyway." I said.

"Well I wasn't shy around you!" Draco said

"Well I'm just special like that then." I joked.

"Oh, who's arrogant now?" Draco asked.

"You are, Toerag. Come on, let's get some ice cream. What do you recommend, Sarah?" I asked.

"We've got bubble-gum ice cream out now, I know that's one of your favorites." she said.

"Deal. I'll have a large one of those and Draco will have a mint chocolate chip."

"Who says I'll have that?" he asked.

"I did, now be quiet." I said. Draco humphed but wisely kept his trap shut. A few minutes later, our cones were ready, stacked high with ice cream. I took mine but whipped out my camera as Draco took his first lick.

"Stop that!" he snapped as I laughed. I just put the phone away and smirked at him as I took a big lick of my candy.

"Nice phone, you been saving up for it?" Sarah asked.

"No. I got accepted to my parents' old boarding school a few days ago and I have a trust fund. I get the rest when I'm seventeen. Needless to say, um, well, I can basically live like a queen for several lifetimes." I said uncomfortably. Sarah is probably my very favorite person at the orphanage as far as orphans go. She's thirteen, her mum and dad were killed when she was three.

"Oh wow!" Sarah breathed, awed.

"Yeah. Have you heard about the mysterious benefactor to the orphanage yet?" I asked.

"They had a meeting about it with all of us this afternoon. Marty Hughes tried to raise a stink about you not being there but Aunt Leila took away his telly time." Sarah said as I neared the cone of my ice cream, licking happily.

"What all did Aunt Leila say?" I asked.

"that a manor house in the country was donated for us to move in and that they wired the orphanage ten million pounds." Sarah said. "Why?"

"That benefactor, Sarah, was me." I said. I had to hold back laughter at the look on her face as she almost choked on the Red Bull she was drinking.

"You? That benefactor was you?" she choked out.

"Yuppers!" I grinned as I munched the last of the cone.

"And I'm a wi—com" but Draco nudged me.

"You stupid girl, you can't tell her that. Their's the International Statute of Secrecy to uphold!" he hissed in my ear.

"She wouldn't be a Muggle if I gave her some of my magic would she?" I whispered.

"You wouldn't!" Draco hissed.

"Oh I would. In fact, I plan on putting some of my magic in the crystal for a week to see what happens." I whispered.

"You know I can still here you, right?" Sarah asked.

"Oops." I said.

"Now you've done it, you big dummy!" Draco snapped as he too finished his ice cream.

"What's going on, guys?" Sarah asked. I sighed and told her the entire story from start to finish of my parents, the things they did, my abilities, my veelaness, everything.

"Oh my god!" she gasped. "That's amazing."

"It is but it kind of sucks being famous where everyone knows your story. That's why I love the non-magic world so much. Draco, it's 8:30, we'd better get home. I'm going to take a cab but you can take your phoenix. Have him flash you to Stonewall at 8:00 tomorrow. Also _WEAR_ _THIS_ _OUTFIT,_ I don't want to see you in wizard robes at _ALL_ tomorrow. Phoenixes, according to what I've read, can find anyone anywhere." I said. Draco nodded and called for Isaac.

"Oh wow." Sarah gasped as Isaac appeared in a splash of icy water, Draco grabbed his tail feathers, and they splashed out of the shop.

"The truth is I've done a lot of weird things too." Sarah said as she started to close up shop.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. I have a picture of my mum and dad that moves. Nobody else can see it, though, it just looks normal. Wait up a sec and I can come home with you. Then I can show you the picture."

"Wizard pictures move but Muggles, non-magic people, can't see them move unless the pictures want them to see them move." I explained as we walked out of the parlor and she locked it up.

"Really?" she asked as she hailed a cab and we got in.

"Yeah. Stonewall Orphanage, please." I said to the driver. He nodded and drove down the road. After a few minutes we pulled up in front of the building and got out. Through the iron gate, across the courtyard, up the steps, and through the door we went.

"We're back!" Sara and I both said as we entered Aunt Leila's office.

"Hello girls. I assume you took your friend for ice cream?" Miss Leila asked.

"Yeah. And I told Sarah everything about magic and stuff and think she might be a witch too though how she could have gotten skipped on the registry is a mystery to me. Sarah, can you wait outside for a mo?"

"No problem, come to my room, room 37 on the fifth floor." Sarah said as she left.

"I've got something for you." I said, pulling out the dark blue velvet box with the amethyst set in it. I flipped it open and gave it to her.

"Oh my god these are _lovely!"_ she exclaimed. "But you didn't need to do that."

"Oh yes I did. They can protect you from most all spells, maybe even the killing, torture, and mind control curses." I said.

"Avada kedavra." she muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" I asked curiously.

"What, dear? Sorry, I sort of zoned out. Thank you so much." she said, putting on the earrings, necklace, ring, and bracelet.

"You're welcome. You shouldn't ever take it off but you're the only one who can." I said. "Lily, please flash Sadie and Jamie up to my room." I told my phoenix who was perched on the arm of my chair. She trilled affirmatively, grabbed gently onto them, and flashed away.

"Well goodnight. I plan on spending the night in my trunk so don't worry if you don't see me. If Sarah's a witch then we might have a sleep-over, I think." I said as I opened the door.

"All right, goodnight, dear." she said as I closed it. I rushed across the hall and up the stairs, four flights of them. I knocked on her door and Sarah let me in immediately. I immediately noticed that hanging on her wall above the desk was a picture of a smiling woman with chestnut hair and dark blue eyes. Next to her was a man with blonde hair and green eyes. Sarah got her looks from her mum, I could tell, but the curl in her brown hair as well as her green eyes came from her dad. Her mum waved at us and smiled.

"My mum, Marlene McKinnon, and my dad, her husband, Matthew." she said, I gasped. "What? What is it?"

"Marlene and Matthew McKinnon," I quoted from The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts. "were tortured and killed on Christmas Eve, 1980. They had a small child, Sarah Lynn McKinnon, who was able to get away from the crossfire and avoid getting murdered herself. It is unknown what has happened to this child but it is speculated that she is a squib, thus the reason for her not attending Hogwarts. Either that or she attends another magical school. Those imprisoned for the murder of the elder McKinnons are Death Eaters Bellatrix Lestrange, Her husband Rudolphus, his twin brother Rabastian, and a few other unimportant Death Eaters. Sarah...that's you." I said, awed.

"Oh my _GOD!"_ she said, horrified. "I don't even remember anything before I was three...how could that have happened?"

"Sarah, can I please enter your mind?" I asked. She nodded and I dove in. Her brain was organized like a comfortable sitting room However, their was something off about it. I saw it, memories in the shapes of nicknacks trying to get out of a barrier that Sarah had clearly not created. I pulled at the barrier and it fell away. All the memories, in the form of baby things, took their place on a shelf. I smiled and exited.

"Ow, my head hurts...ouch." Sarah groaned.

"I'm so sorry, it was the first time I've ever done that, it was instinct." I said. Surprisingly, Sarah gripped me in a tight hug.

"I remember everything. My first display of magic was when I was two and I wanted a cookie that was on the counter, I made it float to me." Sarah said.

"Oh my god, that's great!" I squealed. "Since you're a witch why don't I show you everything in my room?" I asked.

Chapter Seven: Sleep-Over

Sarah nodded and we went out and down the two flights of stairs, then into my room. My trunk lay closed but, much to my amazement, my small TV was on the edge of my desk facing my bed and my laptop was on the desk in front of the chair, ready to use.

"Wow, those are really nice." she breathed.

"Wizard technology, my friend, and you haven't seen anything yet." I said as I pressed the fourth thumb button with a Quiddich hoop painted in blue on it. The trunk sprang open and their lay my broom, Ravenclaw Quiddich set, and lucky snitch.

"That broom was the last one my dad ever made. It was a hobby, you see." I said. "And this was his lucky snitch." I opened the black velvet case so the little ball could whirl around the room.

"Wow that's fast." Sarah said, trying to catch it.

"Apparently only he could ever catch it, now I can too." I said, grabbing it out of the air and putting it back in it's case. I then tapped the last button, one with a room painted on it. The trunk automatically switched to the view with the ladder. I pointed at the trunk and at Sarah saying, "Allow." The trunk shimmered. I started down the latter, Sarah right behind me. Then, with a wave of my hand, the trunk lid was shut. The entire room was lit by the starry sky and the crescent moon outside. Sarah's eyes bulged.

"Wow, all in your trunk!" she exclaimed. "Neat piano."

"It's not just an ordinary piano, it works like a keyboard but much better. It can record you and spit the stuff out on reel-to-reel, tape, record, or CD. The shopkeeper said all you have to do is sit and say what you want. I haven't read the manual yet but that's about it." I said, sitting on the comfortable bench with the royal blue cushion. "For example, farts." I pressed the C key and what came out was a big, nasty-sounding fart. I then proceeded to play "Mary Had A Little Lamb, although it was more like Tooty Had A Farty Lamb.

"God, Ay, do you have to be that crude?" Sarah asked.

"Sure I do. Let's see, I'm going to try and compose a song. Normal, record." I had been playing piano since I was five so it came natural to me. I started out with a slow beat but picked up the pace immediately. The words just came tumbling out of my mouth.

"Have you ever felt like you're really out of place?

Have you ever been singled out 'cause you stared death in the face?

Have you ever thought God just loves screwing with your fate?

I have!

(Sarah joined in)

We have!

(Sarah sings)

Have you ever felt that something was wrong?

Like standing in a snowstorm wearing a thong?

Like that something will forever be gone?

I have!

(Both of us sing)

We have!

You never know what life is going to do!

One minute you're all happy and the next you're all blue!

But there's one little thing you should always do!

To yourself be true, to yourself be true!

We are! We are!

(I sing)

Have you ever felt the whole world's gone upside-down?

Like the blue sky turning purple with bright yellow clouds?

You wanna scream and flail about but somehow you're just not allowed?

I have!

(Both of us)

We have!

(Sarah Sings)

Have you ever thought your sad, sad life just couldn't be worse?

Like you're shoulders are weighed down with some sort of unyielding curse?

Like the only thing after this life is a long ride in a hearse?

I have!

(Both of us)

We have!

You never know what life is gonna throw your way!

Sometimes life sucks and then it's okay!

Their's something you should always be until the end of your days!

To yourself be true, to yourself be true!

We are! We are!

Sometimes I wake up at night and stare up at the moo-oon!

Life is full of twists and turns but then what can we do-oo?

Every single day we have is filled with something knew-oo!

So we must stay strong, struggle along, and to ourselves be true-oo!

You never know what life is going to do!

One minute you're all happy and the next you're all blue!

Their's one little thing you should always do!

To yourself be true, to yourself be true!

We are!

You never know what life is gonna throw your way!

Sometimes your life sucks and then it's okay!

Their's something you should always be until the end of your days!

To yourself be true, to yourself be true!

We are!

We aaare, yeah!"

With that, I stopped playing and thought "record off."

"That was fun." Sarah said as a CD flew out of a slot in the piano and into my chest.

"Yeah, yeah it was." I agreed. "How 'bout we set up the computer? Maybe you have a vault in Gringotts and can get one." I said, standing up.

"Yeah, maybe I do." Sarah said as she pushed the bench near the desk and I sat down. I pressed the on button to the Ultramagica and it blinked on without a sound. The word Maximagica showed up on the screen in silver before blinking to a sign with two lit wands crossed over words reading Microsoft Wandlight Sol. It flipped to a log-in screen and I made my user name Aiden and my password Lord Voldemort. When I logged in, I was happy to see a picture of the Hogwarts grounds as the desktop. I went into the start menu and clicked on the Wizardnet. The cite that came up was a magical version of AOL, AOL Wiz. As I was scrolling through the news stories I came upon one that totally irked me, Aiden Potter Goes to Hogwarts. I clicked on it and the first thing I saw in the top left corner was a picture of me telling off the people in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Erg, why me?" I asked.

"Dunno." Sarah said with a shrug as I began to read the article.

Aiden Potter Back On Wizard Scene

By Rita Skeeter

On the 31st of July, Aiden Potter was seen entering the leaky cauldron.

"She was everything I expected her to be!" said Doris Crockford of the Ministry's Magical Creatures Office.

"She was so wise, wise beyond her years." squeaked Dedilus Diggle, an agent of the Department of Mysteries. This reporter has been able to get exactly what happened in perfect detail. She walked into the pub in mid-morning and introduced herself to Tom, the barkeep. As soon as she said her name, many people wanted to shake hands with the famous girl-who-lived. After awhile, she clearly became frustrated and uncomfortable. We have quoted these very things to be said.

"Excuse me!" she had yelled, everyone fell silent, knowing that the girl-who-lived would give a speech of some sort. This, however, was not to be expected, especially being James Potter's daughter. Perhaps her modesty came from her mother, we do not know. She does, however, have a sharp tongue. "If you want to gawk at something go to the zoo, I _am_ a person, you know. You consider me famous, a heroine, someone to marvel at and bow at and all that. I don't even remember anything except for the light of the killing curse in my eyes. All you can think about is that I defeated your stupid Tommy Ridiculous, Lord Moldywart, Lord Voldemort, _WHATEVER,_ not that I lost my parents at fifteen months, not that I was dumped on my aunt's doorstep only for her to hand me over to, ironically, the same orphanage where Tom Riddle grew up and where I have grown up in his very same room. How would you feel if you were me? I'm eleven, I found out I was a witch, a famous witch, _YESTERDAY._ Please, I ask you and the wizarding community to be more considerate from now on, I am just a girl, not some heroine to fawn over like a bunch of mindless idiots. You surround and pester me like fans pester Muggle actors and actresses, like followers group around their leader; I am neither. I mean you no offense but leave me alone." the entire crowd stayed silent through the speech. What a brave child she was to name her parents' murderer by name and mock him so. She certainly is one to look up to in the future if she does not go down the wrong path.

We have no idea how loved she was growing up in the same orphanage where the most feared man to live in the last thousand years grew up. She appeared happy and well-cared for but, then again, so did Tom Riddle. Some of our reliable sources under disillusionment saw Miss Potter go down Nocktern Alley and into Enchanted Watches and Clocks, Carrie Burk's Beautiful Creatures, and Pandora's Piercings and Tatoos. When she came out of Carrie Burk's, she had a black and red half kneazel that she said was for a friend and a grey and white half kneazel for herself. On her shoulder was a red fire phoenix, perhaps she is salvageable after all. When she came out of Pandora's, she sported a pair of blue flower earrings with white diamonds in the middle. Not long after that, her phoenix flashed her home.

Also, earlier today, in fact, she was seen going with Draco Malfoy and his parents to a Nocktern restaurant, Le Belle Fleur, which serves delicacies made of magical animals. the elder Malfoys appearated out but Draco Malfoy and Aiden Potter went into Borgin and Burks, the most notoriously dark shop in Nocktern Alley, staying in their for a long time, Teslow's Technology where they, no doubt, got some of the technologies invented by the Americans, Jay's Jams, a dark music shop, Gridley's Apothecary, Old Quiddich, a Quiddich shop specializing in rare items, Lovegood's Arts and Crafts, Magical Appliances, and Honeyduke's Sweets, Magical Meals, and Comfort Portraits in Diagon Alley. We can only hope that Aiden Potter turns out light and stays on the right path. Only time will tell.

"What a load of rubbish!" I snapped, closing the window with unnecessary force to the mouse.

"The people who killed your parents and mine were evil and dark, you're dark and good." Sarah said.

"I'm grey, just grey. I will use whatever magic I need to finish Moldy-Voldy off, dark or light, not one or the other, but yes, I am good. On a lighter note, let's watch some mindless wizard television." I said, shutting down the computer and walking over to the couch. I picked up the remote off the coffee table and turned it on. I flicked to the on-screen guide and saw that it went like this, W1, M1, W2, M2, you get it. W must have meant wizard and M must have meant Muggle. On W3, the MBBC 11:00 news was just starting.

"Hello, everyone, I'm Jane Michaels." said a tall woman with light brown hair on the screen.

"And I'm Todd Etson." said a man with graying black hair.

"And this is," they paused dramatically. "The MBBC 11:00 update."

"Today on the news, castle awakened? What's happening with Hogwarts? Also, the girl-who-lived enters the wizarding scene and the Weird Sisters announce their next concert." Todd said.

"And now we'll turn it over to our Hogwarts corespondent, Nahdia Patil, who's here to see just what _is_ up with the castle so many of us love." Jane said, I perked up. This could be interesting. It flipped over to a woman with black hair, olive skin, and dark brown eyes.

"Nahdia Patil here. I'm at Hogwarts with the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, to see just what exactly is going on. Albus? Do you have any ideas?" she asked, voice betraying a slight Indian accent.

"Nahdia, I have no idea. I think it would be best if everyone saw the footage from dinner." Albus said with a sigh. I just realized something, I couldn't see auras on the telly. Sarah's was their, clear as day, a kind, earthy brown with sparks of red, but theirs were absent. The telly switched over to Albus eating alone in a beautiful hall. The cutlery he was using had snakes engraved in them and were silver, emerald, and jade and the plate was ruby red with a gold lion in the center and gold rimming it. The goblet filled with some sort of liquid was gold with a ruby rim, stem, and small rubies encircled the base. The chair on which he sat was large, gold, grand, and very old. Many jewels of different colors were encrusted in it. Suddenly, an old man came running in, wheezing all the way.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, their's things disappearing all around the castle!" he breathed out.

"Surely not, Argus." Dumbledore said. "You must be imagining things."

"Oh no I'm not! Portraits, suits of armor, tapestries, and everything in your office is gone." the ugly, little old man gasped out. Dumbledore just rolled his eyes but as he went to take a bite of steak his fork disappeared and his steak fell into his lap. Then, shortly afterward, the rest of the silverware disappeared. After that, funnily enough, the plate slopping dinner on the table and on Dumbledore, in his beard, on his robes, making him look quite a sight. Sarah and I both broke out in giggles. To make it worse, the bowl of soup in front of him disappeared, splashing the stuff everywhere, on his beard, staining it orange, on his robes, staining them as well, and on his lap. He jiggled around from the heat like he really needed to go take a nice, long pea and I said this.

"Looks like he wet his pants!" Sarah guffawed.

"I know, it looks like our dear headmaster has got to piss like a racehorse who drank five gallons of water and then ran the Kentucky Derby three times." I snorted, roaring with laughter. Their was one thing that really took the cake. The robes he was wearing automatically cleaned themselves and disappeared. right after that, the chair vanished and he did a mid-air flip before crashing to the floor, almost butt naked. Sarah and I were laughing so hard we were crying and clutching our sides. I could feel my bladder release a little.

"Oops." I said, still laughing.

"Yeah, oops for me too." Sarah said, still howling with laughter. It took us awhile to stop but when we did we decided to hang out down here for the rest of the night, to heck with the newscast, we had seen enough.

"I wonder if that stuff was owned by the founders." I said out loud as we climbed the ladder. "The goblins were probably repossessing everything that rightfully belongs to me."

"Probably." Sarah said, climbing through the hole and shutting the trunk lid behind her. I opened my boring Muggle wardrobe and threw a pink nighty out to Sarah.

"This will fit you, I think, try it on." I said as I got out a blue top and black sleep shorts. I climbed down the ladder and changed while Sarah changed up in my room. Soon enough, she was down in the trunk again and we were blasting WWN Top Hits, dancing around like maniacs. We went especially crazy over the Weird Sister's song, Oh Baby.

Oh-oh-oh-oh baby, baby!

Oh-oh-oh-oh baby, baby!

So many things that I don't get, you're turning my brain inside-out.

So many things I wanna know, I wanna be yours but how?

I wanna love, I wanna laugh, and for us to last forever.

But how can my true dream come true, with you being so clever?

Baby, you got me mad all about you!

I can assure you that no love could be more true!

Just give me a chance, a second glance, and I promise I'll do better!

I'll do anything for you so that we can be together!

Oh-oh-oh baby, baby!

Oh-oh-oh-oh baby, baby!

The way you laugh, the way you smile, it puts my heart aflutter!

I try my best to talk to you but you just make me stutter!

All your beauty, all your love, it flows off you in waves!

I look at you, here the song of love, and then I start to sway.

Baby, you got me mad all about you!

I can assure you that no love could be more true!

Just give me a chance, a second glance, and I promise I'll do better!

I'll do anything for you so that we can be together!

I don't know how I could live without you!

It's like I'm in a spell but this is much more true!

I just want to be the best man I can be!

And maybe someday, perhaps soon, you will be with meeeee!

Baby, baby! Oh-oh-oh-oh baby, baby!

Baby, baby! Oh-oh-oh-oh baby, baby!

No chance in breaking your spell now!

No chance of breaking your spell, _NOOOOOWWW!_

"To think some guy could be saying that to us some day." I said giddily, flopping somewhat dizzily on my bed.

"I know, how dreamy is that?" Sara said, flopping next to me.

"Oh god, it's already after 12:00!" I gasped. "I don't feel like going to sleep, though." I said. "Help me find a potion that will keep us awake after tonight in my books, would you?" I got up and went towards the book shelf when Lily flashed in with Sadie and Jamie making Sarah stumble.

"Sorry. I think I know what you're looking for, though." Lily said.

"And you kept us out of the party!" Jamie complained.

"What are they saying?" Sarah asked.

"Lily says she knows where to find that potion and Jamie is complaining that we left her from the party." I said as Lily brought me a book clutched in her talons, open to page 24.

"Lily, did you set up everything upstairs?" I asked.

"Yes, and your potions things. Your school cauldron is in the second compartment for various instruments as are your school ingredients. Your spare ingredients, however, and the rare and questionable ones are on your shelf as is your box of unbreakable files and your unbreakable gold scales." she crooned, I translated. I smiled down at what the book read.

"This looks easy, just a few ingredients and one vial of it can keep you awake for an entire day." I cleared off All of the things from Mrs. Lovegood's store, putting them on the right shelf of the potions set deciding to use it for that and separate the other shelf in half for ingredients and potions. I might have to make the right bookshelf set into a sewing supplies shelf but they fit here for now. Perhaps I could get a library added to my trunk later. I got the ingredients and started to brew in one pewter cauldron while Sarah began in another. Unfortunately, however, hers didn't turn out so well, a dark blue glop at the bottom while mine was the right shade of bright, dazzling yellow.

"It's okay, you can keep half of mine." I said.

"You really have a knack for potions." Sarah said as I wandlessly cleared her potion.

"How do you do that? You're really advanced aren't you?"

"Only because I've been using magic for years without knowing the name." I said as I magically bottled the potion in 100 small files.

"I'll be the worst in school, being two years behind and all, I bet." she moaned.

"You won't be, I'm sure of it." I assured her, handing her a vial of potion. "Now bottoms up!" with that, I clinked my vial with hers and we drank. After a minute I could feel the energy flowing through me and I knew I'd be able to stay up all night for sure. We grinned at each other and went to the TV. I pushed the couch back, the Muggle way, and moved the coffee table. I then picked up the two controllers for the WizWii and turned the TV and WizWii on.

"What do you have in mind?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Wii Sports." I said, pulling the game off the shelf and sticking the disk in the slot. I went through all the necessary settings and was soon clicking on the mii channel. Let's do yours first, shall we?" I asked.

"All right then." Sarah said, pointing her own remote at the button to create a new mii.

"Hmm, let's see, are you a male or a female?" I joked.

"Gee, I'm a monkey." Sarah mocked, I laughed and clicked on female. The girl in the portrait had paper-white skin, black eyes, and short, chocolate brown hair. Sarah quickly turned it to her slightly darker complexion.

"Look at this face, it reminds me of my cousin Dudley." I laughed, clicking a large face with double chins. I had met my oh-so-lovely _family_ when the orphanage took a trip to the zoo. Dudley had shoved me out of the way when I was talking to a snake and I set the boa constrictor free, trapping him behind the glass.

"So your my freak of a niece." Petunia had sniffed as she, my ugly wale of an uncle, pig of a cousin, his rat of a best friend, Aunt Leila, and I were in the zoo keeper's office.

"So your my heartless aunt." I had retorted.

"How dare you talk to my wife like that!" Vernon had roared and gone a deep puce with rage, grabbing my arm and twisting it painfully.

"Do _not_ manhandle my ward _ever_ _again!"_ Aunt Leila had shrieked, slapping him in the face.

"Their is someone who needs to apologize here, clearly." Petunia had sniffed.

"Dudley?" I had said, knowing it was true.

"No, you little disgrace, you. You trapped him behind the glass with your freakishness and set the boa constrictor loose!" Petunia had said angrily. I had rocketed up then, nearly toppling my chair.

"Your son is a bully and a fat _pig._ I was looking at the snake when he shoved me out of the way and flat on my backside sneering, "buzz off, you nasty orphan," it's true. I still have the lump on my head, a sore bum, and scraped elbows and hands." I had snapped. "I am very glad that never once have I been forced to call you _FAMILY!"_ With that, I had stormed away. Anyway, yeah.

"Ick, that pig? No way, change it back, change it back!" she demanded. Instead, I clicked on the thinnest, longest one.

"Their's my aunt Petunia!" I laughed.

"I thought this was me we were doing!" Sarah pouted. I smiled and changed the face to one similar to Sarah's, kind of long, kind of thin, and clicked on the next tab, hair.

"Well that hair simply won't do!" Sarah sighed as she changed it to more of a chestnut brown.

"Yeah, and that style, forget it." I said, pointing my control at a style with long hair.

"What is that supposed to be?" Sarah asked.

"All hale Faro Sarah." I said, mock curtsying.

"Shut up!" she said, cuffing me in the head.

"I'm wounded, faro, really I am." I said, rubbing my head as Sarah clicked to the next slide of hairstyles. Before I could stop myself I clicked on one on the bottom row.

"Great, now I'm a housewife?" Sarah grumbled. That was what her hair looked like, done down almost to her shoulders and curling up.

"You look like the classic 50s mum, Sare, either that or Judy Neutron." I said with a chuckle.

"You would watch that show wouldn't you, Aiden?" Sarah asked.

"Yes, yes I would if only to take satisfaction in the fact that the writers made him way dumber then me and that he's a know-it-all. Now I know what _not_ to be." I shrugged.

"Whatever." Sarah said as she clicked on a hairstyle in the top row. The mii's bangs were swept to the side and the hair went in waves down to her armpits.

"Now that looks like you." I agreed. Sarah smiled and clicked on the next tab, eyebrows.

"I think the eyebrows are fine." I said, nodding at the mii. "But look at those arched one's, they look like my aunt's." Sarah laughed and nodded. With my remote, I clicked on the tab for eyes. We eventually chose a pair of somewhat slanted ones that looked a bit like Sarah's, colored them green, and went to the next tab, noses. I immediately clicked on the biggest one their.

"Hey, the first one was fine! What'd you change it for?" she asked indignantly.

"That's my uncle's nose." I said before changing it back and switching to lips.

"With that thin line she looks like she's in a pissy mood, let's change that!" I said. "First, though, that's my aunt's mouth." I clicked on a pair of thin, red lips which were pursed together. Then, I picked on some more normal-looking lips colored in red gloss. Sarah nodded approvingly and clicked on the next tab. Sarah didn't need glasses so I went to the next sub-tab and laughed. I then, before she could stop me, gave her a handlebar mustache.

"Hey!" Sarah squealed. "I look like a trucker chick with too much testosterone, change it back!"

"No, I think we'll keep it." I smirked but Sarah vanished it and went to one of the tabs for height, weight, and voice. I put the height bar all the way to the left.

"Look at you, you're a little kiddy-midget." I joked, Sarah scowled and brought it a bit closer to the middle.

"Sure, compared to you, your almighty tallness." Sarah snorted. "She who just turned eleven on Monday and who sprouted another half an inch over night making her a tall and proud five-foot-five is far superior to my thirteen-year-old, four-foot-nine self!"

"Hey, where are we, Earth or in the world of Invader Zim? Well if anything you're Zim and I'm the leader of the Tallest!" I said with a laugh.

"Oh be quiet, you wish!" Sarah joked as she adjusted her weight. "Now be quiet, I have to record my voice, never could do this with a normal WII."

"I'll be quiet." I conceded.

"Testing one-two-three, this is Sarah Lynn McKinnon here testing out my voice." Sarah said to the room at large. The mii nodded and opened her mouth.

"Do I sound okay?" she asked with Sarah's voice.

"Great." Sarah said, smiling and clicking to the tab about personal information. She wrote in her name, Sarah, her birthday, December 2, chose her greeting, "Hi," and her favorite color, Gryffindor red before saving mii Sarah. It automatically went to the mii plaza and mii Sarah bounced out, waving at us.

"Your turn, Aiden!" Sarah said. In the end, I was given a round face, curly black hair, not unlike my own, that went to the mii's shoulders, big, almond-shaped green eyes, Sarah's same nose, a mouth grinning mischievously, my tall frame, (though Sarah tried to make me a tall, skinny string-bean,) my natural thinness, my voice, my name, made her a favorite, put in my birthday, July 31, chose my greeting, "Who dares to disturb me," and my favorite color, royal blue. Soon enough, we were ready to start playing. we clicked on the wii game channel and selected okay. The list of sports that came up in the main menu was bigger then I knew the Muggle list was. Their was Quiddich one-on-one, dueling, (for which you needed a wand,) Snitch-snatcher in which you raced to see who could find the snitch fastest, an American game called Quadpot, fencing, and the classic Muggle sports.

"How about Quiddich one-on-one?" I asked.

"All right." Sarah said reluctantly. I smiled and clicked on it. I became player 1 and she became player two. The object of the game, apparently, was to see who could score the most against each other. We decided to do best two out of three. I was the first one to try and score against Sarah but Sarah caught all my goals but one. It was exactly the opposite when I was keeper and Sarah was chaser, she scored on me nine times out of ten and was wicked fast about it. The game wound up with Sarah winning even without the tie breaker match.

"You're a great chaser and a great keeper, you should try out when you go to Hogwarts." I said, plopping down on the couch and wiping my forehead clear of sweat.

"But I haven't been accepted. My magic wasn't blocked was it? I don't think so because I've done some things before like levitate and stuff." Sarah said.

"You can bet that I'll be writing the headmaster, come on over and help me make a letter on the computer." I said, standing up and rushing to the computer chair. I opened up a Microsoft Electronic Parchment file to see the same yellow shade as actual parchment and the markers for inches and feet on the right of the page. After about twenty minutes, we had a hell of an awesome letter written, spell-checked, and printed out on a long roll of parchment. We stuck it in a royal blue envelope and I sealed it with a wax cantering stag, the Potter family crest. I wrote, in bronze ink, the address on the back and called to Lily.

"Can you find the old goat at Hogwarts?" I asked her.

"Of course. Would you like me to peck him until he opens it?" she asked, trilling happily.

"Do whatever you want." I said, tying it to her leg with royal blue ribbon.

Albus Dumbledore was having a horrible day. Almost everything he had been using, Gryffindor's desk, Slytherin's desk chair, even the instruments he had stolen from the founders' vaults were gone. He was now sleeping, or trying to sleep, on a couch in his office. None of the old headmaster and headmistress portraits were being loyal to him anymore, they just wouldn't talk to him. "The heir has been found." they would say as well as "You are not worthy." Fawks was spending more and more time with _Minerva_ of all people. She had been very useful at first but now she and that Hagrid just followed him around like lost puppies. Of course, Minerva's loyalty to him _had_ waned over the past decade. His musings were disturbed as their was a fiery flash. Could it be Fawks? No, this was a female phoenix and she had emerald eyes, not brown. She did look quite a bit like him, however. She fluttered over and held out her leg. He untied the envelope attached to see that it was blue trimmed in bronze with a wax seal of a cantering stag, the Potter family crest. He read the back address, written in bronze ink, and was angered at the audacity of that brat:

Dumbles-The-goat,

Half-Empty Hogwarts,

Sleeping On a Couch,

Scotland

Albus ripped the envelope open and began to read the letter:

(the handwriting is neat and elegant just like Lily Evans's was)

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I am writing you this letter on behalf of my best friend, Sarah Lynn McKinnon. She is to turn fourteen in December and still has not gotten any acceptance into Hogwarts even though you should have done two years ago. I have a feeling I know exactly why you held this off; you did not want me knowing about magic before it was just the right time, my time to go to Hogwarts and be under your wrinkled little thumb, (it's not to be insulting really, your thumbs are little and wrinkly). Anyhow, I have also taken a little trip into her mind and found that all of the memories of her first three years of life were behind a supposedly impenetrable wall of dark magic laced with mal intent. I have broken this wall and her memories have been rightfully restored. Don't you dare try anything on either of us, old man, for my mind is impenetrable and I can undo any damage done in the mind to anyone else. Sarah, as you well know, is the daughter of the tortured and killed Matthew and Marlene McKinnon. If she, and any other wrongfully left out Hogwarts students, do not get an acceptance letter from Hogwarts then I will, as an emancipated wizarding adult, go abroad. I heard that Beaubatons, Durmstrang, and the Salem Witch's Institute were fine schools worthy of my time. You, Albus Percival Wulfrick Bryan Dumbledore, have not proven yourself worthy of my respect as of yet. And now I shall hand the quill, so to speak, more like my computer keyboard, over to Sarah so that she can put in a few of her own choice words.

(Handwriting becomes squat and curvy but still very neat, just like Sarah's mother's)

Good day, Professor, or perhaps not-so-good. I heard that many artifacts belonging to the castle have mysteriously disappeared and I saw you fall on your bony ass, that must have hurt big time. I'm sure the day is getting even worse for you, or if you know what's good for you it should, because you have two very pissed-off witches at your throat and I'm sure when we tell Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, and Fred and George Weasley of what you have done both they and their parents will be very upset with you, very much upset indeed. I will be getting myself emancipated because I am sure you are my wizard guardian and that simply will not do. Either I and anyone else who you have denied education too go to Hogwarts or we'll make sure that Dumbledore, or at least Albus Dumbledore, is the most disgraced name around the wizard globe. I certainly hope that you have enough brains to process what I am writing.

(Handwriting becomes neat and elegant)

So I do hope we are making ourselves infinitesimally, absolutely, without a doubt, crystal clear to you. You are an old, meddlesome goat, a thorn in our sides, and _we_ dictate the terms, _NOT_ _YOU._ I am not evil but I can be dark as the dead of night, as black as the Death Vail at the Ministry, (I read, duh,) and as vicious as a basilisk if only to bring good to the world again. I am grey, not evil, make no mistake. Their is no dark and light, is no black and white, their are only shades of grey and good and evil people alike lurk within those blurred shadows. Everyone has some good in them and even the most saintly people alive have evil. Evil is a dumb, stupid, slow creature that I have outsmarted several times. Make no mistake, Albus Dumbledore, that I will outsmart you. The heir of the four founders has returned, I know her on a very personal level, watch out.

Absolutely and sincerely,

Aiden Lily Potter

Sarah Lynn McKinnon

Oh no, this was not good at all. The Potter girl was onto his plans. Seeing that he had read the letter, the phoenix perched on Fawks's perch, waiting for Dumbledore to write the letter, or letters. Could she herself be the heir of the founders? The reason why his connection with the castle had vanished altogether? He would have to deal with her and soon. Potter would raise a holy terror, the biggest stink of the century if he didn't write Miss McKinnon a letter, and soon. Fortunately, she was the only student he had wrongfully left out so he got out a self-inking quill and parchment, (for he didn't have one of those new-fangled American magical computers,) and began to write.

Miss Sarah Lynn McKinnon,

I am terribly sorry for the oversight and swear that we will get you up to speed as soon as possible. For the first month you will be in first year with your friends, by October, with enough work, you will be in second. I hope by the end of November you can be caught up with your classmates. Please accept my deepest and sincerest apologies yet again for my grave and terrible mistake. Miss Potter can take you to Diagon Alley to get you your school supplies, please find enclosed a list for all three years along with a Hogsmeade permission slip for your guardian, Miss Coal, to sign.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

There, it was good enough. From the scattered parchments all over the floor from when the desk and chair disappeared Albus rooted around and found the three readable, if somewhat crumpled, supplies lists and permission slip. He smoothed them out the best he could the Muggle way for his wand which had belonged to the Peverell family that he had also stolen as a young man had vanished and his first wand had been snapped by he himself long ago. Unlike what many people thought, he could not do wandless magic for the life of him and that was his weakness. He couldn't get a single feather to wiggle, let alone smooth down parchment and seal the envelope. Once the envelope was sealed, however, with a glop of wax which had burnt his finger, he tied it to the leg of the fire phoenix, Aiden Potter's fire phoenix, and she flashed away, shrilling disgustedly as she did so.

Only a few minutes later Lily returned with a letter. Sarah and I read it and burst into laughter, how dumb did he think we were?

"At least you're accepted." I said.

"Yeah, I can't wait!" she piped. "You know what this calls for?"

"_PARTY!"_ we both shrieked, laughing madly.

"We are going to pig out on ice cream, watch mindless movies, and break out the butterbeer. This weekend, we can invite Draco, Luna, and the Weasley Twins over. The Weasley twins sound awesome and you'll love Luna, that's for sure." I said.

"But where do you get all the snack stuff? where does it fit?" Sarah asked, I smiled and got up.

"Follow me, my friend." I said, heading over to the cabinet.

"But that's just a cabinet isn't it?" Sarah asked, I laughed.

"Just take a look." I said, stepping in and going to the fridge. Sara's mouth fell wide open as I went over and opened the fridge and the freezer.

"Come over here, go into the fridge, and bring out two bottles of butterbeer. I could have got fire whisky but that can wait a few years." I said as I went into the freezer and pulled out a small tub of Honeyduke's Best. The big tub could wait for Saturday night. As I closed the freezer door and put the ice-cream on the counter, Sarah walked over to the fridge, as if in a trance, went in, and came out with two bottles of butterbeer before closing it and setting them on the counter next to the ice cream.

"Honeyduke's Best Flavor-Changing Ice Cream?" Sarah asked curiously, eyeing the container of ice cream.

"I know, it sounds weird but I can't wait to try it!" I said as I left the kitchen so it could thaw, Sarah right behind me. "Now let me show you my other rooms."

"Others?" Sarah asked incredulously. I smirked and motioned towards the wardrobe. Sarah opened it up and gasped.

"Holy crap, Ay! Next thing you'll be telling me is that that dressing room leads to a shopping center!" Sarah gasped, I burst into laughter.

"Haha...not quite, it leads to the biggest bathroom you'll ever see!" I said as I went into it, Sarah following. For the third time in less then fifteen minutes, Sarah's mouth fell open. A fly could have zoomed down her throat and she wouldn't have noticed.

"Okay, good thing their's a lou." she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I really gotta go!" with that, Sarah sprinted to the nearest stall. I followed after, going to the one in the middle. I really had to go too. I didn't notice it before but even the toilet paper holder was fancy, so was the TP itself. I'll be cursed if I have to go to the orphanage's bathroom ever again! I went out then and over to the sink. As soon as my hands were under the faucet, it sprayed at just the right pressure and temperature. In a little indent to the upper right of the sink was a fancy little bar of soap in the shape of a flower, nice touch. I realized that the one Sarah was using was in the shape of one of her favorite animals, the turtle. As I took my hands from the faucet, I realized that they were already dry and smelled like lilies.

"Let's get to that weird ice cream you bought!" Sarah said as we went out of the bathroom. I smiled and we entered the kitchen. Thankfully, the ice cream wasn't too hard or too soft and we each scooped ourselves generous portions and sat down.

"You go first." I said.

"No you." Sarah said.

"No you." I said.

"You bought it, you go." Sarah said.

"But you're my guest, you shall go." I said.

"Aiden, this is silly. Let's just go together!" Sarah said.

"Fine by me, Sara. Three, two, one, _EAT!"_ we both raised our bronze spoons of white ice cream to our mouths and smiled.

"I got mint." I said.

"I got peanut butter." Sarah said with a happy sigh. "Next!"

"Eeewww!" I said as I took my next bite. "It tastes like, it tastes like _SPROUTS!"_ Sarah laughed but then choked up as she swallowed her next bite.

"Cherry tomatoes, I _HATE_ cherry tomatoes!" At the next bite, both of us gagged and stuck out our tongues.

"Pepper—com"

"So hot—com"

"Water, water!" both of us flew to the sink and drank from the faucet. After a few minutes, we were back to normal.

"I don't feel much like ice-cream anymore, let's scrape it back into the tub." Sarah said.

"Oh c'mon, it's fun!" I said, taking a bite of my own. "Mmm, pot roast."

"Pot roast?" Sarah asked, taking a bite. "Yu-um! I got pizza." and so that's how it went, we'd eat the ice cream and make fun of each other. We then put the dishes in the sink, rinsed them, and put them in the dishwasher.

"I need to work all this ice cream off, how 'bout we dance?" I asked. Sarah nodded and we went out to the main room, blasting WWN Top Hits, just going crazy. After about a half hour of dancing like maniacs, we went back to the kitchen and guzzled our bottles of butterbeer.

"Man that's good stuff!" Sarah said.

"I know, it really is!" I agreed.

"What do you say we do now, Aiden?" Sarah asked.

"Let's watch the magical version of Romeo and Juliet I bought." I suggested.

"No, I'm not in the mood for some sort of sappy movie!" Sara whined.

"It's got violence!" I coaxed.

"Aiden, you're the violent girl, not me!" Sarah said.

"How about we find a Muggle horror movie then? It's 3:00, by the time we finish it'll be 5:00 or so." I said.

"Fine but I swear if it scares me to death I will haunt you, Ay." Sarah threatened.

"That's what Draco said about riding in a car, you'll live." I said, throwing my butterbeer bottle into the trash can. Next, we popped a bucket-sized pack of popcorn, grabbed a few bottles of butterbeer, and armloads of chocolate frogs, and went out into the living room. I magically pushed the couch forward and levitated our snacks onto the table. Next, I flicked through the guide until I saw a promising American flick, arachnophobia.

"Fear of spiders?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, sounds good." I said as I took a gulp of butterbeer and opened a chocolate frog. The little thing jumped but I caught it and stuck it in my mouth. Draco told me about the cards so I looked down at mine.

"Holy shiii-Shitaki Mushrooms!" I gasped. Their, right in the picture frame, was me as I looked at that moment. The picture of me smirked and waved.

"It's you!" Sarah gasped as the opening credits of the movie rolled through.

"Nooo, really? I thought she was my evil twin Jaiden!" I said sarcastically, looking at my name written in small gold letters in an arch over my picture.

"Hey, change your looks for a second." Sarah said. "I wonder if this thing updates."

"Fine but they'll be in for an eyeful." I said. I focused on giving myself bright pink skin, bright red, oversized lips, bulging purple eyes with yellow pupils and pink for the whites of my eyes, and short, spiky black hair with all the crazy colors and patterns I could think of streaking through it. Lastly, I reshaped my scar so that it read FUA.

"FUA, Aiden? You make it look like your portrait rebelled against you and is flipping you off!" Sarah said.

"No, I just wrote fua, like fwew!" I said and then looked down at my portrait. She, unfortunately, was still the same. I sighed and became normal just as the movie started to get interesting.

Throughout the movie, I was surprised that Sarah's screams didn't wake up everyone. At one point, she even managed to send the popcorn flying all over the place. Thank god it was easy enough to put right again. During the movie, I added a bunch of people to my wizard card collection. Me, of course, Dumbledore, Nicholas Flamel, Gwennog Jones, Merlin, the Hogwarts founders, Cerce, Felix Summerbee, Ptolemy, and Ogrippa. Sarah picked up many of the same and by the end of the movie, we were quite full of junk food.

"I'm surprised I haven't already gained ten pounds." I said with a groan.

"That's because you're a veela, they're probably genetically incapable of getting fat naturally." Sarah said.

"I'm not a born veela, just one that got some traits by a twist of genetics but who knows." I said. "I just feel like being lazy now, it's already 5:00. How about we read a bit? Take your pick of books but put them back when you're done." Sarah nodded and we both shuffled over to the shelves. I went right to the shelf with information on veela. One book was quite old and looked to have a lot of useful things in it. It was called The Veela In Me: A Guide to Managing Your Other Half. I slid the thick tome off the shelf and went back to the couch. The first thing I turned to was the table of contents.

Table of Contents:

Chapter One: What Is A Veela

Chapter Two: Different Types of Veela

Chapter Three: Powers of the Veela

Chapter Four: Life For a Veela

Chapter Five: Love For a Veela

Chapter Six: A Brief Description of Mating in Veela

Chapter Seven: The Steps of Mating in Veela

Chapter Eight: Dominate Versus Submissive Mates in Veela

I was definitely going to skip the crap about mating but I did go to the description of veela before chapter one. It would tell me everything I needed to know for now.

Veela are beautiful magical creatures, men and women, who have immense power. Veela are known to be able to manipulate the elements, are very beautiful, are commonly musically gifted, give off specific hormones for allure, and have a soul mate. Their are four types of veela: sun, shadow, fire, and storm. They essentially look the same except for a few key differences. Sun veela tend to have gold hair, blue eyes, creamy pale skin, and a bronze aura. When angered, sun veela take the form of an avian creature with a human body. Their faces thin out, their mouths become beaks, their fingers fuse together and grow talons, and scaly wings erupt from their back. Shadow veela tend to have somewhat tan skin, black hair, and dark eyes which are mostly black, violet, brown, and hazel. They have a pure white aura around them, supposedly to cloak them even more in their own shadow. When angered, they take the partial form of a shadow panther. Their eyes narrow into cat-like eyes and glow, their teeth change to those similar to a shadow panthers, their hands turn into silver-clawed front paws, a whip-like black tail appears, and their feet grow the same sharp silver claws which are on their hands. Fire veela tend to have hair ranging from dark red to flaming red to auburn. Their eyes are always some shade of green, particularly shades of emerald and jade. Their skin is a golden color, not very tan but not super pale either. It is fair but enough to carry the gold tint. The aura of a fire veela is pure gold, shimmering and dancing like fire. When angered, fire veela take on a form of a partial phoenix. Their eyes grow larger and brighter, their ears taper to a point, gold talons sprout from their fingers and toes, and phoenix wings come from their backs. Storm veelas tend to have pale, creamy white skin, light blue or grey eyes, and white, platinum, or silver blonde hair. Their aura is a silver color. When angered, they take the partial form of a silver wolf, a rare type of magical wolf. Their noses lengthen slightly, their teeth adjust to become more like wolf teeth, their hands change into silver wolf paws with white claws, their feet sprout the same claws, and a whip-like silver tail appears on their lower backs. One thing that all veela have in common is that, even when not angered, they can take the form of their true veela selves. It is unsure what the transformation is like for hybrid veelas for not many exist.

There are a few different sub-types of veela as well. Their are the inheritance veela who get the gene from one parent. These veela do not hold the full power of the veela. their auras are less noticeable, they cannot transform, their allure is less pronounced, and any other veela gifts and attributes are dimmed or nonexistent. However, they do still need to find their mate although it is not as crucial as it is for a true veela. True veela are those who are born to two parents with the active veela gene. If a child is born to a witch or wizard who is an inheritance veela and a Muggle or Squib who cannot receive their inheritance, they will be an inheritance veela like their active parent. If, however, both parents are inheritance veela or true veela, their child will be a true veela as well. This means that all descriptions of the veela are valid including the necessity of finding one's mate. If a true veela does not find their soul mate by age twenty-one, they will slip into a severe depression. More than half of these veela end up dying young of broken hearts, never finding their true love even though they are out their. Their are seven steps to mating in veela. Week of Heavenly Hell, The Claiming, The Protection, The sharing, The Proposal, The Wedding, and The Final Binding of Love.

"Oh god!" I gasped. "I really am a weird one. Read this passage, Sarah."

"Yeah, yeah you are." she said, shutting the book. I sighed and levitated both our books onto the shelf.

"You're a true veela, though, try and bring out your form." she urged. I sighed and walked to the middle of the room. I focused on going deep inside myself. Suddenly, I felt a change. Sarah's mouth was wide open.

"Oh wow, go look in the mirror!" Sarah urged. I did so, feeling claws or something sink into the carpet as I did so.

"Woo-hoo! Look at that little veela!" came a voice from nowhere.

"Wha?" I asked, coming up to the sink.

"You're a hybrid aren't you? A shadowfire?"

"Your point?" I asked.

"Kid, I never give out compliments, well, almost never. I swear you look _FANTASTIC!"_ I took a look and gasped. My eyes were large like it described those of the fire veela but more slanted and cat-like. My teeth were cat-like as well, my ears tapered to a point, and, as I looked at my hands, I saw they were red paws crisscrossed with black and with gold claws that were somewhat talon-like. I looked at my feet to see that they had silver talon-like claws. I turned my head to see a huge set of gold-rimmed black wings with gold crisscrossing through them. Below that was a red tail with black stripes and a black tip. My hair, I noticed, was more wild than ever, almost exotic. In this form, their was just as much red as black, it was like they were fighting for dominance. Boy did I look good!

"Oh god! These are _AWESOME!"_ I gasped.

"Oh yes they are!" said lily, flashing in. "I just thought I'd tell you a little bit about yourself. The black and gold wings mean that your animagus form, or one of them, is a shadow phoenix. Those are very rare birds indeed. The red means that you have another form not as a shadow panther but as a flame panther, a magical animal just as rare as the shadow phoenix."

"Wow! Thank you for telling me that." I said as I focused on turning back to normal. I walked out of the bathroom to see Sarah heading towards me.

"Hey, it's already almost 6:00. How 'bout we get ready for the day?" Sarah asked.

"Excellent! I promised Draco I'd force him to go to Muggle London with me today. He's never done, like, _ANYTHING_ before. Do you want to come?"

"Oh no, I'll leave you two alone so you can have your date." Sarah teased.

"Thanks, wait, _HEY!_ It's not a date! I'm only eleven! I don't...I can't...he's my new friend, okay?"

"Fine fine, whatever you say." Sarah teased.

"Oh just shut up, you! Look, I need something to wear. You're a bit smaller than me so you'll have to go to your room. Tomorrow I'll take you to Diagon Alley and get you straightened out." I said, heading for my ladder.

"All right." Sarah said as I began climbing and she got on the ladder behind me. Soon enough we were both through and Lily flashed Jamie and Sadie into the room. "See you later, Sarah." I said as she opened the door.

"Yeah, see you, Aiden." Sarah said as she closed it.

Chapter Eight: Muggle Fight

I smiled and rifled through my wardrobe, it wouldn't do for the clothes I planned to get today. Eventually, I picked out a pair of faded denim cut-off capris, red flip-flops with black straps, and a red shirt. On the front of the shirt was a black silhouette of a devil's head. Above it in arching black script were the words _The Devil Made Me Do It._ I smirked and dug through my nightstand drawer. I eventually found what I was looking for, two red hair ribbons. It was actually a good thing that my hair was almost down to my waste, even when curly, so I could go for just the right look. I took my brush and parted my hair into two equally sized bunches and tied them up, bows outward. I then, as usual, put on my locket, my watch, and my ring. I smiled and picked up my simple cloth bag, throwing it over my shoulders. I quickly went across the hall and brushed my teeth before going downstairs, my familiars in tow.

"Hey, Aunt Leila." I chirped.

"Hello, Aiden, dear." Aunt Leila said, smiling.

"I'm going to take Draco around London, he knows _NOTHING_ about Muggle stuff. I'm going to take him to the cinema, ice-skating, bowling, and, best of all, _SHOPPING!"_ I said.

"Well you have fun. I'd be happy to look after your pets." she said, smiling.

"Thanks a lot. It's 7:00, I'm going to snag breakfast. Draco will be here at eight on the nose."

"All right. If he comes early, I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Aunt Leila. I really appreciate it."

"It's nothing, dear, really it isn't." Aunt Leila said as I left. I went into the dining hall and got waffles soaked in syrup and topped with a mountain of whipped cream as well as a healthy side of bacon and a large glass of orange juice before I sat down. Just as I was polishing off the last drops of orange juice another of my orphanage enemies, of which I have many, came up to me.

"Winters." I acknowledged. "So the pocks are gone?"

"Yes, Potter, and clearly so is your taste. The devil made you do it? Do what, may I ask? Eat like a pig and actually make yourself uglier then you actually are?" she sneered.

"I beg your pardon but I most certainly am _NOT_ ugly!" I snapped, gracefully getting up from my chair and stepping closer to where Erica Winters, still pale and splotchy-faced, stood.

"Sure you aren't, Potter, sure you aren't. The hair extensions don't help you any, who would want more of that rat's nest?"

"I don't _wear_ hair extensions, Winters. You should know the difference between extensions and real hair seeing as they make the not-so-subtle juncture right at your shoulders." I said coldly. It was true. The top portion of her hair was a muddy brown but the bottom portion was a more plastic-like dirt brown that stood out tremendously. She probably got them from a convenience store or a discount place because they're cheap, we just get allowances of ten pounds a month and Winters is too lazy to do her own work.

"How dare you? You think you're all that don't you? You're tall, scrawny, your hair is a rat's nest, and you're a _FREAK!"_ Winters shrieked. "You just think you're something special because you know what happened to your parents, at least mine are still _ALIVE!_ In jail but _ALIVE!_ Your hair is longer, big deal, you've got a trust fund, big deal, you somehow don't need your stupid glasses, _big_ _deal,_ you get to go to a fancy boarding school, _BIG_ _FUCKING_ _DEAL!"_

"Yeah, yeah it is. At least I don't have to see your face nine months out of the year, at least I have parents that love me and who aren't rotting in jail like yours, not giving a damn! Maybe some _good_ _luck_ would befall you, shock-shock, if you were actually pleasant and not, to put it bluntly, such a _BITCH!"_ the next thing I knew I was being punched in the nose, making it spurt blood. As far as I could tell, it was not broken but a bit more than I was comfortable with healing right now. Plus, people would certainly be suspicious if my nose all of the sudden stopped bleeding and looked normal.

"You little whore, you think you're so _SPECIAL?_ All pretty, catching the eye of almost every guy here, I'm going to kick your _LITTLE_ _RICH-BITCH_ _ASS_ _RIGHT_ _NOW!_ We're just lucky Miss Edna is in the kitchen now aren't we?" Winters sneered, landing another blow to my stomach.

"Oh no you don't!" I snapped. Her fist went flying at me but I caught her arm and twisted it behind her. A hard kick to my left leg made me let go and double over. In that position, I healed the forming crack as well as I could, knowing it wasn't completely healed for my lack of experience, and stood up. Hairline fracture, probably, oops! The only reason I healed that was because nothing physical had occurred to assume that she had done more than bruise it. Now this was business! Before she could make any moves, I punched her in the mouth, accidentally knocking out her front teeth in the process. It was such a hard punch that I felt my thumb split as well as my middle finger.

"How _DARE_ you punch my girlfriend!" Marty Hughes roared, slamming into my back, making me stumble. I could feel a burst of pain, probably spinal, but nothing serious. I should have known they were together, the veela book said that if someone had a soul-mate they were immune to our charm. Since not many people had soul mates, not many people were immune. In my stumble, I reached out my foot and kicked the gloating Winters in the gut. She doubled over, not able to heal it like I could. Hughes tried to grab hold of me but he was slow, I was fast. With the speed and stealth of some sort of wild cat, which I sort of was, I whirled around and slammed my fist into his nose, trying not to make my magic do worse things like it had done before. _ CRACK!_ Their went my pinky, my ring, and my middle fingers in at least one spot each. I guess I was using too much force. I'd been in my share of fisticuffs, very rarely instigated by me, but had never learned how to fight properly. Because of this, I had gotten a few broken bones in the process. Thank god Stonewall had a nurse and a doctor that could come on call and set broken bones. Winters grabbed my right arm from behind as I kicked Hughes in his coveted privates and twisted hard. Before I knew it, my wrist cracked sickeningly. All of the older orphans who were in the dining hall, their were no younger ones, thank god, looked on in stunned horror and astonishment.

"_HEY!"_ Sarah yelled, coming up.

"_NOBODY_ messes with Aiden Potter!" came the voice of Draco as he ran into the fray, he was early.

"A shrimp and an albino shrimp, what fun!" Hughes sneered.

"This isn't your fight!" I snapped to my friends. "Go get Aunt Leila or someone!"

"No way!" Sarah said, punching feebly at Hughes.

"We are here to fight with you, not for you. Plus, that stupid lunkhead will _PAY_ for calling me albino!" Draco said forcefully as he landed a kick so strong it knocked Winters off her feet. Being honorable enough to not hit an opponent when they're down, I went for Hughes instead. In rage, he went for me, picking me up with his bulky arms and heaving me onto a nearby table filled with unfinished food. The table, the food, and I went tipping into a few chairs and everything went flying to the floor, including me. I knew it would leave a bump on my head, my right ankle was badly sprained, and my left arm was in an awkward position. I had a plan. I stood shakily to my feet, sprained ankle groaning in protest. Hughes and Winters waled on Draco and Sarah, making me scared for them. Draco was holding his own with some kick-ass moves. Sarah, on the other hand, looked visibly battered. Thinking of air, I called it to me. I jumped up and did a mid-air triple-flip good enough to make people in the Kim Possible universe green with envy. I spread my legs and smacked Hughes and Winters on the back and chest respectively with my feet, making them crash to the floor. It only made my hurt ankle feel worse but oh well, whatever. I myself landed on my knees, bruising them. I stood up, leaning on a chair and addressed my best friends.

"Are you two okay?" I asked.

"Black eye, split lip, couple broken fingers, and I think my beautiful nose is broken." Draco muttered, clutching at the aforementioned nose.

"We're hurt and you're still an arrogant toerag." I muttered, Draco shot me an indignant glare.

"Blabbermouth." he muttered back.

"Yeah yeah. How about you, Sarah?" "Dislocated shoulder and, I think, a cracked rib. I have a sore toe too and some bruises." Sarah said.

"I'll heal the bruises and minor stuff later." I mouthed, She nodded at me in thanks. "I'll have to mend the shoulder and ribs later, we at least have to look hurt."

"What (pant) is (pant) going (pant) on here?" it was Aunt Leila. She must have heard the table falling over.

"That bitch attacked my girlfriend!" Hughes said, clutching at his broken nose.

"She did not!" Sarah snapped. "She was confronted by Erica their and when she said it was good to be going to boarding school and that Erica was acting like a bitch, which she was, picking a fight and all that, Erica punched her in the nose saying crap about Aiden being a whore, stealing the attention of all the guys and that she was going to kick her, as she said it, ritch-bitch ass right now."

"_WHAT?"_ Aunt Leila roared furiously, striding forward.

"but she twisted her arm behind her back, Aunt Leila!" Hughes protested.

"She was defending herself from a flying _FIST!"_ Draco bellowed, so he'd seen it all?

"Yeah, and then Erica kicked her in the leg!" Sarah added.

"But then she knocked my girlfriend's front teeth out!" Hughes protested.

"All right, I want six children who saw this who aren't friends with either party to come into my office _RIGHT_ _AWAY!_ Let's see, Joseph Sands, Lark Woods, Kelly Brandon, Jacob Holt, John Smithe, and Lyddeialaura Wickerstaff. In the meantime, Aiden, Erica, Marty, Sarah, go to the nurse's office. Hello, dear, you must be Aiden's friend Draco. I don't know what your parents will do but just go to the nurse's office anyway. A doctor will be here in a few minutes to fix everyone up."

"Doctor?" Draco mouthed.

"Like a healer, just Muggle." I mouthed back.

"My mum's a healer." Draco said with his lips and than talked out loud.

"Um, Miss Coal, my mum's a hea...a doctor. I could have her come with equipment and it wouldn't be a charge to anyone." he said.

"That's quite all right, dear. Our doctor will do." Aunt Leila said. I rather disliked Dr. Jeffers, he acts like all us kids are a nuisance.

"But she'd love some extra work. She's not worked save for the occasional hospital emergency since I was born. She'd love some stuff to do since I'm going off to boarding school."

"Please? I hate that old grump. I'm accident prone and he makes it sound like I get cut or break something just because I want to." Sarah said.

"Well all right. Draco, can you call your mother? How soon can she be here?"

"Within minutes, she's wicked fast." Draco said.

"I will _NOT_ have one of my attackerth cronieth family memberth treating me!" Winters spat, sounding very funny without front teeth.

"From what I can tell, Miss Winters, _YOU_ are the attacker, not _THEM!_ The way you're going I shan't be surprised if you turn out like your parents!" Aunt Leila snapped, eyes flashing.

"Oh sure, defedd your biddy-clone!" Hughes snapped, clutching his nose.

"He's right, sort of. Don't be bias, Aunt Leila. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did."

"To have those thugs beating on you?" Sarah snapped. "Hell no!"

"I'm going to call my mum." Draco said, exiting the dining hall.

Draco's POV:

"Note to self, I thought as I left the dining hall, never mess with Aiden. She packs a big punch for someone who clearly isn't trained in combat. As soon as I was alone, I took out my magidroid and dialed our home number.

"Draco? is that you?" Mum asked from the other line.

"Yeah. Look, when I came to the orphanage some Muggle girl picked a fight with Aiden. I need your help, Mum. The Muggle threw the first punch so she _had_ to fight back."

"Draco, you sound funny, are you all right?" Mum asked, clearly concerned.

"Fine, almost. When a boy joined the fight against Aiden, Sarah McKinnon, the girl I told you about, and I had to protect our friend. The boy broke my nose. Mum, their doctor, apparently, is terrible and I said you might be able to help. You're certified, you know."

"Draco draco draco! I admire your courage, dear boy, but really, you know better. You should have gotten an adult. Very well, I'll be here in a second. Have that phoenix of yours flash me, okay?"

"Thanks, Mum, I'll send Isaac in a sec." I said before hanging up and heading to the doors of the dining hall.

Aiden's POV:

Draco came in a few minutes later announcing that his mum was on her way so the five of us were shepherded to the nurse's office while Mrs. Coal took her designated panel of students to her office. Nurse Brie, formally known as Brieara, tsked at the five of us and told us to sit down. Until Mrs. Malfoy could get here, she simply gave us ice packs and told us to put them on the spot that hurt most. I couldn't decide which, my severely sprained ankle, my awfully crooked arm, or the bump on my head. In the end, I figured that my head would benefit most from it. Within a few minutes, the door swung open to Narcissa Malfoy carrying a few large bags as well as a little machine. She wore a simple outfit, black slacks, a light green top, and black leather slip-on shoes. Draco looked a little stunned to see his mum looking so Muggle.

"All right. Is their any separate examining room to ensure their privacy?" she asked the nurse briskly. "I apologize for my rudeness and tenseness but my son too is injured and I have not had much need to use my license in several years...but I always have it renewed and take any new classes I assure you." she added at Nurse Brie's worried expression.

"Yes, that door back their." Nurse Brie said, pointing to the simple grey door.

"Very well. I shall take the two oldest first for I will take more time with my son and his friends, a good chastisement is quite in order, yes?" Narcissa asked, I gulped.

"Absolutely. The older two are not in here often but when they are it is for their own bullying backfiring as it just has. Miss McKinnon is quite accident-prone and is here at least twice a month. Ah, and Miss Potter, my most favorite trouble-magnet. Let's see, how many fights? Fifty-seven? only seven instigated by you? Broke that left arm once before when someone knocked you off a climbing peg in gym class didn't they?" Nurse Brie asked, smirking.

"Laugh it up." I muttered. "I _NEVER_ get into trouble, Narcissa, you must understand. Trouble gets into me."

"Yes, I see that, Aiden. Let me se, who was it? Ah yes, Mr. Hughes, I'd like to see you first."

Narcissa's POV:

I was disgusted as I followed the nasty little brat into the room. It didn't matter to me what he was, Muggle, Squib, a piece of lint, he was a horrid boy with a horrid and perverse mind. Don't think that I am not well-versed in legilimency and occlamency because I most certainly _am._ He kept calling me Dr. Hotstuff and imagining the things he'd do to any woman as attractive as me when he was "shit-faced," a term I took to mean alcoholically intoxicated. I had heard it around in the Leaky Cauldron before, whether someone was describing themselves at such-and-such a time or someone was describing, for example, some weird woman draped in shawls slumped over, shawls and hair trailing in her drink. Anyway, I couldn't imagine Muggles being so barbaric as to coat their face in their own feces or that of anyone else. I could still act like the sharp Muggle doctor without giving anything away so I tore into him. Nobody was paying me, which I would not in good conscience accept anyway, so I could say whatever I damn well wanted too. Just because I am of the most ancient and noble houses of Malfoy by marriage and Black by birth does not mean I don't have a temper and always keep my cool. I am dressed as a Muggle, which I could tell was a bit strange for Draco to see, so I was, as far as anyone knew, a Muggle.

"All right, Mr. Hughes. Let me make myself quite clear. You will stick to what I ask of you. Otherwise, you will so kindly stay quiet lest I inform the matron and the nurse. Also, you will keep your eyes back in your head and your mouth shut save I blow a wandering fly your way. Any questions?"

"No." he said dully as his mind said, damn, she caught me!

"Right then. Name?" I asked.

"Marty." he said, scowling at me. Ah well, better than drooling.

"I expect you to answer me respectfully, young man. I want full, polite sentences, your answers will _not_ be vague in any way for I can tell, and you will address me as either Dr. Malfoy or ma'am, understood?" I asked sharply.

"Yes, ma'am." he grunted.

"Good. Now what is your name, speak it fully."

"Martinis Griddlerock Hughes-Mansfield, Dr. Malfoy, but Hughes is the one I'm known by 'cause I was cast out of my family for being a...a...oh never mind, you wouldn't understand."

"A Squib." I said quietly.

"How d'you know 'bout Squibs? Are you one?"

"I am a witch trained in both Muggle and Magical healing. And now, let us continue. Your little not-so-Muggle secret is safe with me. I want your age, date of birth, and anything you're allergic too, please."

"For god's sake, woman, can't you fix me up already?" the insolent boy bellowed. "It's already enough that I'm being treated by a _WITCH!_ Then, of course, I find out that that _POTTER_ _THING_ is one too!" I stood sharply from my seat and gazed down at him with an icy glare.

"You will do well not to spread that around, Martinis Mansfield. I know your family, it was cruel for them to boot you out. A bunch of nasty Death Eaters, just like my deluded sister Bellatrix! And as far as "just getting on with it" no I cannot. It is medical policy to ask these questions when first meeting your primary care physician, a position I hope to earn. You're lucky I haven't been taking an hour pouring over everyone's records due to the circumstances. Now answer my questions before I am forced to inform your guardians." I said in just as icily a tone as my glare.

"Whatever, um, ma'am. I'm thirteen, my birth date is February 9, 1978, and I'm allergic to dogs. I don't understand why Aunt Leila got that Potter brat one—com"

"_ENOUGH!_ I am most certainly informing the matron of your conduct and I assure you that your punishment shall _NOT_ be a pleasant one. Tell me now what hurts so I can be rid of you!" I roared, just barely reigning in the temper which I so wanted to release.

"Whatever. Broken nose, duh, broken right thumb, sprained right wrist." he mumbled.

"Fine. How much pain are you in? Despite your ghastly conduct no patient of mine stays in pain."

"Nothing, nothing." he muttered.

"Their most certainly is something hurting you, I can sniff a liar from a mile away. I suppose it comes from growing up in a dark family who gave piles of gold to the Death Eaters. My cousin, Regulus Black, was killed by the dark lord himself, my other cousin, Sirius Black, his brother, was also murdered in an auror fight because he was suspected of being the Potters' secret keeper and he was Aiden's godfather, my baby sister, Andromeda Black Tonks, was disowned for marrying a muggle-born, and my older sister, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, is slowly going mad in Azkaban; she tortured the Longbottoms, save for their son and old Augusta, senseless. I, my little friend, am Narcissa Cassiopeia Black Malfoy, and don't you forget who you are messing with!" that ought to be enough to get the little ingrate to respect me. I was right as his eyes bulged. I grabbed out a full hand brace for his write hand, a completely Muggle one, and he let me put it on him. I then put a splint on his nose so it could heal decently. It looked somewhat crooked, however, but I let it be. I could always say it was a "trick of the light. I next dug out capsule pills of my own invention back when Draco was still an infant, still a constant stream of money for our family. Muggles can take the potions inside, under a permanent stasis charm, and the pills will work with their systems. This system works for Squibs but the small amount of potion in the capsules is not, as of yet, large enough for anything, not even a bruise fader to work with wizards. My next project was to see if I could magically expand the insides of the capsule.

"Now look, Mr. Hughes. You are not to use that wrist for a week. After that, you will be limited as to how you use it. Your hand splint will come off in two weeks and your nose splint in a week and a half. You may go." with no further delay, he scuttled out of the room, leaving me with the other ugly Muggle with the discount shop hair extensions, how tacky. I poked my head out and called her in.

"All right, let me make one thing absolutely clear just as I did for your boyfriend. You shall not back-talk, you shall answer my questions, and you will address me as Dr. Malfoy or ma'am. Do you understand me?"

"Yeth." she answered, teeth knocked out.

"Name?"

"Erica Jordan Winterth." she said.

"Age and date of birth?" I asked.

"April 30, 1978. I'm twelve."

"Allergic to anything?"

"No." she said.

"What hurts?"

"My teeth were knocked out, my thtummick hurtth, and I think my writht ith thprained. Oh yeah, and that boy thtomped on my foot."

"All right. Take your foot out of your shoe so I can look at it." I said. She did so and I set up my small magically-run X-ray machine. "Please put your foot on this." I said, she did so. I wonder what made her have a change of heart? What was making her so nice? Once making sure her foot was on it, I wandlessly connected it to the printer in the nurse's office.

"Keep still, Miss Winters." I said.

"Okay." she said. I smiled and pressed the button. I could here the photos whiz out of the printer and I went out to collect them. Ah, nothing broken, just some bruises. The next thing measured was her wrist, just a sprain. In any case, I put it in a splint.

"Now be careful on that foot and don't use your wrist too much, okay?" I asked.

"Yeth, Dr. Malfoy. If it'th any contholation, I'm thorry. Not juhtht that I got beat, I detherved it, I'm thorry for thtarting the fight. My parenth are a thore thubject and I gueth I'm jellouth that Potter's parenth died loving her and that mine thtill live and they hate me. They wouldn't even thtop breaking lawth for me. I gueth it'th better here then their, though, and I'm going...I'm going...I'm going to try better in the future. The firtht thing I do ith either dump Marty or turn him around."

"That's good. Look, if it's any consolation, I sort of know how you feel. Back when I was a child, my parents supported a colt called the Death Eaters, men who wanted to kill to stay alive. I and my younger sister never agreed with it and Andromeda was disowned. The only reason I stayed in the family was because the man I loved happened to be the son of a prominent colt member. Andromeda was disowned for marrying a perfectly wonderful man. Our older sister, Bellatrix, is deluded by the nonsense and is absolutely going insane. My cousins were killed by the colt members and their opposition, the Aurora group, and I fear that the colt has not died off for good. It was the leader of the colt that killed Alyssa Potter's parents and attempted to kill her when she was a baby."

"Oh, yeah, I underthtand. It'th like nobody carrth for you anymore."

"Yes, yes it is. Now why don't you head on out. I need to summon my son and his friends."

"Okay. Thank you, Dr. Malfoy." and with that, she was out of the room. I poked my head out and called for them.

"Aiden, Draco, Sarah, in here now."

Aiden's POV:

Oh great, we were in for it now. I could sense that Narcissa could have a really nasty temper if she so desired. Resignedly, we got up and trudged into the room, me leaning on my friends. When we were in, Narcissa shut the door.

"All right, I know who you are so no formalities. Before I start treating you lot I've got something to say. Aiden, I know I'm not your mum or anything but please let me say how foolish it was for you to react like that. I understand it was self-defense but really, you should have got somebody. Draco, Sarah, it was very stupid of you to not get anyone right away. Draco, no Quiddich for a week. I understand of Miss Potter's will to educate you about the Muggle world. Now how about I work on your injuries?" I felt slightly ashamed but glad the chastisement wasn't worse.

"My nose is broken and I've got a few fingers broken." Draco said.

"My right big toe hurts, my left shoulder's dislocated, and I think I have a few cracked ribs." Sarah intoned.

"Hmmm, my right ankle is really twisted, all broken fingers on my right hand, my left wrist is broken for sure, my nose is bruised, if not fractured, I think my left leg has a hairline fracture in the shin, and my arm is really really broken." I said.

"My my, Aiden, what a mess. Ah well, let me just take pictures." Narcissa said. A half hour later we all came out under the illusion Narcissa had cast that we were hurt, that my arm was on a sling and I was on crutches, etc. In actuality, a flick of her wand and we were good as new.

"It's still early, only 9:00, if Leila has no objection you may go on your trip." Narcissa said as we stepped into the hall.

"I do not. However, Sarah, Aiden, this is the last day for the rest of the summer you may be out past six other then your job, Sarah. I expect you home by ten at the latest, Aiden."

"Thank you so much!" I squealed.

"Not a problem." Aunt Leila smiled.

Chapter Nine: Do As the Muggles Do


	6. Aludra Malfoy and the Not-Muggle School

Aludra Malfoy and the Not-So-Muggle School

An attempt to cross HP with Sky High, using an OC twin of Draco Malfoy with, in retrospect, a really ugly name!

Chapter One: Damn Muggles

I sighed as I sank back in my bath. I had screwed up at my posh all-girls magical academy and was being sent to a Muggle school for a year, an _entire_ _year._ Mother and Father would tutor me in magic after school but during the school day I had to act like a stupid Muggle. Muggles, I don't exactly hate them but they get on my nerves. I have zero experience with them. I'm a pureblood in a most noble family, Malfoy, and descended from the most noble and ancient house of Black on Mum's side. My twin, Draco, goes to Hogwarts but Mother and Father felt that I needed to go to a better school and so I was sent to a posh American school, Princeton Magical Academy for Young Ladies. Most of the girls that go their are either very rich, pureblood, or both. The chandeliers in the bedrooms and classrooms have diamonds for god's sake. Their's only a few girls in my year who aren't purebloods. Melanie Jones, one of my three best friends, is a halfblood. Her mother is a Muggle and her father is a wizard. Tiffany Knot is my only pureblood friend at Princeton. She's my brother's friend Theodore Knot's cousin. Emily Wells, another friend of mine is a mudblood, both her parents are Muggles. In America Mudblood is more of a joking taunt then anything. Hell, some Muggle-borns call some of us from old pureblood families like mine mudbloods because inbreeding is common. Mother and Father are pretty tollerant, though, despite outward appearances. Draco's the one who's the prejudice git. Back in his second year he called a girl in Gryffindor, his rival house, a mudblood just because she got on his nerves. He meant it in the insulting sort of way too.

It's not wizards with less then pure blood I have problems with, it's Muggles themselves. They think they know everything and how to solve everything and think that they're always right. Mother and Father say that this school isn't exactly normal, though. The Muggles here have their own weird form of magic enabling them to do different things like fly without brooms or have super strength. How exactly did I screw up so badly to get into such a place? Well I accidentally froze everyone in the cafeteria when someone was trying to pick a fight with me. That's another thing, I've got a right nasty temper, nobody wants to get on my bad side. Also, I'm a metamorphmagus of the highest level where I can even altar my voice and become any species of animal or magical creature. Lastly, the recessive veela gene from both my parents activated on my thirteenth birthday so I'm basically a full-fledged veela.

Mother and Father even say that I can tell these people that I'm a witch because they're "supers", that weird type of Muggle I was talking about. The best part is I get to come home every day. I take a school buss like every other Muggle, well most Muggles. We're living in one of our American manor houses for the year in Washington State on the outskirts of this little town called Maxville. I sighed again and ran my long, elegant fingers through my wet hair.

"Does Mistress Aludra need anything?" asked my personal house-elf Linda as she popped into the bathroom.

"No thanks, Linda. I might need your stylist expertise tomorrow, though. You may go." I said with a smile. Linda bowed and popped out again.

After a few more minutes I got out of the tub and dried off. It was late so I went into my room, got in a nightgown, and went to bed.

The next morning my alarm clock blared out the Wizards Wireless station I had it set too at six in the morning. I groaned and slammed my fist on the snooze button. I hated mornings and everyone who knew me knew that. I drifted off to sleep but was woken up ten minutes later by my alarm clock again. Feeling very annoyed I slammed the snooze button again and drifted off to sleep. Finally, at 6:30, Mother was knocking on my door.

"Allie, Allie, _ALUDRA!"_ she said through the door. "If you don't get up this instant then you won't be able to propperly get ready. The buss picks you up in 45 minutes!"

"Argh! I'm up I'm up!" I grumbled.

"You'd better be!" Mum said sharply before going down the hall. I turned on my magical stereo to my favorite Wizards Wireless station and blasted it before looking through my closet for something to wear. I eventually chose an emerald green top, black capris, and black heeled sandals. I didn't bother with makeup, what veela needs makeup, but put on my silver and diamond watch with the black dragon hide strap. I also put on my silver necklace with the Malfoy family crest, a winged horse taking flight from a valley carved in silver and emerald. I made sure that my ivery wand with the thestral tail hair (the strangest wand Olivander could remember making) was in it's waste holster before I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. After that was done, I looked at myself. I look almost exactly like Mother except I have a few of Father's sharper features. My hair is platinum blonde tinted with gold and it cascades in thick waves down to my waste. My skin is fair and flawless but has a slight tan to it since Mother and I spent the last month of the holidays in the Caribbean. My forehead is high as are my cheeks, my face is altogether aristocratic in shape and has some sharpness from Father which Draco has more of. My lips are full and naturally pink, my nose is just the right size and slightly upturned, my eyes are nicely shaped and ice blue. I'm about five ten and my feet are a size twelve. my legs are long and slender, I have curves in all the right places, my waste is small, my breasts are a solid C cup, and my arms are proportional with elegant, long-fingered hands. I went back out of the bathroom and over to my vanity. What would I do with my hair? I brushed through my soft, silky tresses thinking. I would just leave it down for the day, it always looks good anyway. I spotted a green bandana that matched my shirt perfectly and decided I could at least wear that. Making sure my hair was propperly parted and my bangs swept to the right, I put it on and did the tie. In the two magical mirrors of my three-mirror vanity, my reflection was making different poses.

"Don't you look like the little Muggle?" the mirror asked rhetorically.

"Thanks, mirror." I said dryly as I slung my black L. L. Bean backpack with my full name engraved in emerald green onto my back and flipped my hair so it wasn't being squashed and flattened by it. I then turned my stereo off and went downstairs for some breakfast.

"Morning Mum, Dad." I said a bit sleepily.

"Good morning, darling. Are you excited about your first day at a Muggle school?" Mother asked.

"Maybe, I don't know. I mean I know they're not normal Muggles but still, they're _Muggles."_ I said as I dug into my bowl of banana nut chereos.

"You'll be all right." Father said.

"The buss will be here soon, you had better get out their." Mother said as I finished the last bit of my cereal. "Do you have your little fellytone with you?"

"Mum, it's _cell_ _phone_ and yes, I've got it with me." I said as I felt for my black and silver I-Phone which was secure in a special pocket of my backpack. Mother and Father smiled at me as I got up and went outside our three story manor house. The bus would stop at the end of our street so I first had to go down our stone driveway, through the gates, and down the sidewalk to the corner. I didn't have to wait long before a school bus pulled up. I clambered up and into the rig and the driver shut the door.

"Ron Wilson, bus driver. I don't believe I recognize you. You are?" the driver asked.

"Oh, Aludra Malfoy, you can call me Allie." I said with a smile.

Warren's POV:

I noticed as the bus drove through town that it was going a different rout then usual.

"where are we going?" asked a kid up front.

"New student living in Sunstone Heights." Ron said. Sunstone Heights was the place where the town's most wealthy people lived. As we pulled nearer I saw a figure come out of the largest house on the street and come towards the corner. Oh boy, could this really be the new student? What person would transfer to Sky High as a sophomore except...no...I put the thought out of my mind. Why would a witch or wizard want to go to a Muggle school unless they had some uncontrolable superpower? The buss stopped and the person got on. This "person" happened to be a girl. She was tall and shapely with flowing platinum hair and ice blue eyes. She seemed to have some silver aura about her. She couldn't be a veela could she?

"Ron Wilson, bus driver." Ron introduced. "I don't believe I recognize you. You are?"

"Oh, Aludra Malfoy, you can call me Allie." she said with a smile. Malfoy...Malfoy...I'd heard that name before. Aha! Now I had it. My father had said that Lucius Malfoy was a close friend of his and one of the dark lord's inner circle. Could this be Lucius's daughter? It certainly seemed possible judging by the way she talked, the way she carried herself, and her accent.

Allie's POV:

"Are you British?" Ron asked.

"Yes, sur." I said as I went up the isle searching for a seat. The only one left was next to this guy wearing almost all black with the occasional bit of red. His eyes were black and his hair was black with a lone red streak.

"Sunstone Heights, huh? Far as I know you're the only super who lives their." he said conversationally.

"I'm not a super. Aludra Malfoy, nice to meet you. You can just call me Allie." I said.

"Warren Peace." he said. Peace? Peace? Hmmm, I'd never heard that one before. Then again he was a muggle...but Barren Battle, one of the Death Eaters who Father has had to associate with dated a Super Muggle for a time named Felicity Anne Peace. Was Warren Peace Barren Battle's son? "So what are you?"

"Pardon?" I asked, snapping back to reality.

"_What_ are _you?"_ he asked slowly.

"Not a super, that's all you need to know." I said.

"Then how'd you get in here?" he asked.

"I have certain...abilities. You've asked enough questions for now, it's my turn. Is your mother Filicity Anne Peace?" I asked.

"Yes." he said.

"Is your father a super?"

"Not quite."

"Is your father Barren Battle?"

"Is your father Lucius Malfoy?"

"I asked first." I said.

"Yes he is. Now is your father Lucius Malfoy?"

"The one and only." I said. "So you're either a wizard and a super, a super and a squib, a wizard without any super ability, or a powerless squib which is unlikely." I deduced.

"I'm a super and a wizard. Mom didn't want me going off to some far away school so she figured this would be good enough. She's not a fan of magic, see. I'm a halfblood. Are you a pureblood or what?"

"I'm such a pureblood I'm a mudblood. At my old school we'd joke that if you came from these really old families like the Malfoys or the Blacks then you must be a mudblood for all the inbreeding. My mum's got a cousin whose parents are second cousins. I think Grandfather and Grandmother Black are something like fifth cousins. Mum and Dad are something like tenth cousins. My mum is the youngest Black sister, Narcissa. At least they're not making me marry my twin brother or something, that'd be scary. I could never like Draco like that, that's so wrong on so many levels. So your dad's a Death Eater, a loyal one too." I said more as a statement then as a question.

"Isn't yours?" Warren asked.

"Death Eater yes, loyal no. Mum never took the mark. He's a spy for Albus Dumbledore. By the way, if you tell anyone, especially your father, that I said this _I_ _WILL_ _KILL_ _YOU._ No, I won't just kill you. I'll torture you into insanity like Aunty Bella did to Frank and Alice Longbottom, imperious you to jump off the edge of Sky High's campus, collect your broken body, turn into a basilisk and look into your eyes, avada kedavra you just to be safe, scramble your brains, avada kedavra you again for good measure, and use you for potions ingredients. Do you understand?" As I was saying this the buss was getting quite cold and icicles were forming all over. "Right, I'm a water elemental. Are we flying now?"

"Violent aren't you?" Warren asked.

"A bit, I got booted out of Princeton Magical Academy for Young Ladies for accidentally freezing everyone in the cafeteria when someone tried to pick a fight with me. My brother goes to Hogwarts but instead of sending me here Mother and Father sent me here to manage my abilities. I'm a metamorphmagus too and a light veela. You're a dark veela aren't you? Your mum must have been from a long line of Squibs for the gene to activate. At least we're immune to each other's charm. Sorry for talking so much, I tend to ramble a lot and—com"

"It's okay. I'm a fire elemental by the way." Warren said just as the bus made a bumpy landing on a parking lot in front of an ordinary-looking high school.


	7. Amarante Liilia Potter

Amarante Liilia Potter: The True Heir

An attempt to write a female Harry introduced to magic early through a snake familiar who sought her presence…

Chapter One: Special

Ever since she was a little girl Amarante Liilia Potter knew that she was special, somehow. For awhile she did not know why, all she knew was that she was. Her relatives hated her, that was true, but she honestly didn't give a damn about that. They were easy, she thought, much too easy to manipulate. She played the part of the meek little servent girl perfectly, even acting "scared" of her aunt's glares or her uncle's bellows or her cousin's bullying. Once she found out what exactly it was that made her special the jig was up, as it were.

The events that set the discovery of what made her special began to unfold when she was of the tender age of five, weeding the flower beds.

"Ssstupid humansss! Why can they not let me have a peassseful sssleep? I come here for jussst a bit of shade asss I sssearch for the great sssnake-ssspeaker and defeater of the evil sssnake-lord and what do I get? Sssome idiot human girl upturning the earth right by my resssting plassse!" came a voice from underneath the hydrangea bush Amarante was weeding around.

"Who sssaid that?" the little girl demanded, not realizing that she was speaking the tongue of snakes.

"You underssstand what I am sssaying?" came the same voice as a little green head attached to a snake poked out from under the bush. Amarante glanced curiously at the snake.

"Of courssse! Tell me, how isss it that a sssnake can ssspeak English?" she asked. The snake simply gave off little hisses that sounded like laughter.

"Sssilly girl! I am not ssspeaking your lowly tongue of English, you are ssspeaking the mighty tongue of the sssnakesss. I have been sssearching for you for a long time, human-child. At firssst I sssimply thought that you were just an ordinary human-child, nothing ssspecial, but then you talked to me. And let me get a clossser look...ah yesss...the mark of the sssnake-lord'sss downfall isss upon you. You are quite ssspecial indeed." the snake hissed, flicking its little yellow eyes towards Amarante's lightning-bolt scar right in the middle of her forehead.

"But how can I be ssso ssspecial? I know that I can do thingsss...freaky thingsss that my auntie and uncle sssay that I should not be doing but what are they? And what do you mean by the mark of the sssnake-lord'sss downfall isss upon me? Thisss isss sssimply the ssscar I got when my drunken parentsss desssided to get themssselves killed in a car crash, ssso my relativesss sssay." the child said. The snake reared back in anger.

"A car crash? A _CAR_ _CRASH?_ Asss if! I know that you are very young to learn thisss and it isss a bit hard to handle, Amarante but your parentsss were murdered." the snake hissed sadly. And so over the next several days Amarante was slowly told about the wizarding world and of her place in it. After finding out just what she was and what she could do she became even more confident and cunning. She slowly began to make things better for herself around the house. She got new clothes, a new room, and was allowed to do as she pleased for fear that she would unleash her "freakishness" around the neighborhood.

At the age of six two more important things happened. Firstly, she learned exactly what type of snake her friend was; she was a true-hatched basilisk which were much more powerful then the first-born basilisks created by a toad sitting on a chicken's egg. He could turn his kill glare on and off and adjust its potency, he could change his venom's potency, and he could change his size. Amarante also found out that his name was Cronus. Secondly, she was found by yet another animal. As she was leasurely watering the flowers she noticed a peculiar black bird with bright silver eyes looking at her with the awareness that only Cronus possessed.

"chu lookin' at?" she snapped, glaring at the bird.

"I have come to be your second companion, young human-child. You shall be great someday but only with the right amount of assistance. This is where I come in. I am Eris, the shadow phoenix and I have been sent to assist you in what shall come to pass." the bird spoke in a distinctly female voice.

"Okay...so I can speak _BIRD_ now?" Amarante hmphed. The phoenix merely trilled a laugh.

"No no, little one, we merely share a special bond so that we can understand each other."

"Oh." the young child said, smiling. "All right then."

And so it was that she was _NEVER_ without one of her companions. She proved herself in school to be quite the brilliant, albeit rather unsociable, little prodogy who always seemed to be several steps ahead of the teachers. After she finished first grade it was suggested that she be given an aptitude test which she forced her relatives into agreeing to. What it showed was that she was quite smart and beyond the capabilities of the Whinging Primary staff to handle. Because of this she was given entrance into the county's most prestigious school, Surry Academy for the Gifted in fourth grade. By the time she was in sixth she moved up again into seventh grade when she should have been in fourth.

Finally it was time, the day that Amarante would be getting her Hogwarts letter. She leasurely stretched out in bed and got up.

"Happy birthday, Mara-witch." Cronus hissed, slithering round her neck.

"Thanksss, Cronusss." she hissed.

"Yes, young one, a very happy birthday." Eris trilled.

"Thank you, Eris. So, shall we go downstairs?" she asked. Amarante got a general response of ascent from her two bonded familiars. Cronus wrapped himself around her waste while Eris flew out the window, landing in a tree to keep an eye on Amarante from the outside.


	8. Amaranth: The Unfading Flower

Amaranth: The Unfading Flower

An attempt to write a female Harry who grew up wealthy and rather spoiled by her maternal, magical, grandparents! Triggered by some fic I read once about a rather effeminate male Harry raised by rich Muggle grandparents. (Sigh…)

Chapter One: Mummy's Here

It had been a day since Petunia Erickson-Evans Dursley had found her dratted niece on her front porch, oh the audacity of those people, people like her mother, her sister, and her stepfather. The brat had been crying because of a stupid cut on her forehead, Vernon shut her up right away and they put her in the cupboard under the stairs to forget about. Now, Petunia was in a frenzy. Her mother, Hyacinth Evans, would be coming over that very afternoon to see if Petunia was "treating Rinny right" and Petunia didn't know what to do.

"Vernon, put a fresh nappy on the freak, I don't want my mother seeing her with a dirty one. Also, wash her clothes in the sink or something and make sure their's no blood from that freaky scar on them. Then, you can throw them in the dryer. I have to make sure Dudders knows he's being loved and that this freak isn't any more important." she had barked to her husband.

"Yes, love." Vernon said. He went to the cupboard and yanked the baby girl, who looked freakishly like her mother but with her father's eyes and a freakish scar that was still bleeding, out and plopped her on the kitchen counter. He roughly ripped the baby's nappy, which was filled with feces, off and threw it in the trash. He took a fresh one and slapped it haphazardly on, not even bothering to notice the slight outbreak of diaper rash, not even wiping the child off, and spanking her bottom when she began to cry.

"Shut up you little freak, stop that wailing!" he yelled, ripping off the baby's clothes, filling up the kitchen sink with soap and water, and dumping them in. After making sure that the little black dress was clean, he went into the laundry room and threw it in the dryer. In the meantime, he set the child on the kitchen table to forget about.

Hyacinth Evans did not trust her older daughter, Petunia, with a single thing. Petunia and her whale of a Muggle husband couldn't even raise their pig of a son right, how could they be expected to raise her dear daughter Lily's baby girl, Amaranth? Hyacinth sighed and made sure her emerald green dress was perfectly in place. Her personal house-elf, Rosie, had done her graying dark red hair, so much like her daughter's, in a French twist; Hyacinth didn't trust herself to do such a good job. The Evans estate had twenty house-elves in the main house alone but they were all paid, though reluctantly. Hyacinth was a pureblood, after all, and even families like the Potters and the Prewetts had house-elves. Petunia was a product of a drunken one-night stand with a Muggle, Hyacinth was so ashamed, not because the father was a Muggle but because she had allowed herself to have sex with a stranger, so she handed her off to her father, John Erickson, right after she was born. Petunia became just a silly mistake, Hyacinth was only eighteen when she had her. She moved on and married a pureblood wizard, Luke Evans, and they had Lily when Hyacinth was twenty. Luke was the love of her life. Hyacinth and Luke were both in Gryffindor together. When Lily was three, Hyacinth got a letter stating that John Erickson and his fiance, Matilda Farley, had died in a drunken automobile accident and so she must take in five-year-old Petunia. Petunia and Lily got along well until Petunia's eleventh birthday when no letter came, she was a Squib or a Muggle, however you want to phrase it. Some might call her a Squib because of her pureblood mother but others might call her a Muggle because of her father. Lily got her letter when she was eleven and Lily and Petunia's relationship took a nosedive after that. Freak, Petunia called Lily, it broke her heart. Hyacinth looked herself over once more in the mirror of her bedroom. She gave all her good looks, curtacy of her parents, Matthew Prewett and Rose Greengrass-Prewett, to her daughter Lily except for her eyes. Hyacinth had crystalline blue eyes that always seemed to sparkle. She was not even fourty-two so wrinkles were bearly their and there were onle a few very small streaks of gray running through her otherwise rich red hair. She checked her wand pocket, it was their. With a final glance at the mirror, she left her bedroom and went downstairs.

"Luke, love, I'll be going to my daughter's house. With any luck Rinny will be coming home with me." she said to her strawberry-blonde-haired, emerald-eyed, handsome forty-three-year-old husband.

"All right, Cindy, good luck." he said as he wrapped her in a hug and kissed her. With that said, she left the house. She would respect her daughter's wishes for "normalcy" so she would take the finest car their was, her black luxury limousine. She felt that if the child was distressed appearition would not do.

"Francois?" she called out.

"Yes, mistress Hyacinth?" asked an elf in a fancy tuxedo.

"Can you please do the humanous glamourous charms on yourself and drive me to Petunia's house?" she asked.

"Of course, Mistress Hyacinth." he squeaked. With a snap of his fingers, he looked like a handsome driver with suave black hair and blue eyes.

"Does the mistress be wanting the fanciest car pulled up?" he asked.

"Yes, would you be a dear and do that, Francois?" she asked. The elf nodded and popped out of sight. A minute later a beautiful limousine came up the driveway, looped around the fountain a few yards from the house, and stopped. As Hyacinth neared the back door automatically opened and she stepped in. She settled herself in a comfortable chair and put her designer purse on the plush carpet next to her. The drive to Little Whinging did not take long and Hyacinth was soon getting out.

"Who are you?" a curious neighbor asked as she came around the front.

"Petunia's mother if you must know and I've come to get my granddaughter!" Hyacinth said with an annoyed sigh.

"Granddaughter? But the Dursleys only have a son." the woman said.

"Yes but my daughter, Lily, has a daughter with her husband James. The two of them were murdered on Halloween and my granddaughter was given to Petunia, Merlin knows why." Hyacinth snapped irritably.

"Merlin? You're not a...a...a W-i-t-c-h, are you?" she asked.

"That depends, are you?"

"Yes I am. My daughter, Nymphadora, will be starting Hogwarts in three years time."

"I should have recognized you, Andromeda, you have your mother's good looks." Hyacinth said in refference to Druella Rosier Black, Andromeda Black Tonk's mother.

"Thank you. I never would have expected Petunia to be anything but Muggle." Andromeda said as Hyacinth neared her.

"She is a Muggle...or a Squib, however you want to put it. I'm Hyacinth Evans, Lily evans Potter's mother. Yes, my niece is Amaranth and I fear for her safety in this house. Petunia is resentful of magic because she never got her letter. Petunia was born in the most shameful circumstances, drunken sex with a Muggle after graduation. When her father died I was forced to raise her."

"Oh, I se. She acts as though she has no sister or family whatsoever." Andromeda said.

"Yes well I should get going. God knows how Petunia is treating little Rin." with that, Hyacinth strode up. As she peaked through the front window, she saw a most blood-boyling scene. The girl was in a half-wet dress crying her little eyes out, being slapped and spanked repeatedly by her uncle because her scar was bleeding, and pinched by her aunt.

"Stop that right now you disgusting filth!" Hyacinth yelled as she ran in, taking Amaranth from her disgusting daughter.

"She's the most freaky little freak I ever saw!" Petunia snapped. It was then that Hyacinth noticed the rapidly changing looks of the child, she was a metamorphmagus.

"She is a metamorphmagus and you are scaring her." she hissed. "And I shall be going now with my granddaughter and I will make sure I am her gardian in both worlds!" with that, Hyacinth whirled around and slammed the door in her daughter's face.

Chapter Two: Ten Years Later

Amaranth sighed contentedly as she woke up, she had had the most pleasant of dreams. It was about riding on a white stag who suddenly turned into her papa and swung her around, making her giggle. She had these sorts of flashbacks sometimes, flashbacks of her life before her parents died. She stretched out and let out a wide-mouthed yawn. She then got out of bed and let her bare feet make contact with the fuzzy texture of her ornate bedside carpet and then the cool smoothness of her bedroom's hardwood floor. She padded softly over to the mirror attached to her large walk-in closet and looked at herself. Her hair, naturally, was smooth and always fell perfectly in place. Even if she didn't brush it it would still look good. A round, creamy face with smooth, perfect skin, full, pink lips, a perfectly sized nose, beautiful hazel eyes rimmed with thick, dark lashes, framed with her perfect dark red hair, which went down almost to her waste, looked back at her. She was tall for an eleven-year-old, perhaps around five three or five four. She was slender and fit from years of flying and playing Muggle sports. Currently, she wore a pink silk nightgown.

"Pish-posh for those who say red and pink can not work, I have made it work since I was but a little witchling." her grandmother, Hyacinth, had said many times. With a _crack,_ her personal house-elf, Lilac, with big blue eyes wearing a little pink dress and matching shoes popped in.

"Does Mistress Rinny be wanting a bath drawn?" she asked.

"Sure, Lilac, thank you." Amaranth said, smiling at the over-eager little house-elf. By the time she entered the bathroom, her large, pool-sized tub was filled with water and many of the taps were pouring out different-sized bubbles. As soon as she was out of her nightgown and undies, Lilac popped in and took them away. When amaranth was in the bath, Lilac popped back in again.

Does Mistress Rinny be wanting Lilac to help her with her bath?" she squeaked.

"No, Lilac, I've got it. I'm eleven today, you know." Amaranth said with a chuckle as she stepped into the warm water. "But thank you, this feels good." Then, with a _YAHOO,_ she dove under. After a while of swimming around she got to washing. After about a half hour, she got out and dried off with a fluffy white towel. She went back into her room and saw that a set of baby blue robes and matching shoes were already laid out on her bed.

"Thank you, Lilac." she called out, knowing the bouncy little elf could here her. She quickly got on her robes, shoes, and a beautiful locket that had once been her mother's with lilies engraved onto it. Inside was a picture of her parents with and without her. Her room had tons of pictures of her mother and father. As soon as she sat down at her vanity table and her mirror made some witty comments about her appearance Lilac popped in.

"Lilac be doing Mistress Rinny's hair now." she squeaked.

"You don't have too, Lilac.

"But Lilac is wanting to do Mistress Rinny's hair. Can Lilac be doing that _PLEASE,_ Mistress Rinny?" she squeaked.

"Well...all right then." Amaranth said, closing her eyes. Whenever Lilac does her hair, Amaranth knows to close her eyes. She crossed her perfectly smooth, long, manacured fingers, hoping Lilac wouldn't try anything too outragious. With elf magic, Lilac could manipulate Amaranth's own metamorphmagus powers to do what she wants with her appearance. After about a half hour, Lilac spoke.

"I is being done, Mistress Rinny." Amaranth opened her eyes to see just what was done. Her hair was done in two long French braids that went nearly down to her waste. The ribbons they were done in were the same shade as Amaranth's robes. Other than that, Amaranth looked normal.

"You did a wonderful job, Lilac, thank you." Amaranth said as she hugged the little elf and left the room.

"Happy Birthday!" Hyacinth and Luke chimed as Amaranth glided gracefully into the large, ornate dining hall.

"Thank you Grandmama, Granddad." she said as she plonked down between them.

"What does the master and mistresses be wanting for breakfast?" asked a kitchen elf, Pierre, from behind them.

"I'll take the standard English breakfast, please." Luke said.

"A fruit parfait with some iced tea would be lovely." Hyacinth said to the elf.

"Waffles smothered in syrup and drowned in whipped cream with bacon on the side and a big glass of orange juice, please." Amaranth said to the brown-eyed little elf in the chef's uniform.

"Pierre be getting that right away for Pierre's family, oh yes!" with a _crack,_ the little elf was gone. Minutes later he returned levitating the platters with their individual breakfasts.

"Grandmama, have you seen any owls this morning?" Amaranth asked eagerly.

"Hmmm? Owls for what?" Hyacinth asked, arching a well-sculpted eyebrow at her granddaughter.

"Oh don't be silly, Grandmama, you know what for!" Amaranth said, sighing exasperatedly.

"Hmmm, I suppose so but it's only just nine o'clock, I'm sure that what you're looking for will come soon. In any case your birthday's just begun and you aren't technically eleven until a minute until midnight tonight." Hyacinth said with a smile, Amaranth pouted.

"No pouting, young lady, you know it will come." Luke consoled his distraught granddaughter.

"But Granddad, what if it doesn't? What if I haven't enough magic? What if I'm a Squib like Aunty Prissy...erm...I mean Petunia?" Amaranth asked, her hazel eyes and red hair suddenly cycling through different colors as a habit of nervousness.

"Amaranth Potter a Squib? Oh contraire, I think not. What say you, my husband?" Hyacinth asked with a smile.

"I must agree. Just the fact that right now her hair and eyes are making all colors of the rainbow ought to be enough." Luke agreed.

"And then their was the time that she made her toys chase Lilac round the manor house until the por dear nearly fell with exhaustion." Hyacinth tittered, smiling at her granddaughter who had reverted back to normal.

"Okay okay, I get it I get it, I'm a witch but I just wish it'd hurry up and come. Oh I do hope cousin Ron gets his letter too, I'm glad I'm not the only one in the family to be off to Hogwarts for the first time this year." Amaranth said. She was refering to her second-cousin, Ron Weasley. Lily Evans and Molly Prewett were cousins. Molly had just graduated the year before Lily went to Hogwarts but her two younger brothers, Fabian and Giddian, were in fifth year when Lily entered. Hyacinth's older brother, Christopher, was Molly's father. Both the Prewett grandparents were deceased now. Molly Prewett eventually married Arthur Weasley and had seven children, the first born in 1971, Bill, and the last born in 1981, Ginevra or "Ginny," the only girl. Amaranth was glad to have such a large family she could rely on at Hogwarts.


	9. Among the Oppressed

Among the Oppressed

An attempt to do a story in the Shadow Children universe from the point of view of an OC… yeah… This is a thing…

Chapter One: Caught

One morning I woke up from a strange dream and rubbed my eyes. I looked around my attic bedroom, the only place I had ever slept in. The ceiling, walls, and floor are wood and a lone light is set in the ceiling in the middle of the room. Their are no personal touches for my own safety, just boxes that hold some of my things. On one box sat a pile of books that I had read before. My bed was just a simple twin but comfortable all the same. It's always been this way so Ma and Pa can say it's a guest bed when their's company. I've never left the house, never been to school, all because I'm just a third child nobody but Ma, Pa, Jake, and Ryan know about. I'm illegal, walking outside could mean the deaths of me and my family. I stretched and got out of bed, I'd make it later. I'm twelve,, almost thirteen. My wavy golden blonde hair was mussed from sleep and my almond-shaped ice blue eyes, I could tell, had sleep in the corners. I'm five feet tall, Ma ain't much taller. I sighed and went over to the boxes where I knew my clothes were.

"It'd be too much a bargain to give you a dresser." Ma had explained to me when I was little. I pulled out a pair of socks and underwear, a faded pair of jeans, a light blue T-shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes, quickly getting dressed. I then went into the attached bathroom, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and combed my hair. To keep it out of my face, I pulled it back in a ponytail. I went down the stairs of the attic, across the upstairs hall, and started down the next set of stairs leading into the kitchen.

"No, Liza." Ma said as I poked my head out.

"What? What's goin' on?" I asked, confused.

"Some Population Police officers have been millin' 'round town, we don't wancha seen, Liza." Pa said, my two older brothers, Jake, age sixteen, and Ryan, age fourteen, nodding in agreement.

"What? Population Police? But why'd they be 'round _this_ one-horse town?" I asked.

"We ain't in the know, Liza, 'haps one of the neighbors saw you when you were eatin', maybe their's some other third child 'round here, but you'll have to stay on the stairs, nobody but us can see you." Pa said as Ma gave me a plate of food. I frowned and picked at it, my appetite virtually nonexistent. Just as I was taking another bite of my food their came a bang _bang_ _BANG_ from the door.

"Population Police, open up!" came a voice. In shock, my plate clattered to the floor.

"Hightail it upstairs, Elizabeth, no arguments." Pa ordered. He didn't need to tell me twice. In a flash I was on my feet and running like mad up to the attic. Their was an extremely large box meant just for this sort of thing which I immediately dove into, covering myself with as much junk as possible before the top was covered by Ryan.

"Stay safe, sis, and don't make a sound." he whispered as he left. I could here Pa letting the officers in downstairs.

"What d'you need?" I heard him ask.

"we've come to search your house. We know their are illegals in this neighborhood and we intend to find them all." came a threatening voice.

"Ain't nobody here, sir. Lemme introduce myself. I'm—com" but he was cut off.

"Ross Simon, your wife Carmela, and your _two_ children, Jacob and Ryan. If their are no illegals here then you should have _no_ problem with us searching your house." the officer threatened.

"I ain't gonna let strange folk tear up my house." Ma snapped.

"Now now, Mrs. Simon." said another officer. "Nobody said we would tear up your house. Now that you mention it, would it be _that_ hard to find a little brat being kept secret?"

"All right, men. Stephen, you keep an eye on the family. Chris and I will search the house together." said the first man.

"Yes, Tom." a few other men muttered in agreement. It was then that I heard footsteps and the sound of people rifling through the kitchen, then the living room, the den, the office. Two sets of feet pounded up the first staircase to look through Ma and Pa's room, the master bathroom, Jake's room, Ryan's room, and the hall bathroom. I trembled in fear; what would happen if they found me? One set of feet pounded up to my attic and the door was flung open.

"Well well." the first man, Tom, leered. "Looks like _some_ child left the bed unmade. Who could it be? A little boy? A little girl? Come up here, Chris, this looks promising." The other man came shortly.

"Help me look through all these boxes _now."_ he ordered. All my secrets were in these boxes, my books, my journals, my clothes, my toys. I could here one of the men laugh.

"Haha, listen to this, Tom." came the voice of one of the men, Chris.

"Dear Diry:

I desided to start you 'cause it's boring up here all the time. Mama and Papa say I can't go to skool like Jake and Ryan 'cause I'm an ileagal child. I think the rools for poplation p'lice are dumb and silly; we all ways have plenty of food to eet and I never go hungry, Mama and Papa won't let that happen. Oh well, things will get better, I no they will.

Til next time,

Liza."

"Awe, it's a little _girl_ then." Tom mocked. Good job, Chris, let's keep looking." I could here them going through all the boxes, coming closer and closer to mine. I dug even deeper into the old books and clothes hoping they would not find me though I knew somehow they would. I heard the box top being pulled and saw some light stream in. All the things on top of me were thrown aside and I could see the tanned face of one of the officers leering down at me.

"Found 'er!" he called triumphantly as he grabbed me up by the scruff of my neck.

"Hey...lemme go...lemme _GO!"_ I shrieked. "I ain't done nothin' wrong to ya, lemme go!"

"You've done plenty wrong!" he said, it was Chris. "You were born and you will _pay."_ I wriggled in his grasp as he transfered his tight grip to around my middle but Tom grabbed my feet so I couldn't kick or anything.

"Their ain't nothin' wrong with me. I'm a third child, so what? I think your rules are real stupid. You can't take me away from my home! Ma and Pa'll have kittens and conniptions if ya take me away." I shouted, wriggling in their grasps as they carried me downstairs. Ma was white-faced as they showed me.

"Told you we'd find one; nice job, kid." Tom said. The shocking thing was that he was talking to my own brother, Jake.

"Jake? Oh no ya ain't, ya ain't ya ain't! Ya ain't one of them, ya just _can't_ be one." I said piteously.

"I am. They promised me money and food. Ain't ya proud of me, Ma? Pa?" he asked. His only response was Ma and Pa looking more horrified and Ryan slugging him in the mouth.

"How could you? That's our lil' sis right their and you jus' trade 'er up fer some cash and food? How could you? _HOW_ _COULD_ _YOU?"_ Ryan yelled as they carried me out.

"Mama, Papa!" I called as they threw me into the back of a truck with three other kids, slapped cuffs on my hands and feet, and drove away.

"Sooo, your name's Liza, ain't it?" Tom, my driver, leered through the open window of the truck.

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth Carmela Simon, not that it matters to someone like _you."_ I snapped.

"You're in no position to smart off, brat." Chris, who was in the passenger seat, growled.

"So where are ya takin' me?" I asked.

"To Population Police Headquarters along with these others." Tom said before slamming the window. I adjusted myself so that I was leaning against the truck itself along with one of the other kids, the two others leaning against the tailgate.

"So, um, whatcher names?" I asked.

"Ya are genuine ain't ya?" the girl next to me who had dark brown hair and green eyes, was tall, and looked about my age asked.

"If ya mean a genuine third then yeah. My big bro, Jake, sold me out, I ain't even gotta confess, they saw my journals and everything. I ain't ever left the house before." I said.

"So you've never had a fake ID?" asked one of the boys across from me who looked identical to the boy next to him, both with reddish brown hair and hazel eyes with a smattering of freckles on their cheeks and nose who looked to be about twelve.

"Huh? Oh no. I here they're aweful expensive. Ma and Pa couldn't afford them even in the Black Market." I said with a shrug. "So who are you?"

"I'm Vivian Leigh, they saw me eatin' at the table. I'm eleven and have an older brother and sister. Please, just call me Vivi or Viv." said the girl next to me.

"We're shadows two." said the two boys in unison.

"I'm Brody Kensington." the first boy said. "I'm twelve, a third child, have two older sisters, twins, and my lil' bro here."

"Littler by, let's see, eighteen _seconds!_ I'm Codey, the _fourth_ child which makes me even _more_ special. If you ain't a few flickers short of a candelabra then you can tell we're twins, identical twins.

"Our mom and dad were about to—com" Brody started.

"Get us fake ID's." Cody finished.

"Don't this situation just suck?" Vivi asked.

"I here you." I said with a sigh. The drive seemed to continue forever. The sun got even higher in the sky and my stomach growled, it wasn't as though these _kind_ officers would be giving us any food.

"I reckon it's 'bout noontime." I said with a sigh.

"Probably." the twins chirped. It was then that the window slid open.

"Yall _hungry?"_ Chris leered through it. No answer came except for the growling of Vivi's stomach. Chris smirked and slammed the window.

"Sorry, I ain't eaten since dinner when they found me." Vivi said.

"Dinner? But ain't yall from my Neighborhood?" I asked.

"Nuh-uh." the twins chirped.

"They picked us up in Pennsylvania yesterday morning." Brody said.

"Good ol' Philly." Cody added.

"Yeah, and I'm from Lynchburg Virginia." Vivi said.

"I 'spect they'll be driving all the way to California, that's where Headquarters is." I said.

"How d'you know that?" the twins asked.

"I have a radio and I watch the news with Ma and Pa in the evenings. Plus, I can read." I said. "Um, I din't mean to insult ya by sayin' ya can't but, well, ya never know."

"None taken!" my three new friends said.

Chapter Two: Headquarters

The drive seemed to take forever. Every few hours they'd stop the truck and eat some delicious-looking food but we didn't get even a bread scrap. Eventually we fell asleep when it was dark but all of us woke up early.

"Ugh, I'm _STARVIN!"_ I moaned.

"Don't be like that, Liza, you ain't starvin' yet." Vivi admonished.

"Yeah but if I got the chance I'd be fixin' for some nickin." I said mischievously.

"You _WOULDN'T."_ Vivi said, horrified.

"Relax, Viv. I ain't sayin' I wouldn't if I really _was_ starvin', though." I said.

"Agreed." the twins chimed. Vivi hmphed and fell silent.

The drive lasted, in total, three days. They eventually pulled up in a parking lot in front of a large building. The three men got out and started talking.

"Stephen, you take them doubles. Chris, you take the Leigh girl and I'll take the Simon girl." Tom ordered. A chorus of "yes, sir" came before we were each yanked up and out of the truck. Stephen, the big, brawny one, was able to take the twins without much effort but _boy_ did they fight. Brody, or was it Cody, even bit him in the throat. I fought just as hard but Vivi didn't do anything at all.

"Vivian Leigh, what the hell are ya doin'?" I yelled. "Fight, damn it, _FIGHT!"_

"They'll punish me for it, that's how they work. The more ya flail 'bout the harder they'll flog ya later."

"How d'you know all this stuff?" I hollered.

"My ma and pa, they were officers." she said. "Didn't...feel much like dealin' with me any more." I stored this in my memory to ask her later. With my bound feet, I kicked hard at Tom's coveted bits and fell to the ground. My jeans were torn open but I didn't care. I got to my feet and bunny-hopped a few steps before another officer caught me. I nailed him with a double back punch with my cuffed hands and was free again. I saw one pull out a gun sort of thing and shoot it at me. A twinge of pain registered before I fell into darkness. I woke up what seemed like hours later in a very dark room. I could make out four masses against the wall as I sat up. Lo and behold, my hand and feet bindings were gone leaving my wrists and ankles red, raw, and painfully itchy.

"Welcome to the land of the living." the twins chimed from somewhere in the darkness.

"How long have I been out?" I asked groggily.

"bout an hour. Welcome home, Elizabeth." Vivi said.

"Gee thanks, Viv." I said with a sigh.


	10. Autumn Wind

Autumn Wind

An attempt to write a half-vampire female Harry, with custody of Teddy, moving to Forks. It gets way too soap opera, with a pregnancy with an unknown father… Fred Weasley, or Lord Voldemort…? Yeah… I went there… AWKWARD!

Chapter One: Away

"Don't go, Layla, please!" one of my best friends, Hermione Granger, begged.

"We'll miss you, mate!" Ron Weasley, my second best friend said.

"Yeah, we need you!" Ginny Weasley, another best friend, said in agreement as yet another best friend, George Weasley, nodded mutely. George didn't talk much these days, not since Fred had been killed. Just the thought of Fred brought me unbearable pain. He had been my love, my life, and he was gone. He was gone, Sirius was gone, Dumbledore was gone, Severus Snape was gone, Collin Creevy, Daphne Greengrass, Terry Boot, Lavender Brown, Remus and Tonks leaving Teddy an orphan and Andromeda Tonks, who had already lost her husband, heartbroken.

"Look, guys, I have too. I just need some time to get away. All these places, Hogwarts, the Burrow, Grimmald Place, they hold too many painful memories. It's a quaint little coastal town in the US called Forks...the climate in Washington state, so I've heard, is kind of like England. Andromeda is too deep in grief to raise Teddy, she's signed the papers and I'm his guardian, I'm his godmother anyway. It'll be a great place for him to grow up...a great place for my unborn child to grow up."

"Fred's child!" Ron said quietly.

"It's either Fred's or the psycho's!" I said with a sigh. Yes, a psycho indeed. I had gone to the Forbidden Forest to sacrifice myself, to put everyone under a protection like Mum had done for me. The killing curse hadn't worked and sent me in a limbo where I could choose life or death, I had chosen life. It hadn't worked partly because Voldemort had used some of my blood in his rising anchoring me to life and because I'm half vampire. My dad, James Potter, was changed when he was seventeen in 1987. That was at the end of his sixth year. He and my mum were dating when that happened but she still stuck with him even though she was his singer. He became a vegetarian, an animal-drinker. He came back as head boy, or rather, head vampire, in seventh year, having really good control over his bloodlust. Mum and Dad were married in May of 1988, right after graduation, and had their honeymoon in June. That's when they first had vampire-human sex. Mum became pregnant with me at the end of the month. It was like one day their was no bump and the next day their _was._ I grew really fast after that and all my kicking and flailing about really hurt her. After awhile I could here them speaking about me and how Mum was getting weaker. Mum's gift was to be able to read the minds of those who she is close with. I remember my time inside the womb and thinking that I didn't want to hurt her. I tried to stay as still as possible to not break anything more. Mum and I often had interesting conversations about magic and about Dad, about the Marauders and about vampires. She started drinking cups of animal blood to keep me and her alive. As she got stronger I got stronger. Eventually I had to break out and used my teeth, I was ready to be born a mere month after I was conceived. And so I was born on July 31, 1988. It almost killed my mum and I felt incredibly sick with myself. Though I was the size of an infant my mind was far older and more mature. Dad bit her, I bit her, and she changed. I had both my parents back. Unfortunately, exactly three months later, Voldemort came. He knew that my parents were vampires so he didn't just hit them with the killing curse. He reductoed my father and insendioed the pieces so he couldn't come back. Mum stood in front of me to protect me. He used the same blasting and fire spells leaving Mum, like Dad, in a pile of ashes.

"You can use the killing curse if you want done with me, I'm half human, after all." I said in my tinkling baby voice. By two weeks I could walk, by three I could talk, and by four I could read Tennyson and Shakespear. I understood that the killing curse could not kill me partly because of what I was and partly because Mum died for me. At least I was able to figure that out in my near-hysterical baby half-vampire brain.

"Silly child, you will be gone just like your filthy bloodsucking leaches!" he had hissed. Then, in a flash of green, the curse hit me right in the middle of my forehead giving me my lightning-bolt scar. I saw his body destroy itself, felt a searing pain, and then fell unconscious. I was then taken to my relatives' house and left on the doorstep. I could have left but where could I go? I understood the blood wards so I let my human aunt yank me inside in the morning. It was actually funny to have my baby cousin pinching and poking me because it didn't hurt. I didn't even mind my cupboard, I was already adept in wandless magic. By this point I was physically about a year old. By 1989 I was physically three, by 1990 I was physically about six and by 1991 I was physically nine. That's when I got my Hogwarts letter. I stopped aging permanently in 1993 when I was physically about fifteen or maybe sixteen. I'm almost as pale and sparkle almost as much in the sun. I need to go hunting as much as Mum and Dad did but always drink animal blood like them. I am venomous, I found that out by a test, and do have bloodlust, it's just a little easier to control but the war had really tested my control. Also, I'm just about as hard, fast, and strong as full vampires and have all the increased senses. I've got blood in me but not that much. My eyes are bright emerald green like Mum's were when she was human. I am considered just as "beautiful" with just as much of a melodic voice as any other vamp. I have a vampiric gift as well, two, actually. Firstly, when I come upon any vampire with a gift, I can copy it and keep it as my own. I currently have all the gifts of the Volturi having ran into them last fall and Mum and Dad's gifts as well. Dad could do mild mind control and Mum, like I said, could read minds of people she knew. Dad was also very fast, even for a vampire, and Mum's brain seemed unusually expanded even as a vampire. My second gift is inner sight. I'm a seer, a damn good one at that, and I can look at what's happening in the present somewhere else, look into the past, and see the possible futures. Lastly, I have all the mental advantages and I don't have to sleep though I do enjoy at least seven hours a week. Anyway, thinking that I was dead, Voldemort did the Cruciatus curse on me and proceeded to rape me. It had taken all that I had to not scream, not move a muscle even with my vampire ability to stay still as a statue. I had defeated Voldemort later that night. Earlier that night, before I sacrificed myself, Fred and I had done it, we'd had sex. It wasn't our first time, our first time was after the Yule Ball in fourth year, but we were afraid that we wouldn't get to do it again. It had been a month later, two weeks before my birthday, that I had found out the life-changing news, I was pregnant. At first I was resentful and depressed, I had what could either be Fred or Voldemort's child inside me. After awhile I vowed to _NEVER_ let this child turn out like it's father if it was Voldemort's and to let their father's legacy live on if it was Fred's.

"You're dead set, aren't you?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, yeah I am. I swear I'll owl you and talk to you every day." I said sincerely.

"You'd better!" Hermione and Ginny both said as they hugged me.

"So you got a nice place?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, it's one of the old Potter manors. I've had it remodeled by wizarding contractors and purchased all I'll need. Griphook has helped me with my investments lately, you know he's my estate manager. Muggles will think the clearing it's in is an acre but it's magically expanded to be one hundred. Their's pastures and corrals as well as an indoor and outdoor arena, a huge barn, a pond, a beautiful outdoor pool area with a rock waterfall and gazebo, a beautiful garden for the herbology and potions nut in me, three greenhouses, a garage for all my mechanical toys, and the house is three stories. I haven't seen it yet but that's the main description. All Muggles will see is an acre clearing with a pool in the back yard and a detached garage. The house will be the same. It's kind of out in the woods too, just out of town. I'll have you guys floo over once Teddy and I are settled!" I said. My friends all grinned. "Look, I'll see you later!" I said with a smile as I appearated from the Burrow to Grimmald Place. Andromeda Tonks was in the kitchen making food when I appeared. She smiled sadly at me as I picked Teddy up from his high-chair.

"Please don't be a stranger, Layla. If you ever need a sitter, just floo me." Andromeda said. I smiled at the kindly witch, the only decent Black descendant other then Sirius, Tonks, and, of course, Teddy.

"Don't worry. I'm thinking I'll find a job somewhere, not that I need one. I'll make _sure_ you're in Teddy's life as much as possible! And don't worry about full moons, I've got forests around my house for when I have the wolfsbane potion and a padded room in the basement for when I run out. Good thing I've got a vampy mind, huh? I'm glad you trust me to raise your grandson, Andi."

"I couldn't think of anyone better. You know, before I met Remus and you I didn't think much of those with certain...um...conditions...but I'm glad I'm out of that lingering Black belief now. You certainly are interesting, maybe unique, but nobody could raise him better."

"Conditions? Please, Andi, Teddy has a furry little problem is all and I have a bit of a blood problem. I suppose I am a bit strange, though, the first elemental in a thousand years, a metamorphmagus, animagus, girl-who-lived, I've faced Voldemort seven times, I'm half vampire, and I'm pregnant with either Fred's or Voldemort's child. That just makes me more unique." I said with a smirk. Andromeda nodded.

"So are you appearating to your new home in the states or are you taking an arrow-plane?"

"I can't appearate, their's wards preventing inter-country apparition. Yes, I'll be taking an airplane. Don't worry, though, they're pretty safe." I said at Andromeda's worried expression.

"Okay...but you should feed him a calming draft and take a nausea-relief draft. Your stomach might not be able to handle the flight." Andromeda said. I bade her goodnight and went up to the room that Hermione, Ginny, and I had shared when this was Order headquarters. I put Teddy into his transfigured crib and kissed him good-night on his forehead. He giggled and his grey eyes from Tonks and sandy hair from Remus became big and blue and wavy and blonde. That's one thing little Teddy and I have in common, he's a metamorphmagus too, just like his mum and I don't mean me, I could never be his real mum. Nymphadora Tonks was a metamorphmagus, not to the extent I was but still powerful. I sighed and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. I looked in the mirror at myself. My emerald green eyes looked back at me. My unruly hair, incorrigible as ever, went in curls and tangles down to my waste. If I stay normal, I never change my hair, it's a part of me. It's one of the things Fred loved most about my looks. We were pranksters, witty, if Fred and George were Yin and Yang I was their Zing and their Zang. Fred and I were like Yin and Yang, we complemented each other. He had smooth fiery red hair while mine is midnight black with red streaks from Mum and a mess, he had warm brown eyes sparkling with mischief while I have eyes of cool emerald, he was broad and muscled while I'm muscled but quite petite, he was handsome, well-defined, and strong while I'm considered beautiful with my curves in the right spots, 36 B cup breasts, and creamy skin, "My little pixie", he called me, he was six feet tall while I'm just five feet. I had lost my yang, my other half, and felt as though I'd never get it back. At Bill and Fleur's wedding, he had proposed to me. I had said yes on the spot and he had given me the most beautiful emerald ring set in white gold. These days my hair tends to fall limp and dull on it's own accord and my eyes turn inky black. I was broken, would I ever be healed?

I broke myself out of my musings and shut off the taps before going to my room, getting into some PJ's, and crawling into bed. I had better sleep because tomorrow Teddy and I would catch our flight, tomorrow would be a long day.

The next morning I woke up feeling pretty refreshed and went to take a shower before Teddy woke up. That was one great thing about Teddy, he slept remarkably well through the night for a six-month-old baby boy. I got out of my hot, steamy shower and toweled myself off before doing the rest of the drying with a flick of my original wand, the Elder Wand being tucked securely into the bag Hagrid had given me. I went out of the bathroom and opened the closet door to find the outfit I had prepared. It was a black skirt that went a little past my knees, a black long-sleeved top that had a bit of a swoop in the neckline, a set of nude nylons, and a pair of black Versachi two-inch heels. Black seemed to bee the only thing that I liked wearing these days, nothing else fit my mood. I sighed and got dressed. I then gently clasped the white gold heart shaped locket with a lily engraved in the center with pictures of my parents alone and with me inside that my father had given my mother around my neck and the white gold Layla necklace that Fred had given me that fell right below the heart before putting what were Mum's favorite white gold hoops in my first earhole and the emerald earrings Dad had given Mum when I was born in my second earhole. I then put the white gold charm bracelet Fred had given me with the broom, book, skiving snack box candy, cat, stag, LP, FW, heart, phoenix, and panther charms on my left arm. The bracelet also had a charm that changed depending on what I was feeling. Today their was the sad, frowny face again. I clasped my dad's old white gold watch on my right wrist. All the Jr. Marauders have one, they can communicate with each other. They have a stellar watch setting, a Muggle watch setting, a setting that shows where loved ones are, and, as said, the communication setting. I put Mum's diamond engagement ring on my right index finger and Dad's engagement ring on my left index finger before putting the engagement ring from Fred, emerald in a white gold setting, on my left ring finger, I couldn't take it off, it was too soon. I then put the ring showing me as Lady Potter-Black-Evans-Peverell-Gryffindor Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw-Slytherin-Merlin on my right ring finger. Lastly, I grabbed up my black Coach purse with all the documents I needed and set a pair of Coach sunglasses on top of my head. They held back some of my hair from my face but I made sure they were not holding my bangs away from my scar. Teddy was just starting to wake and I walked over to him, picking him up from his crib. His appearance had changed a lot in his sleep and he now looked rather silly with turquoise hair and purple eyes. I laughed and changed him back to normal with a flick of my wand. I also cast a metamorph locking charm so he couldn't change how he looked in front of Muggles.

"Good morning, Crescent!" I cooed to the baby. Crescent was the nickname I had given him since he was half werewolf and half metamorphmagus technically. He had taken on all the traits but I still called him Crescent. The baby boy babbled somberly as I changed his diaper and put him in a pair of white socks and sneakers and a pair of denim overalls with a red shirt. He knew something was wrong, he knew that his parents were gone and not coming back. It had been nearly two months but he still wasn't acting like a little baby should.

"We'll be okay, pup, just you wait." I said to him. "We're getting a fresh start now and we'll be okay." Teddy smiled a dimpled smile and hugged me close as I headed downstairs. All of Teddy's and my things were at the new house, we just had to get their. At the foot of the stairs I found Ron, Hermione, George, Ginny, and Andromeda.

"We just wanted to say goodbye!" Ron said. "We'll miss you, mate." Then, shock beyond shock, Ronald Weasley, the Weasley who Hermione, Ginny, and I pegged as having the emotional range of a teaspoon, hugged me. The only people he ever liked to hug were girlfriends he had had. I hugged back, though somewhat awkwardly, because I still had Teddy on my left hip.

"You'd better write and floo and call and...oh I'll miss you!" Hermione said tearfully as she hugged me. A few tears leaked down my own cheek. Crying was something I almost never did for when I was younger I thought crying conveyed weakness but I now know that their's nothing wrong with it.

"Who will be with me to gag at Bill and Fleur's mushiness? Who will be around to help stop Ron and Hermione arguing like a married couple? Who will be around to help us help George?" Ginny asked as she hugged me.

"Miss you, Nightshade!" George said quietly as he laid a hand on my shoulder. Nightshade is my Marauder name. I love the night now more then ever and am a black panther animagus.

"You take good care of Teddy, Layla, and I'll miss you too!" Andromeda said as she hugged me and kissed Teddy.

"I'll miss you all too. I swear you'll here from me at least once a week. I'll be around, just not as much as usual. I'll see you all soon!" I said. Then, gathering my wits about me, I opened the front door and stepped into the bright sunshine, bringing my shades down over my eyes.

Chapter Two: The Flight

I smiled at the car on the street in front of Grimmald Place, Griphook had done well. It was a black Ferrari with creamy black leather seats and tinted windows. I opened the back door and put Teddy in his car seat before going around to the driver's side and getting in. The Ferrari came to life with a purr and I pulled away from Number Twelve.

The drive to London's airport took about a half hour. Our flight would leave at noon and we had to bee their by ten. I parked my car in the parking lot before getting out and unstrapping Teddy. With a muttered shrinking spell, my car looked like a very impressive Hotwheels. I opened my purse and pulled out the bag containing the Elder Wand among other things and put it in before drawing it shut again. I pushed my sunglasses up onto my head and adjusted Teddy in my arms before starting towards the entrance to the airport. People looked at me appraisingly as I walked past them and got in line at the continental Airlines counter. I looked elegant, almost business-like, and very rich. However, their was the fact that I had a six-month-old baby boy in my arms.

"He yours?" asked a woman in front of me who looked to be in her mid fifties with an American accent. She stared down at me through square spectacles with sharp black eyes.

"My godson, actually. His dad was my dad's best friend in school, one of them. His parents were murdered in June and his grandmother cannot take care of him. He's six months old." I explained.

"The poor child! How old are you?" she asked me. "You seem far too young to be country-hopping with a child."

"I know I look like that. Actually, I just turned eighteen at the end of July." I said. The funny thing was that I was about half that, my birthday had actually been my tenth.

"But what must your parents say?" she asked as the line inched forward. A pang reverberated in my heart as I thought of the parents I barely _new._ For the second time that day tears came to my eyes. I blinked them back and answered her.

"Nothing, they're dead, have been since I was three months old. They were murdered, I almost died. My mum lost her life to protect me."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry!" the woman said sympathetically, her once sharp eyes turning more kind.

"It's okay...it isn't as though it's the last time I'll ever see them now is it?" I asked rhetorically.

"I'm afraid I didn't catch your name, dear, what is it?" she asked.

"Layla, Layla Jamie Potter. And what, pray tell, is yours?" I asked.

"Cadence Hallaway!" the woman said. I nodded and smiled. After Cadence was done with checking in, I stepped up.

"That all you have?" asked the clerk.

"Yup! Everything I need is already at my new house." I said.

"You seem far too young to be traveling internationally. Are you still a minor?" the clerk asked.

"Turned eighteen last month!" I said. The clerk merely nodded. Yes, I was still _technically_ a minor but really, why would I tell him that? Check-in went quite smoothly and Teddy and I were soon heading towards security and customs. That went well and their was still forty-five minutes before the flight left. Feeling quite a bit more hungry then usual, I decided to go to a coffee shop. I ordered myself a vente chi latay and a slice of lemon pound cake. Before chowing down, I got a bottle of formula laced with calming draft out of my bag and cast one of the few wandless spells I knew, a warming charm, on it and fed Teddy. When he drank all that I knew he could, I put the empty bottle in my purse and enjoyed my breakfast. As I finished, a stench wafted up to me from the innocently smiling baby in my lap.

"Teddy, ugh!" I said as I wrinkled my nose in fake disgust.

"He really can't help it, you know!" said a young woman with a baby on her hip. I frowned at her as I stood up.

"I'm just teasing around!" I said.

"Such a thing is not good for a child's psychological well-being!" she said, damn American.

"I'm his godmother, I'm supposed to make things better for him, to make him laugh. It's what his parents would have wanted." I said.

"Godmother? How old are you, kid, fifteen?" she asked.

"Just turned eighteen. His father was my dad's best friend back in school and his mother was a good friend of mine." I said.

"Was?" she asked.

"They're dead, were murdered last June. And before you ask my parents are dead too, they were killed when I was three months old. Also, I'll thank strangers to keep their psychological mumbo-jumbo to themselves and not try to teach others how to parent!" I snapped.

"Moody, hmm? You wouldn't happen to be pregnant, would you?" she asked.

"It's no business of yours!" I spat out angrily.

"Was it a boyfriend? A one night stand? Were you drunk?" she rattled off.

"No, no, and _NO!_ For your information, this child within me either was _NOT_ conceived willingly and with my consent or is the child of my fiance who was murdered the same night as I was unwillingly made to have sex by one of my offender's thugs!" I growled out.

"Oh...I'm so sorry...I didn't know...I shouldn't have pried..." the woman stammered.

"_YOU_ _HAD_ _BETTER_ _BE!"_ I exploded before I strode quickly away, tears burning the back of my eyes.

I went into the womens' restroom and put Teddy on the changing table. I pulled down his overalls and took off the diaper, throwing it in the trash. I wiped off his rear, thanking God above that he had decided not to spray, and put a fresh diaper on before replacing his overalls. I checked my watch to see that I had just ten minutes to get to my gate. I scooped Teddy up and ran at human speed through the airport reaching the terminal just in time.

I got into my first class seat and put a slightly squirmy Teddy in the special child's seat next to me. My seat, thankfully, was a window seat. I wasn't sure what I'd do if I was in economy class, had a middle seat, or was in the middle isle of the plain. As more humans boarded, their scents came poring through my nostrils, all sorts of scents. It was then that it hit me, I'd have to spend thirteen hours on a plane with more then fifty humans, _joy!_ Much to my surprise, the one that sat in the isle seat on Teddy's other side was none other then Cadence Hallaway.

"You're going to Seattle too?" I asked.

"Yes, yes I am. I live in Tacoma." she said with a smile. She then took out a wooden stick and pointed it at everyone near enough to here us, I was shocked.

"You're a witch?" I asked.

"Yup! I didn't recognize you at first but I caught a glimpse of your scar and realized you weren't any ordinary Muggle. So this is Teddy Lupin? I feel so sad for him, having his parents die in the final battle."

"Yeah...they were awesome. His dad was one of my dad's best friends and his mum was a great auror." I said with a sad sigh.

"I see. I hope you don't mind me asking...but...are all the rumors true? Was Remus Lupin a werewolf? Are you the first elemental since the founders? Are you really half vampire? You're just ten years old? And, not to sound nosy...are you really pregnant with the child of either he-who-must-not-be-named or Fred Weasley, your fiance who was killed by a Death Eater?" Cadence asked me.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. I'm coming to Forks Washington to get away from things, their's too many painful memories. My fiance, Fred Weasley, was killed in the final battle as you know. It...it's still hard...to think about him...you know..." I trailed off.

"I understand, dear. This war has been hard on everyone involved." Cadence said as we put our seat belts on. The flight attendant and the pilot got on the intercom and started spouting some drivel about safety precautions and other nonsense which I tuned out. The plain then started to go forward on the runway, I smiled in exhilaration. I didn't bother taking a nausea draft, I wouldn't need it. This was my first time on a Muggle plane but how much different could it be from flying a broom? The plain went up into the air and I soon found my stomach doing flip-flops as it hit several air bubbles. My vampire stomach was usually strong but my body had been acting strangely since I had become pregnant.

After a few hours Teddy fell asleep. I, of course, was wide awake. I had taken my seat belt off a long time ago and was reading four years worth of high school text books. I hadn't made up my mind on whether I'd go to Muggle high-school or not but it was a good idea to read up on what they knew. I also studied out of my Spanish, French, and Quilute dictionaries reading about a page per second.

"You certainly read fast don't you?" Cadence commented.

"Vampire trait!" I said with a smile. Partly because I was feeling a bit thirsty and partly to quench my temptations, I riffled through my bag and unwrapped a blood pop, chicken-flavored, and popped it into my mouth.

"Blood pop?" Cadence asked.

"Yup!" I said as I popped the P. I really liked Cadence, she treated me as a person but not as the girl-who-lived. "Chicken!"

"Chicken?" she asked.

"Yup! Really, to me anyway, it's just as sweet as chicken broth and it helps me keep control. These are a poor substitute for the real thing but they're a good snack!"

"Ah, that's nice!" Cadence said. After I was done with my blood pop, I pulled out the new HP laptop I had purchased and decided to surf the web. I eventually logged on to Netflicks and watched a few movies before going into Microsoft Word and writing a song.

Up in the sky,

Here I fly,

I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

I'm just sittin' here,

Wishin' you were near,

I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

Not a day has gone past,

That I don't once look back,

I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

You completed my life,

While we were like day and night.

You made me laugh; you made me smile; and I thought we'd have forever;

But now you're gone; you won't come back; Fate must think he's so clever,

But I'm still thinkin' 'bout you—-

Nothing else really came to my mind right then so I sighed and closed the laptop, putting it in my bag.

"That's lovely, dear!" Cadence commented.

"Thanks, it helps some, I grieve for Fred in this way. I think I've cried more these last few months than I have in my entire life, babyhood excluded." I told her. She nodded sympathetically. About twenty minutes later, I felt the plane start to make it's descent. A flight attendant came over the intercom and said we'd be landing in a half hour. I put my tray in the upright position and shook Teddy awake. He blinked sleepily at me and yawned cutely. I could smell that poopy diaper smell again, I'd have to change him before we took the plane to Port Angeles. The plane landed gently and I stood up, picking my purse up and putting it on my shoulder before picking Teddy up. I strode out of the plane and to the terminal. I located the nearest bathroom and changed Teddy's diaper. After that, I rushed to the gate where the little plane that would take us to Port Angeles would be. The plane came a few minutes later and Teddy and I boarded. It was so small that their wasn't even a first class, my seat, however, was in the front row. I settled Teddy in his seat before sitting myself down. After the plain was in the air, I brought out another bottle of formula, just regular, and fed it to Teddy.

"Cute kid!" said a young woman across the isle from me who looked very pregnant.

"Yeah, he is. He knows it too don't you, Teddy?" I asked as I tickled my godson.

"He doesn't look much like you, he takes after his father?" asked the young man next to the woman, her husband it seemed.

"No, both of his parents. He's my godson, his parents were killed in June. We're starting fresh here in the states." I said.

"Ah, you're engaged I see!" the woman said with a grin. It took all I had to keep my eyes green.

"I was...Fred died with Teddy's parents, it was a murder. Death always messes up my life, I'm Fate's favorite plaything, I think. Before you ask I'm eighteen and my parents cannot say anything about this because they're dead, they were murdered when I was three months old, Mum died...died to protect me. Forks is a nice town, good for raising children...my big mouth...arg!" I mentally kicked myself with vampire strength, all I needed was for more people to find out I was pregnant. It was inevitable, I supposed.

"Children?" they asked.

"Is it your dead fiance's?" the wife asked.

"Maybe...it's either the child of the man who murdered my parents or my fiance's child. Fred and I...wel, you know...the same night before I was...well...you get it. It wasn't my choice to have sex with the man who murdered my parents." I said. They looked sympathetic. The rest of the plane ride passed in silence and we soon landed. I picked up my purse and Teddy and got off the little plane. Griphook had said that a car would be waiting for me.

Chapter Three: A New Home

I walked out of the small airport and saw a car identical to the one in my purse except the steering wheel was on the left side. It would be 3:00 AM in London but it was still light here. I did the split-second mental math to figure out that it was 7:00 PM here. I put Teddy in his car seat and then got in the driver's seat. Griphook had given me the exact directions to my new home so I sped off towards Forks.

The drive was about 45 minutes and I found myself turning left on a gravel driveway. I drove back about a quarter of a mile before the trees gave way to a neat pasture on either side and then another. The driveway had a loop in front of the house with a fountain and two smaller car paths led to the left where the barn was and to the right where a large garage that would hold ten cars was. I took the path to the right and went in through the giant garage door, parking in the spot to the very left. I shut off the car and got out with Teddy in my arms. I went out and down the car path to the grand double doors of my house. The house was three stories and made of light granite. The doors were oak and carved with the Potter crest, half the crest was on the left door and half was on the right, the steps leading up to them were the same granite as the house and their was a small front porch. . I went up the five steps and crossed to the door. I took the key out of my purse and unlocked the door. I stepped into a grand foyer with marble floors and smooth granite walls. Their was a marble staircase on each side of the foyer curving up to the second floor where you could look down into the foyer. High above on the ceiling hung an ornate gold and crystal chandelier whose candles were lit and cast a golden glow on the foyer and the floors above. With a _crack,_ a wizened old house elf popped in front of me making Teddy jump.

"Does Mistress need anything?" it was Kreacher, the house elf that I used to hate with a burning passion.

"Could you please give us a tour, Kreacher?" I asked him. He nodded and beckoned me forward. He led me first to a large kitchen where twenty-five Potter-owned house-elves were bustling away. All of the appliances were stainless steel and their was plenty of counter space. Their were two industrial refrigerators, dishwashers, and sinks while their were four industrial-sized ovens and stoves. The counters were granite and the floor and walls were the same as the foyer. Their were also two stainless steel microwaves, toasters, waffle irons, and espresso machines. On one wall was a huge stone fireplace. Their was also a small white table with four chairs. Kreacher then led us to the next room, a small informal dining room. The floor was of light cherry wood while the paneling, table, and chairs were a little darker. Their was a beautiful stained glass window in the back of the room letting in bits of different colored light. On the ceiling hung a chandelier of different-colored crystals. The table was big enough for ten people. The next room was a formal dining room. It had twenty tables that would fit ten people each and their were five ornate crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the golden fire of the candles flickering invitingly. The floor was made of beautiful stone in blue and white patterns and the wall was light blue. Two stained glass windows graced the back wall. Kreacher then led me to a grand ball room that would hold many people. The floor was a light cherry wood and the walls were a bit darker. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky outside. Several ornate chandeliers were scattered throughout the ceiling. In one corner was a large Muggle stereo. In the front middle of the room was a stage for a live band and on the right was a door that led backstage. Creature led me into that room which showed a stone fireplace and several comfortable-looking chairs. Their were wooden torches on the walls in each corner of the room. A bathroom was behind it with a toilet and sink. The little elf then led me back out of the room backstage and out of the ball room. The next room was a casual living room. The walls and carpet were cream colored and the chairs and couches were made of pale wood with cream appolstrey. Two bay windows showed the view of the pool with the rock waterfall and of the gazebo. A white set of French doors led out onto the pool patio. Their was a large, white stone fireplace. On a few tables in the corners and by the couches and chairs were torch lamps with lit flames dancing merrily. The next thing he showed me was a large Muggle laundry room with five washers and five dryers. The floor was a simple linoleum and the walls rough stone. Five house elves were their to greet me. The last thing he showed me was a small half-bathroom with a toilet and a sink. The floor was of simple white and yellow tile and the walls were yellow to match some of the tiles on the floor.

Kreacher then led me up to the second floor where their were ten bedrooms. Seven of them were much the same with cherry floors, white washed walls, gold chandeliers, and cherry furniture sets including a dresser, bed, and bed-side tables with connected closets, granite balconies with two white wicker chairs and small wicker tables, and simple bathrooms with a sink, toilet, and shower/bath combos but three of them were different. The first one was a simple, undecorated nursery with cherry floors, white walls, a cherry crib, changing table, and rocking chair. It had the same balcony as all the other rooms. "For mistress's baby!" Kreacher had said. Their was a simple chandelier on the ceiling. The next room was adorable. Their was soft, light blue carpet underfoot and the walls were darker blue with little stars and moons scattered on it. The ceiling was just like the walls, the stars and moons seemed to be giving the room light somehow. Their was a white wood crib in the back of the room with a light blue blanket and pillow. Lying in the crib was a medium-brown teddy bear with a black nose and eyes. He was more of a tan around his mouth, the palms of his furry little hands, and his feet. Next to the teddy bear was a grey wolf with amber eyes. These had been given to Teddy by his parents when he was born. The changing table was of the same color scheme and the dresser was of white wood. On the dresser were some pictures of Teddy's parents. In the room were child's toys of both wizarding and Muggle variety. Their were doors that led out onto another balcony, I'd have to seal those off. I was led out of the room and into the last bedroom across from it. It was an absolutely beautiful room. The carpet was cream with hints of gold running through it. The walls were red with swirling red and gold boarders. The ceiling was the same color as the walls but without the gold and a gold chandelier with a fierce-looking lion in the middle hung in the middle of the room, candles dancing with fire. On one wall was a large granite fireplace with two squashy red and gold arm chairs facing it. On another wall across from the wall with the fireplace was a comfortable-looking red and gold couch with cherry end tables on either side. In one corner of the room sat an acoustic guitar. My bed was on the far wall to the left between two cherry bedside tables. On one table sat a lamp and on the other an alarm clock and a phone. The bed was of cherry wood and had a canopy. The bed hangings were red with gold trim and gold weaving through it, they were made of velvet and matched the luxurious comforter perfectly. The pillows were red trimmed neatly with gold. On the far wall to the right were cherry wood French doors leading out onto a granite balcony with two white wicker chairs and small tables just like the balconies of each of the other bedrooms. A door led into a beautiful walk-in closet where their weren't very many clothes, I'd have to fix that on a shopping trip. My fashion tastes, as one might be able to tell by what I'm wearing, are very refined. I wouldn't catch myself dead in anything cheap, second-hand, or that resembled my wale of a cousin's attire _again!_ On the back of the closet were built-in drawers up to the ceiling that I'd have to fill with stuff. I walked into the bathroom to find that it was absolutely lovely and totally luxurious. Their was a marble counter with a long mirror with ornately carved trim and three marble sinks. The faucets were gold and looked like lions. When I would move the lion, it's mouth would spout water at just the right pressure and temperature. Their were drawers and cupboards under the counter. Hanging on small gold loops were fluffy white hand towels. Their was a small closet that held many fluffy towels, washcloths, and hand towels of different colors. Another closet held bottles of body products of all types. On the back wall to the left was a nice marble toilet that seemed as though it would do a good job of flushing whatever. Also, on the back wall, their was a round marble shower with shower heads that would spray you from all sides. The heads also looked like lions. In the very center of the room was a bath tub so large it rivaled the tub in the prefects' bathroom at Hogwarts. All around the tub were taps that would pour in different bubbles and things of all sorts. I goggled at the sheer sight of it and exited the bathroom and my room.

Kreacher led me up one of the two staircases to the very top floor of the house. The first room was a beautiful library with light cherry floors, dark cherry paneling and ceiling, golden chandeliers scattered throughout the room, several cherry bookshelves filled with books, tables with comfortable red and gold chairs scattered throughout the room, a few reading alcoves, and a huge stone fireplace with several squashy armchairs surrounding it. In the very center of the room was an ornate cherry book pedestal.

"If Mistress wants a book that is not here, all Mistress must do is go to this pedestal and request it. The book will appear right away!" Kreacher said. I gazed around the library appreciatively before Kreacher led me out again. The next room was one of the coolest things I had ever seen, a movie theater. It had ten rows that would fit ten people in each, their was an isle that separated the rows in half. The screen was huge and on the walls were built-in surround-sound speakers. The carpet was a dark blue, almost black and the walls were black with dark blue going in swirls throughout it, the ceiling was just black. Their were little stairs on the isle that had lights on them to help guide you down through the darkness. The theater seats folded but were black leather, the wood was dark, perhaps ebony. After a few more seconds of gawking, I allowed Kreacher to lead me out of the theater.

The next room was a gymnasium with a basketball hoop on either end. The walls were plain and white and the floor was oak with black lines painted onto it. Their were Muggle lights in the ceiling and windows high above. Their were doors along one wall. One door led to a closet with all sorts of balls for both wizarding and Muggle sports. The next room was a fitness room with treadmills, elipticals, stationary bikes, rowing machines, a large trampoline, and weights that looked normal-sized but would, as Kreacher put it, put the strongest vampire to the test. The floor of the room was hard grey carpet and the walls were white. The light fixtures in this room were Muggle lights in the ceiling. Kreacher led me back out to the gym and into another room. This room had a dark blue mat for a floor and the walls and ceiling were all mirrors. Kreacher explained that it was for dancing and my combat and martial arts training. He told me that every time I wished to practice on a target, an animated dummy would appear. He led me out of the dancing/combat room and into the next room. It was a shower room with a sink, toilet, and communal showers on a wall of their own. Their was a closet filled with towels. Kreacher led me out of the shower room and out of the gym. He led me into yet another awesome room. It was set up much like the parlor on the first floor save for the fact that had a huge, flat-screen, TV on the left wall. Lined up on shelves above it were all of the game consoles ever made along with a VCR, DVD, Blueray, and HDDVD player all with cords going down to the TV. Their was a large cream sectional in front of the TV. On the same wall as the door, their were floor-to-ceiling shelves of all the most popular movies, CD's, and games. In one corner was another acoustic guitar. A nice stereo was in another corner. Three tables were scattered throughout the room and were surrounded by five chairs each. In a closet were shelves of the classic board games, Monopoly, Life, Yazi, Checkers, Muggle Chess, Wizard Chess, Uno, and a deck of cards. Kreacher led me out of the family room and into a totally awesome room. The floors were sleek black tile and the walls and ceiling resembled that of the theater. Their were flashing lights of many different colors giving the room a club sort of glow. Scattered throughout the room were a pool table, air hockey table, foos ball table, electronic basketball game, dart board, and a wall lined with arcade machines. On the back wall was a small bar and black tables with blue swirls with five matching chairs were scattered throughout the room. A large stereo was also on the back wall. A door led to a large bathroom with a few toilet stalls and sinks, it's colors were schemed like that of the room outside, even the toilets were black. Kreacher had to nudge me out of my state of shock before we could go to the next room. This room was a small, two-lane bowling alley. The carpet was simple and grey and the walls were white. Kreacher led me into yet another room that was a musician's heaven. Their was a wall lined with electric, acoustic, and acoustic-electric guitars along with bases, violins, violas, and cellos. A black baby grand graced the back left corner and a drum set was next to it. In cases their were trumpets, trombones, French horns, and all manner of orchestral instruments. Their was even a small organ and a synthesizer. The walls were white and the carpet was cream. A door led into a small recording studio where I'd be able to put my songs onto CD. The next room was an artist's paradise. Their was a table where I'd be able to sketch and draw, an easel, a rack of rolled-up canvas, magical and Muggle paint of all colors, marble blocks for sculpting, a loom, a sewing machine with racks of cloth, a potter's wheel (no pun intended), and many other sorts of things for art. The next room I was led too was a tech head's dream come true. Lined up on tables were computers from every era from the 1980's to the present. On shelves all around the room were all the computer games and software I could ever want and different computer parts so I could piece together my own Frankenstein computer. The floor was simple white tile and the walls and ceiling were painted white. Kreacher led me to yet another room, it was a potions lab. It's color scheme was similar to that of the theater and the club room. Their were ten cauldrons and the shelves around the room were filled with all sorts of potions ingredients. Kreacher led me out of this last room and to the very end of the hallway.

"For whatever you might need, Mistress. It's a Room of Requirement." Kreacher said.

"Wow, Kreacher, this...this is amazing. I love it!" I said. I looked over at Teddy in my arms to see that he was fast asleep. I looked at my watch and gasped, it was already 10:00, that was 6:00 AM in London. "I'm going to put this little guy to bed, Kreacher, g'night!" I said. Kreacher nodded respectfully and popped out. I smiled at the sleeping bundle in my arms and went back to the second story. I went into Teddy's room and checked his diaper, it was wet so I changed it. I opened his dresser to find a pair of baby blue pajamas. I stripped Teddy of his clothing and put him in the pajamas before putting him in his crib and tucking him in, putting his stuffed animals on either side of him as he slept, his hair and eyes cycling through colors rapidly, the locking spell having worn off. I went back to my own room and picked up the guitar, the rest of the song from earlier today came back to me quite rapidly. I went out onto my balcony in the cool summer air looking over the driveway and barn. I settled myself gracefully into a wicker chair and began to play.

Edward's POV:

It was nearly 8:00 on a Friday evening. All of the sudden my family tensed, we could here a car but it wasn't going up our driveway. It sounded like the driver liked to go fast like us, the car made a gentle purring sound. It was then that I remembered the house about a half mile away. It was large, larger then ours and three stories. It had a nice pool in the back and a detached garage. The front door had some sort of crest on it and their was a fountain in front of it. Alice went rigid for a second but blocked me out of her vision.

"Who could be living in that house?" Esme asked.

"I don't know, nobody's lived in it since we've found this town." Carlisle said. Alice broke out of her vision and smiled.

"She's going to be great! She's a lot like us but more interesting, we'll be best friends and she won't mind me giving her makeovers like Bella!" Bella...the very thought of her made my dead heart ache. Over the summer that Jacob Black became a _dog_ and imprinted on my Bella. She fell head over heels for the stupid mut. She still came over to say hello sometimes but it was mainly to hang out with Alice, Bella had been getting a little distant from her too. When I tried to read Alice's mind, I got a block diversion, "99 bottles of blood on the wall, 99 bottles of blood! You take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of blood on the wall! 98 bottles of blood on the wall, 98 bottles of blood! You take one down, pass it around, 97 bottles of blood on the wall! 97 bottles of blood on the wall, 97 bottles of—com"

"Alice, what all did you _SEE?"_ I demanded.

"Oh you'll find out!" she said with a sly smile. I growled at her but said no more. I sighed and sat down on the couch, flipping through the TV channels.

Around 10:00 I grew bored and decided to take a run. Without even realizing it I soon came to the very edge of the clearing that this mystery person...girl's house was. I looked up at the beautiful granite structure and my eyes were drawn up to a balcony. The french door swang open and a figure dressed all in black stepped out. In the moonlight and with my sharp vampire sight I saw that she was just as pale as I and my family are. In her ears were a pair of white gold hoops and a pair of emerald earrings. On her neck was a beautiful white gold heart-shaped locket with a lily engraved on it and a white gold necklace with a pendant spelling out the name Layla which hung right below the heart locket. Layla, was that her name? On her left wrist was a white gold charm bracelet with charms shaped like a broom, a book, something that looked like candy, a cat, a stag, a LP, an FW, a heart, a bird, and a panther on it. Their was also another charm that looked like a frowny face. On her right wrist was a white gold watch. Their were several hands on it pointing to things like "at home" or "traveling. On these hands read names, Ronald Weasley whose hand read "at home", Ginny Weasley whose hand read the same, George Weasley whose hand also read "at home", Hermione Granger whose hand was pointed too "the Burrow", and several other hands. One hand caught my eye. The gold was tarnished and it pointed listlessly down to "deceased". The name on this hand was Fred Weasley. Fred Weasley, could that be the FW on her charm bracelet? On her right index finger was a diamond ring with a white gold base, a bit of silver showed through. On her left index finger was a white gold band with a few simple diamonds. The ring on her right ring finger had the same symbol as that of the doors, it was made of ruby in a yellow gold setting. The ring on her left ring finger was a beautiful emerald in a white gold setting. It looked like an engagement ring. I looked up again at the girl herself. She only looked about sixteen. She was beautiful, vampire beautiful. She was barely taller than Alice at about five feet. She had curves in all the right places and her breasts were perky and just the right size. Her lips were full and pink, her hair blew behind her in the soft breeze, unruly curls and tangles of midnight black with rich red streaks thrown in. Her eyes were a striking emerald. In the very center of her forehead was a curious scar in the shape of a lightning bolt, the only mark on her body. Invisible to any human I saw a small, almost unnoticeable bump on her lower abdomen, she was pregnant. The breeze brought a scent down to me. It smelled sweet like lilies, roses, and jasmine. It reminded me of my family's distinct vampire scents. However, their was a human scent in their too. It was of pine wood and peppermint. In her left hand she held an acoustic guitar. She sat down, began to strum the guitar, and after a few measures began to sing like an angel a song I had never heard before.

Up in the sky,

Here I fly,

And I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

I'm just sittin' here,

Wishin' you were near,

And I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

Not a day has gone past,

That I don't once look back,

And I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

You completed my life,

While we were like day and night.

You made me laugh; you made me smile; and I thought we'd have forever;

But now you're gone; you won't come back; Fate must think he's so clever,

But I'm still thinkin' 'bout you

I look 'round and to the sky,

And I ask God why you died,

Yes I'm still thinkin 'bout you.

And through the day and through the night,

You never leave my mind,

Yes I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

Their's one big hole in my heart,

Can't you tell that I'm fallin' apart,

I can't stop thinkin' 'bout you.

You were the love of my life,

You were there in good times and strife.

You raised me up when no one could and said you'd leave me never,

but now you're gone; you won't come back; Fate must think he's so clever,

But I'm still thinkin' 'bout you.

I don't think I'll love again,

I'll never see other men,

The way I've always seen you.

I've lost my yang, my other half,

And I'll never get it back,

No one will replace you!

I'll always think about you!

Oh I'm still thinkin' 'bout you!

Always thinkin' 'bout you!

I'll never stop loving...yoo-ooo-ooooo!

She stopped singing and tears came to her eyes. Something inside me made me want to hold her, to comfort her, to say it would be all right. The girl looked around and in the trees and spotted me. An angry look crossed her beautiful face and she was putting her guitar down and jumping off the balcony. A part of me screamed _no,_ she'd get hurt, but she landed as gracefully as any vampire would and ran over to me, pinning me to a tree.

Chapter Four: Forks, The Pack, and Explanations

Layla's POV:

As I finished my heartfelt song to the stars, Fred hopefully up among them, I looked around my peaceful property and into the trees. I saw a pale, statue-like man with topaz eyes leaning against a tree. If I was human I'd think he was Cedric Diggory, my first boyfriend, back to haunt me but knew it wasn't. I set my guitar down and a feral growl almost surfaced. I somersaulted off the balcony and landed gracefully on my heels, not even snapping them. I ran over to the strange teen and pinned him to the wall.

"What are you?" he asked with a velvet voice. He might have been a vegetarian vampire but he was still a vampire all the same, I had to be careful.

"The question," I hissed, "is who the hell are you and what are you doing on my property?"

"Edward, Edward Cullen." the strange vampire said. I smiled, this one was a mind reader. He was wondering what I was but had no sinister reason for being here but I wanted to here it out loud. "I was just taking a run when I realized I was at your home. I looked up to see you coming out and singing, I'm sorry!"

"Cullen? You mean like Carlisle Cullen?" I asked, eyebrow cocked.

"You know Carlisle?" Edward asked.

"Oh no, not personally. I heard of him from the Volturi. Don't worry, Edward, I don't associate myself with those human blood drinking leaches. The only vampires I feel worthy of life are animal blood drinking leaches like you and me!" I said with a smirk. "They wanted me to join their guard because I am a mimic, I can copy any vampire powers including yours, mind reader boy. I know you mean me no harm but I wish you to leave me in private for the time being!"

"O-okay! I didn't catch your name, what is it? Do you have a coven? Are you a nomad? How old are you?"

"Layla Jamie Potter. This is one of my family's old homes, the crest on the door is the Potter crest. I'll key you and your family into the wards soon so you can really see it. No, I have no coven. I do, however, have a six-month-old human godson and a child within me. No, I am not a nomad. This is the first time I've ever left England. Also, for all technical purposes I am eighteen, so the story goes anyway. I won't tell all, however, for that's no fun at all." Edward looked dumbstruck. I laughed, unpinned him, and ran into my house. I went upstairs to my room and collapsed on one of the squashy armchairs. It was then that I noticed a portrait above the fireplace in an ornate golden frame. To the left was a beautiful woman with dark red hair and emerald eyes, my mum. She was almost as short as I am. Standing next to her with his arms around her was Dad, his unruly black hair sticking out and his hazel eyes behind round glasses sparkling with mischief. This was from before they were turned. I smiled sadly at them.

"So this is our little Layla all grown up?" Mum asked, I jumped. I had no idea this was a talking portrait.

"Mum?" I asked softly.

"Yes, Layla!" Mum said softly.

"Wow, Prongslet, you sure have grown, not really, though." Dad said teasingly. I smiled as Mum bopped him upside his thick head.

"James Potter you _PRAT!_ Sorry, dear!" Mum said as she tried to hide a smile.

"It's okay, I joke about it all the time. I suppose I am a shrimp." I said.

"Who was that darling little boy you were carrying earlier, Lay?" Mum asked. "He's not your son, is he?"

"No, he's Remus's, Remus's and Nymphadora Tonks's. They died in the final battle, Voldemort is gone at last. Don't worry, though, you'll have a grandchild in less then nine months." I smirked at Mum's shocked expression and Dad's horrified one.

"You're not—com" Mum started. "Oh Layla how could you?"

"Don't tell me my daughter's pregnant at ten...and _ENGAGED?"_ Dad asked. "Oh I'll kill that boy, whoever he is!"

"He's already dead!" I snapped tearfully. "And this child might not even be his. Yes, we had sex the night of the final battle—com"

"Layla Jamie Potter! Losing your virginity in times of stress, that was very stupid—com" Mum admonished.

"It wasn't the first time I had sex, guys. We both lost our virginity the night after the Yule Ball in my fourth and his sixth year, we were a bit tipsy but we liked it. Let's just say that the guy that took me to the ball in the first place was pissed, oh yes, Puffs are only gentle souls, what a load of rubbish. We got together after that night even though he was the older brother of one of my best friends and already my best friend anyway. Well, we had sex one last time. The child might be his—com"

"Who is he, Lay?" Mum asked gently.

"Fred, Fred Weasley. You might have seen him and his twin, George, when they were kids. They started Hogwarts in 1989. The child might be Fred's or it might be...Voldemort's...I went to the forbidden forest to sacrifice myself. I was still anchored to life by the potion that brought Voldemort back to life and also because I'm half vampire. I had to act like I was dead while Voldemort crucioed me...and...and raped me...so the child might be his."

"If that snake bastard wasn't already dead and I wasn't a portrait I'd kill him again and again and again!" Dad raged.

"Shush, Dad, Teddy's sleeping!" I hissed. "Anyway, Fred and I got engaged the day Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour were married. He asked me for his hand and I said yes. We planned to marry after Voldemort was gone or a year from that day, which ever came first." The rest of the night was spent talking to my parents' portrait, learning about them, and telling them all about me. Dad was proud I was a prankster that might even put _him_ to shame and that I was a seeker and Mum was proud that I was such a book worm, a genius, and an O student. Before I knew it I heard Teddy crying in the next room, it was already daybreak. I rushed in, fed him some formula, changed his diaper, dressed him in a pair of black shoes, jeans, and a dark blue top, and then brought him into my bathroom so I could take a bath. After my bath I got out and rifled through my relatively empty closet. I eventually chose a pair of black capris, a white tank top, and black flip-flops. I put on my jewelry, put my wand in a pocket on my right breast, did my hair in a casual braid with a black holder, and put my Coach sunglasses on my head before picking up Teddy and my purse. I went downstairs and outside to the garage. I had too many choices of cars to drive. Their was the black ferrari, a sleek red 1968 camaro, a black Lincoln Town Car, a bright yellow Porsh 911 turbo, a dark blue jeep with racks on top, a little white vulxwagon bug, a silver Mercedes Bins, a light blue crotch-rocket, and Sirius's old black motorcycle. A space was empty so I could build my own Frankenstein car. I decided to fire up the Mercedes Bins since it looked like it would give me the least attention. I put Teddy in the car seat already in the back and got in the driver's seat. I pulled out of the garage and drove to the barn's entrance.

"Just a minute, Teddy, I'll be right back!" I said. Teddy smiled at me and I got out. I entered the barn and went to the tack room. I ladled out bowls of single malt whiskey for the large winged horses that took up the first six stalls of the barn. They had already been named so I couldn't do anything about that.

"Hey, King!" I said to the first one. Being magical creatures they showed no fear of my blood-drinking half. Plus, they didn't smell good anyway. I put the whiskey in his stall before moving to the next, Queeny. After feeding her I went to Prince then Princess, Duke then Duchess. From the feed room I picked up six slabs of meat before heading to the next six stalls of thestrals. Their was Hades and Persephany, Grim and Inky, and Constance and Forbearance. As the thestrals chowed down on their meat, I went and got the meals for my six unicorns. First their was Dayglow and Starshine, Sparkles and Glowworm, and Etherea and Celestia. They each nuzzled me gently and ate their food. The next bit of food was for my six hippogryffs. The first one, Buckbeak, I had known since I was thirteen. He, thank god, recognized me. I bowed to him and he allowed me forward. I fed him before going on to Foggy, Thunderbird, Stormcloud, Raindrops, and Witherwings, a name that Buckbeak had been known by for a while but was actually the name of another hippogryff. I smiled and went up to the second floor of the barn, the owlary. At the moment, the only bird their was Fawks, Dumbledore's old phoenix. He had bonded with me a few weeks ago. I smiled and fed him before going back to the Mercedes.

"Ready to shop, Teddy-Bear?" I asked. Teddy smiled cutely and clapped. I smiled back, revved up the engine, and sped along the driveway and on to the road towards Forks. Teddy and I were fine on clothes for the time being but the most important thing was food. Sure I didn't need to eat as much as any normal human but I liked too. Also, I could eat a lot more then regular humans. The truth is, I like to eat. I soon found out that Forks was most likely the tiniest town I had ever seen in my life. I knew their were some smaller but it was still tiny compared to London or Little Whinging or even Ottery St. Catchpole which was the town closest to the Burrow. Okay...maybe it was bigger then Catchpole but still, it was _SMALL._ I pulled into a Safeway parking lot and parked my Mercedes in the first spot I came too. I slung my purse over my shoulder, got out, and got Teddy out of his car seat silently casting the metamorph locking charm. I then walked confidently towards the store, Muggle debit and credit cards a plenty in my purse. Ha, I was probably richer then Bill Gates and nobody in the Muggle world had a clue. I entered the store to stares all around, mostly from middle-aged, gossipy-looking women. I got a cart and set Teddy in the little seat, casting a wandless cushioning charm on it. I went through the isles of the store picking up meat, cheese, milk, eggs, fish, produce, snacks, and everything else I'd need to fill up that huge kitchen of mine. As I got into the checkout line, a woman in front of me as well as the casheer looked at me appraisingly. I ignored them and paid for my things before leaving the store. I frowned, I hadn't thought about where all the groceries would go. I smiled and opened the boot of my car to see that it was magically enlarged to hold whatever I needed to put in their. I closed the boot, put Teddy in his car seat, got in the driver's seat, and left the Safeway lot. Feeling quite hungry, I looked around for a little restaurant. I saw a quaint Italian place, Maria's, across the street and pulled in their. I got out and hefted Teddy into my arms before going into the restaurant. The girl at the counter looked distastefully up at me.

"I'm sorry but we don't accept welfare hoes into this restaurant, go to a McDonalds." she sniffed. It took all I had to keep calm.

"I am not on welfare, for your information, nor am I a teenage mother." I said calmly.

"Then what's that, a sack of potatoes?" she scoffed.

"He's my _GODSON!_ Also, do I look like I'm on welfare? Do I look like I'm penny-pinching, _NO!_ I've came here from England just yesterday and thought it would be nice to get something to _EAT!_ If you will not accommodate my godson and me then I will take this to your manager and to the corporate ladder if I must. I live in the old Potter house just out of town, a family home that has resided in this town for generations!" I said firmly.

"Well you'll have to leave the brat in the car, I don't want to have to clean up his spittle!" the girl said nastily.

"Lorin Amherst! I do hope you aren't talking to a customer like that!" snapped an older woman as she came out from an office. "I am so sorry about her! What seems to be the problem?"

"She provoked me, Mrs. Steinburgeon!" Lorin said weakly.

"You're the one who's pissing me off, Amherst. Ma'am, she called me a welfare ho. This happens to be my godson, Teddy Lupin, I'm Layla Potter, by the way. I told her that I was not on welfare nor a teenaged mother and she said what's that, a stack of potatoes? I told her that he is my godson and I have just flown in from England yesterday. I live in the old manor outside of town, the Potter house. I also told her that if she would not accommodate Teddy and I then I would bring this to the manager and the corporate ladder if I must. I am a legal adult, I turned eighteen in July. She said that the "brat" would have to "stay in the car" because she didn't want to "clean up his spittle"." I said calmly.

"I am so sorry, Miss Potter. Lorin is on probation as it is. She is not gifted with customer service. Lorin, you're fired. I don't want to see you again!" the manager said. "This is the last straw!"

"You can't fire me!" Lorin snapped.

"And why not?" Mrs. Steinburgeon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because...because I _QUIT!"_ Lorin snapped as she yanked off her name-tag, threw it on the floor, and shoved past me out of the restaurant.

"I'm sorry about her! Anna, could you please show Miss Potter to her table?" the manager asked.

"No problem, follow me, Layla!" piped a tall, exotic-looking girl. She brought me to a booth and pulled a high-chair up to the end of the table. I gently set Teddy in the chair and sat down. I looked through the menu and saw that chicken and shrimp alfredo sounded excelent with a glass of sprite. As I waited for my food to be served, I fed Teddy a bottle of formula and burped him. The food came quite quickly and I found that it was quite delicious. On the way out I thanked the manager and Anna and said I'd be back soon.

The day was pretty, though it was cloudy, and it was warm. I had heard of First Beach on the Quilute reservation so decided to drive their. I parked my car and got out, leaving my purse in. Once I had Teddy out, I locked the doors and started to stroll along the beach.

Jacob's POV:

I was strolling along with Bella, my love, right on the beach. It was then that I saw a person in the distance. As she drew nearer I saw that she was just about as pale as a bloodsucker and her skin sparkled when random rays of sun hit it. She was just as beautiful too. She was small, about five feet and looked about sixteen. In her ears were a pair of white gold hoops and a pair of emerald earrings. On her neck was a white gold heart-shaped locket with a lily engraved on it and a white gold necklace with a pendant spelling out the name Layla which hung right below the heart locket. Was this bloodsucker's name Layla? On her left wrist was a white gold charm bracelet with charms shaped like a broom, a book, something that looked like candy, a cat, a stag, an LP, an FW, a heart, a bird, and a panther on it. Their was also another charm that looked like a frowny face. On her right wrist was a white gold watch. On her right index finger was a diamond ring with a white gold base, a bit of silver showed through. On her left index finger was a white gold band with a few simple diamonds. The ring on her right ring finger had some sort of weird symbol, a crest, it was made of ruby in a yellow gold setting. The ring on her left ring finger was a beautiful emerald in a white gold setting. It looked like an engagement ring. A tangled mess of waste-length jet black hair with red streaks blew behind her in the wind tied back in a loose braid. Her lips were full and pink and her eyes were almond shaped. What struck me as odd was that her eyes were a striking emerald, not gold or red. On the very center of her forehead was a curiously shaped scar, it looked like a lightning bolt. She wore black flip-flops, black capris, and a white tank top. The breeze brought a scent down the beach to me. It smelled sweet like lilies, roses, and jasmine. It reminded me of a leach's smell, yuck! However, their was a human scent in their too. It was of pine wood and peppermint. It was then that I noticed a sandy-haired, grey-eyed baby in her arms. Acting on instinct, I ran over and snatched the child from her grasp before she could do anything.

"Hey, give me my godson back!" she snapped in a melodic voice.

"Godson, bloodsucker, you probably mean dinner, right?" I asked, laughing humorlessly. Her eyes filled with anger and I could tell she was trying to calm down.

"I don't eat humans!" she said calmly. "This is Teddy Lupin, my godson."

"Right, and your eyes are green because you eat plants!" I said as I rolled my eyes. She probably had some sort of gift to alter her appearance.

"Hmmm, plants, I'll have to try that! Yes, I can alter my appearance but I was born with this gift. This is my true appearance. If I explain myself can you give me my godson back? By the way, I'm a mimic. I could read your mind just then because I met Cullen last night, Edward Cullen. I live about a half mile away from them, I just arrived from England yesterday. My house is the one nobody has lived in for a while, my family has owned it for generations. I see you're a Quilute wolf. I was unaware of the treaty. Please assemble your pack and I shall explain." she said. Reluctantly, I handed the now crying boy back over to her. She soothed him and turned away as I transformed into my wolf form. I howled loudly and got more howls in response.

"Cool! I can't do that, though, but Teddy can on the full moon. He's a werewolf too, just a different type, a child of the moon." she said. "I'm Layla Potter, by the way."

"Jacob Black!" I said as I became human and redressed.

"Isabela Swan, please call me Bella!" Bella said shyly. Layla winced at the name Bella as if someone by that name had done horrible things to her. The pack came running in human form and surrounded the new leach, angry looks on their faces.

"Just let her talk, we can do that much. Plus, when she was angry, I saw red in her cheeks." I said.

"But what about that defenseless child?" Sam asked.

"He...is...my...bloody...godson!" she snapped, her British accent sounding even more pronounced. "And I don't mean "bloody" as in dinner either. Just let me explain!"

"Fine, go!" Sam said stiffly.

Layla's POV:

I sighed and started to tell my tale. These Quilutes weren't exactly Muggles so I wasn't breaking the International Statute of Secrecy. I told them of my parents and how they died, how I was half vampire, how I was technically just ten years old, my first and second years at Hogwarts, my third year, my fourth, fifth, and sixth years, and the year I didn't go back to school but hunted Horcruxes. Lastly, I told them about the final battle, the horrors of it, the defeat of Voldemort, the day I found out I was pregnant, and how I came to be here.

"Sucks to be you!" one of the pack, Quill, said with a shrug.

"Oh shut up, Pen!" I said, smirking at his indignant face.

"Pen, that's a good one!" laughed Embri, another pack member.

"Yes it is, it's almost as good as Embrio, Embrio!" I said with a smirk.

"Ooh, can I see your morphing powers? Can I see some magic?" begged Seth Clearwater.

"All right!" I focused on becoming very tall, about five ten, giving myself russet skin, straight black hair, and brown eyes. "Look, I'm one of the pack!" I joked, everyone laughed. I then turned back and took out my wand. I first pointed it at Seth and said, "Colorus Pinkus!". His black hair became a bright pink afro making everyone roar with laughter except his sister, Leah, who looked sulky and bored. I was really sick of her attitude so I flicked my wand and she was dangling in mid-air by her ankles.

"Put me down now, bloodsucker!" she snapped. I obliged and she fell in a heap.

"So sorry, She-Alpha!" I said. "Those were the Levicorpus and Libiracorpus spells, good for a laugh.

"All right, Potter. Since you're still half human and kind of one of us, we'll let you past the treaty boarder and onto our land." Sam said. "As long as you don't bite or drink the blood of anyone, that is."

"Fine by me!" I said. "It's getting late, I'll see you lot around!"

"See you, Layla!" Jacob said. "And sorry for accusing you of wanting to eat your godson!"

"It's okay, Jake, and it was nice to meet you, Bella. Oh, and guys? Don't tell Cullen what I told you!" I said with a smirk.

"Which one?" Jacob asked.

"None of them, that includes Rosalie and Jasper. I like to have my fun!" I said, shaking my head.

"Deal!" Sam said. With that done, I cradled Teddy in my arms and jogged back to my car.

When I got home, I went into the kitchen and said hello to the elves while I unloaded my groceries that were, thank Merlin, all right because of the charms in the boot to keep things at their propper temperature.

"Hey, guys! Do you think you could make some pizza?" I asked. The little elves nodded and I smiled at them. I sat down at the little table and put Teddy on my lap. The elves finished with the pizza in about a half hour and I chowed down, eating most of it. After I was done, I fed Teddy a bottle of formula and took him upstairs to his room. I kneeled on the floor with him and played with some of his toys for a bit. When I could tell he was getting sleepy, I tucked him into bed, kissed him goodnight, and left the room. I went up to the third floor to play some games on the Wii, I'd be hooked on that thing for sure. I mostly played Harvest Moon games and Wii sports. I also downloaded all of the virtual console and Wii Wear games on the Wii shop channel. Tiring of that, I went to the theater. A disembodied voice spoke.

"Which movie would you like?" it asked me.

"Alice in Wonderland, the newest version." I said.

"Very well. Alice in Wonderland, 2010." the voice said. The movie played and became one of my favorites. By the time it was over, it was already 3:00. I decided to go into the paint room and start a talking portrait of Teddy's parents. I painted them on the beach, Remus had one arm slung around Tonks's shoulder and Tonks had an arm around Remus's waste. I made sure that I painted them as I remembered them, alive, well, and in love. I finished the portrait around 6:00 and did all the propper spells to animate it. Tonks and Remus's eyes snapped to me and they both smiled.

"Nice painting, Bat Girl!" Tonks joked.

"Thanks, Sticky-Head!" I said with a sad smile. "I painted you guys for Teddy, I'll be hanging you above his crib. When he's older he'll be able to at least here your voices."

"Thanks, Prongslet!" Remus said. "Hey, we're in Utensil Manor!"

"Utensil manor?" Tonks and I asked.

"Sure, Forks, right? We had our graduation party here!"

"Really? Awesome! I suppose it _is_ a great place for a party. Where'd you have it, ball room or club room?"

"Club, of course. I don't think I ever saw your parents as drunk as they were that night, I take that back, their wedding night they were pretty—com" Remus started. It was then that Mum and Dad walked into their portrait.

"Don't you _dare,_ Remus!" Mum chided.

"Yeah, Moony!" Dad said.

"Oh c'mon, it was _hilarious!_ The two of you were so drunk you started ripping off each others clothes in front of _EVERYONE_ and—com" Remus was cut off by Mum slapping him in the head.

"Reeeemus?" Mum snapped.

"C'mon, Lily, it can't be as bad as our wedding. We made out on the band's stage!" Tonks said.

"Oh it was worse!" Remus said with a laugh. James had her on the—com"

"Remus—com" Mum hissed.

"Theyhadsexonthepooltable...hahaha!" Remus said.

" "_REMUS_ _JOHN_ _LUPIN!"_ Mum yelled.

"It's not anything to be ashamed of. If it weren't for that we wouldn't have you, Little Flower!" Dad said.

"Great...just great!" I said, shaking my now pink main of hair and staring at him with my now pink eyes. "I'm the first elemental in a thousand years, a metamorphmagus, animagus, girl-who-lived, I've faced Voldemort seven times, I'm half vampire, I'm pregnant with either Fred's or Voldemort's child, and my parents conceived me on a bloody _POOL_ _TABLE?_ What next? Are you going to tell me that Voldy was my _UNCLE?"_

"First cousin twice removed, actually!" Mum muttered.

"Aaaargh, my life will _NEVER_ be _NORMAL!"_ I said, shaking my head.

"When was it, Fang?" Tonks asked.

"Never, it never was, Pink!" I said as I became normal again. From downstairs I heard a baby stirring so I magically put a beautiful frame on the portrait, picked it up, and ran to Teddy's room. After hanging the portrait up, I picked up Teddy and rocked him in my arms. I then took him to the bathroom and stripped him of his clothes and diaper. I ran some semi-warm water in one of the sinks and began to wash the now giggling baby. I gently scrubbed his creamy face and body before I washed his constantly changing hair. I lifted him out then and dried him off. After that, I went to his room and looked for him some clothes. He didn't have very many outfits left, just a few. I dressed him in a little pair of khaki pants and a green shirt before slipping the same black shoes from yesterday on his feet and doing the metamorph locking spell, we were going to the city. I went into my room and sifted through my things. I eventually chose a dark blue dress that went just above my knees and matching flats. I put my hair up in a French twist, put on my jewelry, put my sunglasses on my head, grabbed my purse, and went downstairs.

"Kreacher!" I said. Kreacher popped in and bowed low to me.

"Yes, Mistress?" he asked.

"Please do not bow to me, Kreacher, and it's just Layla. Could you please make sure that the lawns are mown, my animals are fed, and that my plants in the garden and greenhouses are watered?" I asked.

"Yes, Mistress Layla!" Kreacher said before popping out. I went outside then and went into my huge garage. What car would I use today? Hmmm, how about the Porsh? I put Teddy in his car seat in the backseat and got in the front. My Porsh came to life with a purr and I pulled out of the garage. I drove out onto my driveway and then went down the road away from Forks and towards Seattle.

Rosalie's POV:

How many cars did that girl next to us _have?_ She arrived in a black Ferrari, went out yesterday in a silver Mercedes, and is leaving today in a yellow Porsh! Stupid girl, she probably has no idea what real hardships are like even if she is something like a vampire. Plus, their was the fact that she had that cute little boy to take care of and was pregnant. I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. Even with that sappy song Edward had heard, she probably had _no_ idea what real love was like, what it was like to lose someone, what it was like to feel real pain. She was just some stupid girl who had no business being here.

Chapter Five: Shopping and Alice

I loved to drive fast, I never crashed and I never got caught so I drove fast whenever I got the chance. The drive to Seattle would usually have taken about three hours but it only took me a third of that. I smiled at the big city and looked around for a nice shopping district. I eventually found a Nordstrooms, very high-end, very nice. I pulled into the parking lot next to a black Mustang. I got out, purse slung over my shoulders, got Teddy out of his car seat, and locked the doors with the electric lock and my wand. I smiled as I entered the store, got a cart, and set Teddy in it. The first thing I ran too were the shoes. I filled the cart with clogs, tennis shoes, loafers, strapless heels, backless heels, heels with straps going up past my ankle, flats, backless flats, mules, sandals, open-back sandals, and flip-flops. I also picked up some sets of slippers. Next I went over to socks and nylons and got several armloads of many different types. Teddy laughed at my excited expression. Next were pajamas, swim suits, and launduray. In pajamas, I picked out two-piece sets made of flannel, cotton, silk, satin, and some other materials as well as night gowns. I got several robes of thick fleece, thin fleece, and silk and satin for the summer time. Not that I got cold but their's just something about fleece and flannel in the winter time. Next were the swim suits, I picked out several styles of two-piece including bikini, modest, and the type with the little skirt. I also got some one-pieces. I got wraps and beach towels as well. Next I got a few armloads of underwear. Some were bikini, others were thong, and still others were regular. When I got to bras, I just picked up some regular ones, I wouldn't need any revealers or eye poppers since Fred was gone... I looked at a ridiculous bra and underwear set with a choleidoscope of different colors and a bra and underwear set that were very revealing and black with lace trim. I sighed sadly and looked away only to be looking into the bright gold eyes of someone who was a little shorter then me. She was pale and her black hair was in a disarray on her head not even going down to her chin. She smiled widely at me.

"Hmmm, which of these sets would make my husband's eyes pop out the most..." she asked in a high, melodic soprano voice.

"How about the one with all the colors, Pixie Alice, it'll stand out magnificently against your hair and skin. Your hair is black already and that'll make you look like a ghost or a zombie, or maybe vampire?" I whispered this last part. "Hi, I'm Layla Potter, you're new neighbor. You're not the only pixie on the block anymore. I saw you through your brother's mind Friday, you kept a vision from him, I like your style!"

"All right, and you're right, that one with all the colors would be great if only for a joke. Nice fashion taste. So you like fashion?"

"Alice dear, I can't live without good clothes! Speaking of good clothes, I want some good food." I dug out two blood pops, cougar and bobcat, and held them out. "Cougar or bobcat?"

"What? Lolly-pops?" Alice asked incredulously.

"Blood pops!" I whispered. "They're a good snack when their's no human food or animals around!"

"Human food? You _eat_ that stuff?"

"I'm not all vampire. You should see the blood in me. Let's just say I'm a vampire but _not_ a vampire. I'll tell you my story later, I think I'm going to like you, Alice. Just please don't tell Edward, I like frustrating him, he's fun. I'm a bit of a prankster. You can tell Jasper but nobody else. I like to have my fun but you're cool. We're the same height, almost, so we can shop for the same sizes." I said.

"Yay, shopping!" Alice chirped making Teddy laugh and smile.

"I think Teddy likes you too!" I said.

"I didn't get everything about you from my vision. Is he your son or something?" Alice asked.

"My godson, his parents were murdered. His grandmother just recently lost her husband to murder so she's just too deep in grief to raise him, she thinks I'll better understand him. I'm pregnant as you might be able to see. I'm not sure if the child is my fiance's who was murdered the night of the last time we had sex or the child of the man who tried to kill me that very same night who also killed my parents and tried to kill me when I was fifteen months old. I'll just have to find out in a vision or when the child's born. I'm like you, by the way, I can see the future, the present somewhere else, and the past and things I cannot remember." I said. Alice smiled at me.

"On to the clothes, Lay!" she said excitedly. "Jasper's just around the corner here, he probably heard us talking. He's got my second cart. How do you hold all that stuff in your cart anyway?"

"Magic, my pixie of a friend, magic!" Alice's eyes went wide and she squealed excitedly. A tall blonde man with several bite scars came around the corner just then and he smiled at Alice. He looked to be a bit in pain, an empath and it was very hard for him to control his bloodlust.

"Hello, Jasper!" I said with a smile. "Don't worry about killing me, you can't. Even if you bit me I wouldn't change, I've gone through all the change I can!"

"Really? All right." Jasper said in a low and musical voice. "What about your godson?"

"Please, doesn't he smell like dog?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" Alice asked.

"He's a werewolf, the children of the moon type, not like the Quilutes. Now, onto shopping!"

"Let's go!" Alice piped.

"Great, another pixie!" Jasper said jokingly.

"Hey!" Alice and I both said indignantly before bursting into laughter.

For the next several hours Alice and I filled our carts with all sorts of clothes. I got things ranging from sweat outfits to extravagant gowns. I got all sorts of different styles and types of clothing but didn't bother with jewelry. The jewelry I was currently wearing was all I ever wanted. I did, however, buy several new handbags, sunglasses, and body products. I also got all the things Teddy could ever need for at least a year, I'd come back later to shop for my unborn child.

"Are we done yet?" Jasper asked as he followed us around Nordstrooms around 1:00.

"Of course not, silly!" Alice said.

"We haven't gotten to Macies yet!" I said.

"Oh rip me up and burn me now!" Jasper said as he smacked his hand with vampire strength to his forehead.

"I'll think about it!" I said with a smirk. We went to the front and got in a line, me in the very front. Teddy had fallen asleep in the cart and little rivets of drool were coming out of the corners of his mouth.

"You have that much money?" Alice whispered as I paid for my mountain of stuff magically squeezed into my cart.

"Alice, hone, I'm related to some of the oldest families in England. The Potters alone have been around more then a thousand years. I have underground vaults filled with gold and jewels and family heirlooms. This doesn't even make a dent in my old school trust vault, trust me!" Alice's eyes went very big.

"The only reason we have so much is because I sense the tides of the stock market but some families have these enormous stocks." Alice said as she put her things on the counter to be scanned.

"Um, those would be my families both ancestral and current. I own millions in Nordstrooms stock alone from my grandma Doria Black-Potter, a fashion nut like us." I said. Alice's eyes went even bigger if possible. After all of our purchases had been made, Alice, Jasper, and I went out into the parking lot.

"So where's your car?" I asked.

"It's the black mustang their, it's Jazz's car." Alice said. She led me over to the mustang and opened it's boot.

"Look at that yellow Porsh 911 Turbo!" Alice said dreamily. "I love it!"

"It's mine, I love it too!" I said. "Alice, you can put all your stuff in the boot of my car, it'll fit with my stuff. When we go to Macies, I'll tell you everything."

"Okay!" Alice said.

"Now make sure nobody's around while I do this!" I said as I pulled out my wand and opened the boot of my car.

"Nobody will notice!" Alice said excitedly.

"Pack!" I said with a wave of my wand. Everything from the carts arranged themselves nicely in the trunk, my things to the left and Alice's to the right even separated by a divider wall. Everything was in perfect categorical order. It had taken me ages, even as a half vampire, to master this spell because I'm disorganized by nature. Alice and Jasper looked on in amazement as I shut the boot and put my wand away.

"Jasper, love, you can go home if you want!" Alice said.

"Thank God!" Jasper mumbled. "Thank you, love, I appreciate it!" he nodded to me and kissed Alice before getting in the Mustang and driving away. I put the carts in their propper place before putting Teddy in his car seat and getting in the driver's seat. Alice then flitted into the passenger seat. The Porsh started with a purr and I pulled out of the parking lot.

"Macies is a few blocks away." Alice said as I sped down the street. "So you like to drive fast like a vampire?"

"Yup! I do lots of things fast. Anyway, that little display their you saw was magic. I am, indeed, a witch." I said. As we went into Macies I cast Muffliato around the entire store save for Teddy and Alice and told her my entire story as we picked up thousands of dollars worth in clothes, shoes, and other accessories like purses, wallets, sunglasses, and things for our hair. By the time I was done with my story and we were done shopping it was well after 6:00 and Teddy was getting restless. I had stopped to feed him several times but what baby wants to go on a shopping trip?

"So you're the first elemental in a thousand years, a top-level metamorphmagus who can change your voice as well, an animagus, girl-who-lived, you've faced Voldemort seven times, you're related to the founders and to Voldemort, you're the richest person in the world, you're a half-vampire, and you're pregnant with either Fred's or Voldemort's child, what a life, wow!" Alice said in awe as we walked out of the store with two mountainous carts of items.

"Yeah, you're right. I think it's about time for me to get home. I'll drop you off at your house. I'll even duplicate this car. It's a tough bit of magic to duplicate but I think I can do it." I said. Alice grinned and I magically packed my car's boot even more full with our purchases. We then got in, Teddy sound asleep in the backseat, and I stepped on it back to Forks.

An hour later we were driving up the Cullens' driveway and I parked in front.

"I'll bring everything in, Alice!" I said as we got out. Alice nodded and opened the boot. "Locomotor Alice's bags!" I said with a flick of my wand. All of Alice's bags became normal sized and floated behind me as I closed the trunk. I then got Teddy from his seat and Alice led me through the front door.

"Everyone except Carlisle, Esme, and Jasper are hunting, I think!" Alice said.

"Hello, Alice, did you have a fun time?" asked a kind, caramel-haired vampire.

"Lots of fun. I met up with our new neighbor, Layla Potter!" Alice said. It was then that Esme noticed me with my wand out and the bags floating behind me.

"Are you a vampire? is that your gift?" she asked.

"I'm half vampire. Also, I'm a witch. I suppose the patriarch and matriarch of the family should know." I said. It was then that a vampire with short blond hair looked at me and gasped.

"I never would have guessed we'd have the girl-who-lived as a next door neighbor." Carlisle said. "I was friends with Albus and get the Daily Profit regularly. Only Esme knows."

"Just don't tell the remaining three who don't know, Emmett, Rosalie, and Edward. I want to keep them in suspense." I said.

"That's fine." Carlisle said. "And...um...congratulations on your new addition."

"Yeah...thanks!" I said with a smile as Alice led me upstairs.

"ooh, these clothes are so awesome!" she chirped as she started to unload the many bags of outfits.

"I know, you have such a great sense of fashion." I said.

"Oh, so do you, especially since you told me most witches and wizards can't dress normally to save their lives." she laughed.

"Yeah. Once, I saw a memory of this guy wearing a long frock coat over a striped bathing suit." I said with a shrug.

"Ick." Alice said.

"Looks like you're unloaded now. How about I try and duplicate your car?" I asked. Alice grinned and dragged me back downstairs and outside. With a wave of my wand, everything personal was out of the car and on a blanket a few yards away. I then focused all my magic on the spell.

"Duplicio!" I shouted. A yellow beam of light struck the car and suddenly their were two...or not. The second car suddenly fell, their were no wheels. With a flick of my wand, it was gone.

"It's okay, Layla." Alice said. "You'll get it."

"_DUPLICIO!"_ I shouted again, making my ears ring. This time the car came out only on the left, their was no right side. With an angry huff, I vanished it and tried one more time. Finally it worked and their were two 911 Turbos in the yard. I walked around making sure everything was in tact, opened the hood, examined the engine, and shut it.

"Let's bring this baby to the garage." I said with a smile. Alice grinned, got in the passenger seat, and started it. It came to life with a purr and went into the garage no problem. Teddy clapped his little hands as Alice walked out.

"Thanks for everything, Lay, today was a blast." she said.

"No problem, I needed that." I said as I put Teddy in his car seat.

"I'll see you soon." she said.

"Yeah, see you soon." I said as I got in and drove home.

As soon as I came into the house, I headed for the kitchen; I was hungry.

"Good evening, Tillie!" I said to the head kitchen elf. "Could you perhaps cook me some steak? That sounds really good tonight."

"Yes, mistress, yes!" she squeaked, bowing low.

"Tillie, don't bow, please. I really wish we could be on an equal level, friends, so just call me by my name and don't bow, okay?"

"Mistress Layla is so great!" Tillie squeaked.


	11. Bell: New Robot in Town

New Robot In Town

An attempt to write a My Life as a Teenage Robot fic in which British robots similar to Jenny move into town and, shockingly, AREN'T EVIL! Wow… no comment…

Chapter One: New Robot

Jenny's POV

I woke up on the first day of my junior year of high school totally excited and ready to go. Of course, that's just how I was in school. "_Maybe,"_ I thought to myself, "_I can finally be popular!"_

Not needing to get dressed, because I had my own built-in outfit 24-7, I ran downstairs and chugged down a can of motor oil. After that, I said goodbye to my mom and ran outside with my bag before she could say something embarrassing to me.

"Hey, Jen!" Brad, one of my best friends, said as I approached his house.

"Hey, Brad!" I said back. "How are you this morning?"

"I was fine, then I woke up!" Brad mumbled. "I can't believe that it's the first day of school, Jen!"

"I know, isn't it great!" I said happily. We were saying all of this while walking to Tremmorton High.

"Whatever! I wish the summer would have never ended!" At that moment, Sheldon met us. He had actually grown over the summer, though he still wore the same type of outfit.

"Sheldon!" I squealed excitedly. "What's up?"

"He-hey, Jenny, nothing much, I guess. Oh, hey, Brad!"

"Hey, Sheldon." Brad said. As we walked into the school, we saw a sign that read _ALL STUDENTS MUST GO TO THE OFFICE FOR THEIR SCHEDULES_

"Guess we'd better go!" I said.

It took a while to get through the line, but we eventually did and saw that we had Mrs. Pullman for history this year, just like last year. We all headed in and sat down together. I sat in between Brad and Sheldon. The rest of the class eventually filed in and sat down.

"Uh, good morning class—com" Mrs. Pullman started but then stopped when their was a knock at the classroom door. After a few knocks, the person outside stepped in. I was shocked to say the least. Standing behind the door was another robot. Her outfit, which I saw consisted of a bell-like blue skirt, a white blouse with slieves that were flared at the end, and blue shoes painted onto her feet. From what the dress showed, she was beautiful and slim, I felt kind of jealous. She had a round face, a good sized nose, a nice mouth, and green eyes that were a little slanted. Yup, I _was_ a bit jealous for sure. I could see both Brad and Sheldon making googly eyes at her. Her skin was the same color as mine and her hair was made of black metal curls.

"Is this Mrs. Pullman's history class?" she asked in a light, ethereal, soprano voice.

"Yes! You must be the new junior I heard about." Mrs. Pullman said. "Class, this is BL3. Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" I could see a deep shade of blue make it onto the robot girl's face as she walked up to the front.

"Well, first off, I _hate_ my model name with a bloody passion! I also hate this skirt and this outfit as a whole, but that's enough hate for one day. Even though my name is _technically_ BL3, I fashioned the name Belle out of it for school use. I figured I might as well sound normal and maybe poke some fun at this stupid dress! I _would_ go by Rebel, but I'm sure that wouldn't go over too well. I'm physically and mentally sixteen but my actual age is three. Anyway, let's just hope we can all get along."

Belle's POV

After that little performance, I walked towards the desks, looking for a seat. I quickly saw one right in front of a girl...oh wow...a _robot_ girl! I thought I was the only one! She had a really tiny skirt and really tiny shirt in blue which was also the color of part of her legs and hair. Her eyes were black and she had my same skin tone. She was as tall as I was, around six feet, and she looked nice enough. I also noticed that the people sitting next to her seemed to be her friends.

"Hey!" I said as I sat down in front of her.

"Hey! My model name is technically XJ9, but I hate it too. You can call me Jenny."

"Nice to meet you, Jenny!" I said, holding out my button encrusted hand to shake her equally button encrusted one.

"Nice to meet you too!" I said.

"Now class—com" Mrs. Pullman started. She spent the rest of the class on a lecture about the US in colonial times. This year was the country's tricentennial so it would be an interesting year to take US and Virginia history. Plus, we were electing a new president. I disliked the republican candidate because he felt that robots were meant to just serve humans and not live normally. As much as I hated the Cluster, who have bothered me in England many times, I wished they would just take that idiot. The democratic candidate, however, believed in doing more research and making the world a good place for humans and humanoid robots like me. Plus, it was the first female candidate in years. The last one, I think, was Hilary Clinton, a democrat. Sadly, Berrack OBama won the primaries and the presidency. My mom, or rather creator, was just a kid then and was still living in the US. She said she'd rather have John McCaine then OBama. OBama almost destroyed the economy and the country with all of his "save the economy" bills and plans. He almost got us taken over by the middle east. It wasn't until our next president that things got back to normal. Anyway, I liked this candidate. Her name was Susan Ingles.

The bell rang eventually and everyone trickled out.

"What do you guys have next?" I asked a bit shyly.

"Show me your schedule!" Jenny said. I handed it over and she scanned it. "Oh, you have all of the same classes as me!" Her voice was excited and I could see a smile etched onto her face.

I followed Jenny and Brad off to the next class, English with Mr. Wilson, and then to lunch. As we were making our way to the table with our lunches, and in Jenny and my case, oil, we were stopped by two extremely snobby looking girls.

"Looks like you've got yourself another clunker, hmmm, Jenny?" the tall one with a totally fake British accent said. Brad and Sheldon just looked uneasy while Jenny looked happy to see them. Was she nuts?

"Hey gal pals!" she said cheerily. "This is Belle!" "_GOD!_ She really is that _naive!"_ I thought to myself.

"You here that, Brit? We've got a nudda foo!" said the short girl in pigtails in an accent that suggested she came from the ghetto.

"Foo? I don't believe that is a word or even an interjection!" I said in my _true_ British accent that I had naturally from living in England since I was created. "And Brit? That's a funny name. Is your accent to compliment your name? Well, it doesn't. It sounds totally fake, forced, and snobby. Try your _real_ voice I'm sure it'll be a bit more pleasant. Honestly! I think that your name must be short for Brittany!" The girl's face turned scarlet.

"Says you who's in a dress from three hundred years ago. Totally a fashion not, right, Tiff?" she shot back.

"Yaya!" the ghetto girl, Tiff, piped.

"Tiff? Ah, short for Tiffany I guess. Well, at least your accent is genuine, but neither of you are personality wise. If you try to be more real, then maybe you wouldn't have to _buy_ your friends, come on, Jen, Brad, Sheldon." With that, I spun the other way and walked. I could here them walking behind me. I sat down at the first empty table I came too.

"What are you doing?" Jenny asked. "This is the _popular_ table and I don't think you'll be exactly that after what you did. What were you thinking anyway? Those were the _Crust_ cousins, the coolest and best girls in school. I've been trying to make friends with them!"

"Ah, they're cousins! I knew that Brit girl wasn't British. Plus, they're total snobs. Anyway, this table doesn't have their names on it, so I'm sitting _here!"_ I then pulled out the chair and sat down. Jenny, Brad, and Sheldon eventually sat down just as a pompous rich-boy voice spoke up behind us.

"Hey! What are _you_ doing at _our_ table? i do believe that you all are in the out crowd, not the in."

"I believe that _you_ should shut up! And who are _you_ to tell us where _we_ should sit?" I asked, standing up and glaring at him.

"I am Don Prima and _you_ are just a _silly_ little _robot!"_ he sneared. "And you'll be glad to know that I'm all for Banesford!"

"Ugh! You clearly are insane! It's _obvious_ Ingles is the _best!_ By the way, did you know that prima means cousin in Spanish? And _girl_ _cousin,_ no less? Have you got something to share with the school, Donny boy?" I taunted. Don's face grew pinkish red, just like the blazer he was wearing over his black shirt. "What's with this school and cousins, hmmm? The _Crust_ cousins who just act like everyone else is _crust_ on their shoes, and then their's _you,_ the pretty boy that every girl wants. You think you're _so_ hot with your Abricrombey outfit and those aligator shoes, but you're not. You're just like the little chick sticks over their, a _fake!_ Well, you guys might have to buy your friends, but you sure as _hell_ aren't buying me, and if my friends know what's good for them, you won't buy them either. Now _get_ _lost_ before I _really_ give you a reason to talk!" Don just turned red and sputtered out something incoherent before stomping off, Brit, Tiff, and a few others following, except one. She was an Asian looking girl with black hair and eyes. She looked between them and us, then walked towards us again.

"Hey!" she said, sitting down. "I'm Pteresa. Thanks for standing up to them, it's about time someone did. Your name's Belle, right? My parents have been forcing me with them for years just because they're among the richest families in Tremmerton. I kind of had to act all snobby because of my family, but that's stupid and I'm sick of it. I'm sorry for turning you down for last year's spring fling, Brad, you're actually really cute. Sheldon, I'm sorry for calling you a geek, because I'm kind of one too. I've been into robotics since I could understand the simplest manuscripts. And I'm sorry for ragging on you about your robotness and snapping at you about that P in my name, Jenny. It's easy to act like a snob, but when you look back it's not worth it. I probably would've broken from them anyway."

"I can't believe how terrible they were to you, Belle. I should have listened!" Jenny said.

"That's okay, Jen! I'm relatively inexperienced myself. The only thing I know about school is from stuff my sister and brother told me. I don't mean Mom's natural kids, she's unmarried and old enough for grandchildren. I think she was born in 2000 or something like that. I mean BL1 and BL2."

"You mean your sister and brother are still in commission?" Jenny asked, amazed.

"Of course! Why would Mom just let them sit their? Plus, we three make a great team. Mom's building my little brother as we speak. He'll be BL 4."

"Oh...well...with my mom, she builds one of us, finds out we're not good enough, and shuts us down and puts us in the basement. Mom's been building us for years. I'm six right now, but my oldest sister is quite a bit older. I didn't even know about them until I found them in the basement. It's not that she doesn't care, it's just that...well...my sisters are eccentric. The oldest, XJ1, is an egg shaped robot who just cries and throws up oil. XJ2 just hickups lazers, she can't do much else. XJ3 looks a teeny bit like me, except she's about two feet tall, can't talk, and always falls apart. XJ 4 is the first one that can talk, but all she _does_ talk about is cleaning. XJ5 is a chatterbox, that's basically all she does. She's basically a head with pigtails on a metal pole that floats in the air. XJ6 has one arm and three legs. She can be very jealous. When Brad said hello, all she said was, "Don't patronize me! You think XJ9 is cuter then me, don't you? Ah, don't say it! It's written all over _your_ face!" Yeah, not my favorite. XJ7 is kind of bulky and she's very mopey. "Oh the world is such a terrible place and nobody loves me!" kind of mopey. XJ8 is _huge,_ like ten feet tall and five feet wide. She's black and silver and has a deep monotone voice. All she cares about is her work, she hasn't got a single bit of humanity, not really. So that leaves me, XJ9 or Jenny. I think I'm a keeper, I hope so. Anyway, I've even come up with real names for my sisters! XJ1 is June, XJ2 is Toj, XJ3 is Thea, XJ-4 is Jourgan, like the lotion, XJ5 is Gabby because she talks so much, XJ6 is Trixie because it just fits her, XJ7 is Neveah, a name I hope will give her more confidence, and XJ8 is Teia. So tell me about your sister."

"Well, BL1 has made herself her own name. She's kind of gothick, black dress, super long black hair, black eyes, combat boots, and all that. She took the b and added it to one and made Bones. BL2 is a kid robot that looks like he's about ten. He's got denim overalls and a blue shirt built into him with white sneakers. He's got short black hair and blue eyes. He's really hyper but really sweet. He goes by Bo. Mom didn't want to build anyone until she knew enough. She's actually mentioned your mom, come to think of it. Nora Wakeman, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Mom basically idolizes her and would love to meet her. by the way, you can meet Bones later. She's a senior so—com" At that moment, my sister walked in and over to us.

"Hey, sis! Heard you went smart ass on some senior popular idiot, good job! Though I would've added a lazer or two to get my point across."

"Yeah, well he was a total git!" I said. "How's your day been?"

"Good. Everyone's been gawking about me though and whispering stuff about not seeing any other robots before other then "that Wakeman girl". Hey, you wouldn't happen to be her, would you?"

"Yeah!" Jenny said in a peppy mannor.

"You remind me of Ben you're so happy-go-lucky, but I like you!" Bones said. "I'm sure my charming baby sister told you all about me?" Jenny just nodded. "Well, see you guys!" And with that, Bones was off.

"She was nice!" Jenny said.

"Yeah, she can be a bit rough sometimes, but she's really great." I said. Almost as we lapsed into a comfortable silence, a screen popped out from Jenny's belly button knob thing.

"XJ9!" came the voice of the old woman on the screen. "We've got trouble downtown, The Cluster is—com" at that moment, a screen came out of the middle button on my shirt.

"BL3, we've got some trouble—com" my silver haired, green eyed, bespectacled mom and creator looked around and into Jenny's screen.

"Nora Wakeman?" she asked.

"And who are...another robot? unbelievable!" Jenny's mom said as Bones walked over with a screen coming out of her own dress. "I thought mine were the only ones with the exception of the coppy cat ones Phinnias Maug made. Their are two of you active?"

"Yes! that's BL1 but she demands that I call her Bones and that's BL3 who goes by bell. BL2, or Bo, is in the elementary school." my mom said. "I've heard many great things about you and am very impressed. My children are based off of some of your discoveries and some of my own, not mere coppies or take-offs of your XJ line. By the way, I'm Anna Kalaway."

"Wel, I am impressed. Anyway, their's some cluster trouble, XJ9—com"

"_Jenny!"_ Jenny corrected.

"Yes, Jenny." Mrs. Wakeman said.

"Anyway," my mom continued. "You'd better get down their!" With a few goodbyes, our screens retracted.

"Ready?" I asked. Jenny and Bones nodded and we blasted through the roof.

This would be our first mission in America. We met up with Bo at the elementary school and flew downtown. Their was a big Cluster bug bot their, capturing humans.

"Freeze you bloody scum!" I yelled.

"You've not a right to capture humans!" Bones said coldly.

"Yeah!" Bo chirped.

"C'mon, guys! Let's beat some Cluster _but!"_ Jenny yelled.

"Hah! You four would be such a great entry to our armies...that is...if XJ9 here hadn't kicked us off of our own _planet!"_ the bot said in a metallic voice.

"Vega's a way better ruler then Vexus ever was!" Jenny said. I had heard of how Jenny had helped dethrone Vexus and Bones, Bo, and me had helped settle the robot planet and knew that Vega was quite a nice girl.


	12. Callidora Potter

Callidora Potter and the Different Choice

An attempt to create a story where the citizens of Little Whinging are NOT sheep, notice the treatment of a female Harry, notice the interference with anyone who tries to report it, and choose to find other means to ensure the child is treated right. This isn't bad, actually, and I might do something with this…

Chapter One: To Help A Child In Need

To say that Petunia Dursley was utterly dismayed to find her sister's child on the front porch was a gross understatement. Petunia was many things: livid, angry, horrified, furious, disgusted, disgruntled, and downright pissed off just to name a few. Scared for what the freaks might do if she didn't take the girl in Petunia reluctantly let the freak live under her roof. From that first fateful day the freak's room was the cupboard under the stairs where she was shut away most of the time unseen and unheard.

From the very start Petunia had the girl pulling her own weight and earning her keep by doing a variety of chores. The girl was made, at first, just to clean up after her cousin, Dudley. After she got a little bigger she was also made to do some dusting. By the time she was three she was fixing cold and microwave meals as well as more cleaning and laundry. She was also made to water the plants. By four she was made to cook, garden, and take up all of the other chores. All through this the Dursleys said nasty things of the child to the neighbors to spread hatred and wariness of the girl. Not all the neighbors were so idiotic, however, for they spotted the true trouble-maker in the Dursley boy. Whenever the child had free time she went off doing god knew what, the Dursleys made it seem as though she went out to cause trouble. In reality she either helped the neighbors with their own yards or other little projects in exchange for a few pents or a bit of food, many of the people save for those closest to the Dursleys helped the child in secret as much as they could, or she went to the library. The girl had taught herself to read by three-and-a-half with the assistance of Mrs. Fig, a woman whose house was over-run with cats and who served as the girl's primary baby-sitter. She was very bright, that was certain, but she always hid it. She knew someday she would have the perfect time to let her intellect show but it was not yet time.

At just barely five years old she entered kindergarten with her cousin, they were put in the same class. Children were much more impressionable than adults, of course, so inside a week it seemed as though the entire kindergarten class was against her because of her cousin. That was a year that she would rather not look back on. First off, she had many bouts of what her relatives called "freakishness;" incidents where she turned her teacher's hair blue, where a mean girl's pig-tails just fell off her head, and other things just as dreadful. This resulted in her being treated even more poorly by her relatives; she was slapped around, barely fed, and worked much harder than she had been. Her relatives ire towards her was raised the day she came home with a note stating she needed her eyes checked and probably had to get glasses. Her relatives simply picked a big, round black pair with thick lenses out of a bin at a charity shop and shoved them on the girl's nose before bringing her home, spanking her bottom raw, and throwing her in her cupboard. Later that same year the girl slipped up on an assignment resulting in a score much higher than that of her cousin's, that infuriated her relatives so much she was not even fed at home for near a month. Only with the extra pents saved up from all her work with the neighbors was the girl even able to get lunch at school. Life was, to put it simply, a living hell for Callidora Potter.

Things began to change, however, summer that she turned six. Many of the people in the neighborhood had decided to get together to talk about one thing, the Dursleys and their niece. Something, they all agreed, _HAD_ to be done. A number of them had contacted child welfare but as soon as the cases seemed to get somewhere they were forgotten about and never followed up on. This, to the neighbors, was very disturbing indeed. On July 17 at 12:00 noon they all assembled in the house of the woman who had seen the most of the child, Arabella Fig.

"We as a neighborhood have come together to discuss one thing, the Dursleys and their niece. Many of us do not know her name, many of us do not know why she is here, all that we know is that she is mistreated and we will not stand for it." spoke up the prime organizer of the meeting, Amara Feldman of number two, Privet drive.

"Many times I have looked after the dear child and I am _NOT_ pleased with what I see. She is too small, too thin, too meek and shy. She is bright and intelligent but she is hiding all of it. I want her to be happy." Arabella Fig, hostess and co-organizer spoke up.

"First off we need her basic information including her name, her exact age, that sort of thing." spoke up Trent Feldman, Amara's husband. "Livy, if you will?" from her perch upon a chair a young woman with sparkling hazel eyes and dirty blond hair stood up. She was Olivia "Livy" Wells, the girl's kindergarten teacher.

"First off, as some of you know, her name is Callidora. It is, in full, Callidora Lilyanne Potter. She was born on July 31, 1980. She will turn six in a few weeks time. Her parents were James and Lily Potter and the cause of death the aunt marked down as a car crash that Callidora somehow survived with only the lightning-bolt shaped scar on her forehead as a memento. Callidora is a very quiet child, she reads often and spends breaks including all recess and much of her lunch in the library. Despite this she never answers questions, does poorly on assignments, and plays the part of a confused, dim-witted child quite well. Within the first few weeks of school her cousin had the entire class against her, nobody will so much as share with her. Sometimes the girl does...odd things. Somehow her family finds out and she comes in the next day looking worse for wear. I remember one time she grew frustrated and turned my hair bright blue. Another time, when Carlotta Sands pulled her hair Carlotta's pig-tails simply fell off. I don't know how but it just happens. Callidora has passed through my class and into the first grade but I fear if she keeps dumbing herself down she will never succeed." Livy said. "Lexy, you have accepted Callidora into your first-grade class, right?" a woman who looked identical to Livy nodded and stood up. She was Olivia's twin, Alexandra Wells.

"Yes I have. Due to the atmosphere with Dudley Dursley and Callidora Potter in the same class I recommended that they be placed in separate classes. The principal agrees and Dudley will be put in with Darron Wilkinson. I will keep a special eye on Callidora and offer assistance when needed. Livy and I have also thought of a way for Callidora to receive better treatment at home, possibly." Lexy stated.

"And what would that be?" asked John Baylor, an older man with wispy gray hair and kind brown eyes who owned the local candy shop. "It's not like we can just go up to that Dursley bloke and that wench of his and say "oy, you're doing a piss-poor job of raising that niece of yours," can we?"

"Actually, yes." Livy interjected. There was a general outcry of "_WHAT!"_ through Mrs. Fig's cabbage-smelling living room.

"That's right. Livy and me have been working on this plan for upwards of two months now. We don't just go up and say it but what does Petunia pay so much attention too?" Lexy asked.

"Gossip!" many people exclaimed.

"That's right. It's like mathematics, you take a negative and multiply it by more negatives and you get positive results. Sure we could help the child in secret like we've been doing with pents and bits of food here-and-there but that's no good in the long-run, is it? So we gossip about certain things like the state of that poor girl and how she looks "far too small" and "all skin and bones" and "Not normal at all". We also say how quiet and polite she is and how we have seen her cousin terrorizing many of the younger children." Livy explained.

"Also, the Dursleys as a whole are so caught up in being normal they'd do _ANYTHING_ to cement that image. If we make it seem as though the way they act isn't normal we can control them. Not only would we be able to help Callidora but we'd be helping the entire neighborhood by making the Dursleys a more pleasant lot. One of us could whisper to another when Petunia has that long-necked head pointed our way how absolutely odd it is to have that Dursley woman craning her head at you, watching your every move; it's just plain creepy. Also, with normality and Vernon Dursley we could make it an issue of manly pride. For example, "I can't believe he's making that little girl paint the fence and shed; isn't that man's work?" one says. "I know, it's not right! He ought to have his own son do that or else do it himself!" another says." Lexy continued.

"And as far as the way they let that girl dress, it's horrid! She looks like a little street urchin! And don't even get me _STARTED_ on those monstrosities they call glasses; things like that have been out of date for 50 years! If we talk about that then they'll want to show that they're perfectly normal, that the girl can look normal. And, as a final example, the girls' various bruises and injuries. We could infer that they "really ought to help that girl be less clumsy" and that "such a thing isn't normal," that would get them scared." Livy finished.

"So what do you think?" the Wells sisters asked together. A general murmur of conversation went up in the room.

"I think it's wonderful!" said Sharon Roth, a young mother who lived across the street from the Dursleys in number five with her husband, Geoffrey, and three-year-old daughter, Serenity.

"It'll be good fun to make that Dursley worm squirm. I swear the man revels in making all his underlings at Grunnings miserable." griped Greg Forest, a young family man that lived on Magnolia crescent.

"That Petunia twit is always going on about the "problems" I have with my daughter, Elizabeth is ten times the child that Dursley brat will _EVER_ be! She has no room to talk, Elizabeth is four years older than her own son." Nora Camdon of number seven fumed.

"My husband, daughter, and I have only been here since June and we have grown disgusted with the Dursley family already. We live next to them and see close-up the way that they act. They have been criticizing us to their friends, belittling us, and Hermione won't come away from the yard anymore for fear the Dursley boy will tease her. My Hermione is smart, just not that social. I wish I had been around here earlier in Callidora's life, maybe then she would have a child to call friend and a family to call hers, even if not officially. Hermione wasn't in Livy's class so she never had the chance to get turned against Callidora. Knowing my daughter the way I do Hermione would have stuck up for her and became an outcast as well." Emma Granger, a dentist who lived in number six just next door to the Dursleys said.

"I'm glad that the practice we recently have acquired has the Dursleys on the list of patients, oh the things I'd love to do to those people with some dental implements! Hermione is set for your class right, Lexy?" Dan Granger, Emma's husband, asked.

"That's right. I'll try and get those two together as friends; from what I can tell they'd be good for each other." the young teacher responded.

"Fantastic! It all sounds like a great plan. Arabella, keep giving us reports. Lexy, keep an eye on Callidora. Dan, Emma, watch over Callidora and introduce Hermione to her if you feel that you can and it won't bring about any adverse effects. As for the rest of you, spread the gossip. I think this meeting is adjourned!" Amara said, pumping her fist in the air for effect. A cheer rang up through the room and the adults dispersed to do whatever it is that adults do.

Chapter Two: Results

Over the next several days the Dursleys of number four, privet drive were subjects to much whispering and pointing. Much of the time Petunia could never catch what was being said but she got the feeling it wasn't the sort of gossip she liked. She also caught the words "Dursleys" and "not normal" in the same sentences. Her feelings were confirmed when she set the girl to weeding the garden.

"It's just not _NORMAL_ the way they work that little girl; a child of that age should be enjoying the sunshine, not toiling in it!" said Mrs. number seven to Mrs. number six.

"I don't know, she might just enjoy gardening but still, she should be given tasks befitting five-year-old children like watering. She should also have that son of hers help out a bit, it wouldn't do him any harm to do a little hard work. My Hermione quite enjoys helping me water the flowers and veggies we are growing and she's always enjoyed harvesting. I just don't think it's right, though, for a little girl like that to do such hard labor. How old is she anyway, Nora? Three? Four?" Mrs. number six asked.

"Oh no! The dear is almost six, she's terribly, _ABNORMALLY_ small though, isn't she?" Mrs. number seven asked.

"Absolutely. As a dentist with a bachelor's in nutrition I say that she should be getting several servings of fruits and vegetables a day as well as lots of water, milk, and pure fruit juices. Have you seen the people's son, Dudley? He's on his way to a heart-attack in adolescence if he keeps up the way he has. All that fat on him, it's not _NORMAL!_ It's not _RIGHT!_ I can see where he gets it from, I'm surprised his father hasn't dropped dead already. Mrs. Dursley wouldn't want that, surely? She ought to keep her entire family eating healthy. The proportions just aren't _NORMAL!"_ Mrs. number six stated. Petunia strained to here more but they were already too far away. A few of those key words rang in her head; "it's just not _NORMAL!"_ "She's terribly, _ABNORMALLY_ small!" "All that fat on him, it's not _NORMAL!"_ "It's not _RIGHT!"_ "The proportions just aren't _NORMAL!"_ again and again and again through the rest of the day the words swam around in the Dursley matriarch's head. By bed-time she could barely sleep, she simply tossed and turned.

"What's the matter, Pet?" her husband asked her sleepily.

"No-Nothing, Vernon, just go to sleep." Petunia stammered. The comments about her husband and son's weight, were they true? Were they really on the path straight to an early grave? As Petunia went to sleep that night she was plagued with nightmares of being ostracized by the neighborhood for being abnormal, of freaks retaliating against them for their treatment of the girl, and of standing over the graves of her husband and son, dead prematurely, Vernon of a heart-attack and Dudley of choking on candy. For the first time in five years Petunia Hyacinth Evans-Dursley was scared.

The next morning Petunia was back to her old self; why should she be fretting about what two women had said? Let alone when one of them had a recluse for a daughter and the other one's daughter was such a tomboy? Petunia hated tomboys, they reminded her all too much of her _DRATTED_ sister, Lily. Never-the-less, she simply wasn't herself. The girl managed to burn her slice of toast. Instead of berating and slapping her as was her custom she simply berated her. Writing a list of chores she handed it to the girl and went to do her own thing. In the back of her mind Petunia noted that she had left the job of weeding the garden out.

Over the next several days Petunia picked up on more and more bits of gossip about her perfectly normal family, comments that they were just the opposite. Their were more comments on the girl's size, more comments on her Dudley's size, and comments about the girl's workload and Dudley's lack-there-of. Also, there were comments about how her Dudley, with a few friends, had been terrorizing younger children down at the play park. Petunia wouldn't believe it, she just couldn't, until she heard the cold, hard details.

"I don't know what those Dursleys are trying to do, raise that boy as a _CRIMINAL?_ Just yesterday I was down at the play park with my Serenity, she turns four next week. Anyway, that Dursley boy went up to her and started picking on her. He pulled her hair, shoved her down, and stole the lolly I gave her for a snack! Honestly, the child is six years old! He should know better than to pick on a little girl half his age. Just as I was about to intervene the Dursleys' niece, Callidora, did just that. She told Dudley that it wasn't nice and it wasn't right to pick on kids. He got angry and called her "freak" but she retorted to pick on someone his own size, I suppose the closest child was her. He lunged toward her but she dodged and started running. I don't think I've ever seen a girl so young and so small run so fast as she did. I never saw the end of the altercation because I was tending to Serenity and they were already gone from sight." said Mrs. number five.

"That Dursley boy is a menace, a true _MENACE!_ He came into my store demanding candy because he didn't have any. I told the boy that he'd have to pay for it. He insulted me, grabbed a handful of chocolate, and made off with it. I'm not as young nor as fast as I used to be so I couldn't catch the little scoundrel. Back in my day an act like that would have gotten me over my father's knee with a switch I had to pick from the switch bush. People don't know true discipline anymore, especially not that Dursley." responded Mr. Baylor, the man who many children called Mr. Candyman. From her perch on a patio chair Petunia couldn't help but gasp; her Dudley was truly a bully? No, no, no, nonononono! Everything was fine, normal, just right. In her cold, shriveled, shallow black heart, however, she knew that that was not the case.

Vernon also began to note all the bits of gossip and what was being said about his family. He had heard that same thing about Dudley but he was a growing lad, he did nothing wrong! Something did, however, get to him. It was the twenty-seventh of July and he was berating the girl for not brushing paint on the fence with even enough strokes.

"What do you think you're doing, girl? I swear that this fence had better be _PERFECT_ by the end of the day! I'll be watching you, runt!" with that, Vernon lumbered off to the front yard, keeping his beady eyes fixed on the little girl struggling with the paint brush.

"Look at that little girl!" came the voice of Mr. number two. A man from Magnolia Crescent that Vernon recognized as one of his underlings was with him.

"Dursley sure is a slave driver, isn't he? It's just like him to sluff off his own responsibilities on someone smaller and weaker, isn't it? What sort of a man is he? He's making that little girl do a man's work, I tell you! Does he do that just to make himself feel all big and in control?" the man, Forest, asked.

"I don't know, Greg, I don't know. That's something he should be teaching his son to do, that boy needs to learn the value of hard work. If he doesn't have the heart to make that pampered prince do anything than he should at least do the man's work himself." Mr. number two, Feldman as Vernon recalled, said with a shake of his head. The nerve of them, Vernon was _TWICE_ the man they were...wasn't he? Despite all the thoughts running through his head to counter what was said in his heart of hearts he knew the truth.

"I need to talk to you!" both the Dursley adults said as they met downstairs once the two children were in their rooms, or in Callidora's case, cupboard.

"You go first, Vernon." Petunia said.

"Oh no! Ladies first, love. Why don't you go?" Vernon asked his wife.

"Vernon...the gossip...I'm afraid! They're calling our family abnormal...saying all these things...and I don't know what to do! Neighbors complain when I look over at them, they call me _NOSY!_ They say that our Dudley is a horrible bully, that he's lazy, and that he's far too large! I know you say that he's a growing boy, Vernon, but really! I don't want my Dudley-Wudley dying an early death! They say the same of you, Vernon, how you're on a dangerous path! We need fruits...and vegetables...and to feed the girl normal portions! They say she's too small, abnormally so, that she doesn't eat enough, that she dresses like an urchin, her glasses are _ABNORMALLY_ old-fashioned! And let's not forget that the Granger woman, as she was walking down the street, saw the girl go to her cupboard! What do we do?" Petunia fairly wailed.

"I agree that something _MUST_ be done, Pet. The men are starting to say that I'm not near man enough...that I give the girl chores for a need to feel superior...I have to prove them wrong, Pet, I just _HAVE_ _TOO!"_ Vernon despaired.

"Vernon, much as I don't like it, things have _GOT_ to change around here. First off the girl...Callidora...we may not really care for her...we hate her, in fact, but...but we just have to act indifferent, not care what she does. We'll give her only age-appropriate chores...tell Dudley to not bully her...and let her do well in school. We can get her new, respectable clothes and glasses and convert the attic into her bedroom so we can see as little of her as possible. We'll have to keep this up even in the house because whatever is in finds its way out, I realize. We'll treat the girl with cold indifference. As for Dudley, it hurts me to say this, but we'll have to discipline him and the girl equally. We can't have him acting like a delinquent, oh no. No more bending to his every whim anymore, Vernon, I mean it! We have to be normal!" Petunia said vehemently.

"Yes, we have to be normal." Vernon agreed. And so it was set. The next afternoon when Vernon got home from work Petunia called Dudley home from Peers Polkis's house and called the girl inside from watering the flowers.

"What is it, Mum?" Dudley asked just as Callidora managed a meek "Yes, aunt?"

"We're having a family meeting, come into the dining room." Petunia said. A look of confusion bloomed on Dudley's face as he shoved past his cousin who merely shrugged and followed sedately behind him. Callidora grew quite confused, however, when she was pointed to the last seat at the table.

"What are you waiting for? Sit down!" her aunt snapped impatiently.

"Not allowed a chair, remember?" Callidora asked her aunt slowly as though talking to something dumb, forgetful, and unpleasant...perhaps some sort of insect.

"Just sit." her uncle said gruffly. Callidora simply shrugged and did as she was told for fear of being slapped upside the head.

"There are to be some new rules around this house. We have been showing ourselves as abnormal to the neighbors...that simply will not do. Here are the family rules. First, there is to be no yelling; we can get through any disputes without it. Second, there is to be no violence of any kind including pushing, shoving, slapping, hitting, and kicking; it is unnecessary and barbaric. Third, we must try to treat each other with respect no matter how much we don't want too." Petunia shot a pointed glare at Callidora.

"Fourth, we are all going to eat...dare I say...healthy foods and equal portions; we need to be healthy. And fifth, all members of this family will pull equal weight in chores and such; Dudley, I will be teaching you how to mow, paint, and take care of and use tools—com" before Vernon could continue the recitation Dudley's spoiled nature kicked in.

"_CHORES?_ _MOWING?_ _PAINTING?_ _TOOLS?_ But those are for the _FREAK_ to do!" he whined.

"If you wish to call your cousin by her name, Callidora, that is fine, if you want to call her by some sort of nickname...like Dora...that's okay too...but no more of this "freak" nonsense." Vernon said sharply.

"But Daaad, I don't want to do any of that stuff! I want to eat what I want, to do what I want, and not to do the _FREAK's_ _CHORES!"_ Dudley whined.

"No, Dudley." Vernon said sternly.

"Muuumy! I do-do-don't wa-wa-want to-to-to do-do-do tha-tha-that stu-stu-stuff!" Dudley wailed.

"Enough, Dudley." came his very first reprimand from his mother.

"This is all _YOUR_ _FAULT!"_ Dudley yelled. Then, before she could prepare herself, Callidora was met in the eye with her cousin's meaty fist.

"_DUDLEY_ _VERNON_ _DURSLEY!"_ his father yelled.

"What if the neighbors saw?" Petunia fretted.

"I don't _CARE_ who saw!" Dudley yelled. Before he could say anything, however, his father picked him up, chair and all, and lifted him into the corner of the room facing the wall.

"Dudley, you _WILL_ behave. If I must I _WILL_ spank you, understood?" he growled. True tears, tears of fear, sprung to Dudley's eyes as he nodded in ascent.

"Good. Now where were we? Ah yes, the rules. Those are the family rules. No yelling, no physical violence, be respectful, eat healthily, and pull your own weight. We have drawn up rules for the two of you as well." Petunia said.

"Since I think you need to here the rules most we will go over yours first, Dudley. First off, no sweets. We're going to stop buying them and you'll eat what we have in the house. If we have too we won't allow you into households that have sweets or to even eat lunch at school, you can come home to eat if we find you have been disobeying. Second, you won't be able to make anything of yourself the way you're doing in school. I want you in Smeltings come secondary, Dudley, and if you continue to do poorly than you won't get in and you'll become a disappointment to your mother and I, understand? Without good grades you can't get into a good school and without a good school and good grades you can't get a good job." Vernon said to his pouting son.

"That's right. Third, you are to find alternate ways of entertaining yourself. Telly time is restricted to an hour a day. You're to get some good exercise as well, no more of this sitting around you've been doing. Fourth, you will pull your own weight in chores, all right? We need to be a normal family; if you aren't acting like normal little boys do and helping your mummy and daddy we won't look normal. Lastly, no more of this bullying. Bullying is wrong and you look like a delinquent when you do. You will respect not only your cousin but the other children that you meet. I won't have a bully for a son!" Petunia said. Dudley opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it.

"So you got that, Dudley? No sweets, good grades, find other ways to play, pull your own weight, and no bullying. Girl...erm...Callidora...here are your rules. Pet, you'll be best to explain this, I think." Vernon said.

"That's right. Firstly, a few things will change with you. You know we don't like you, girl, but we'll pay you no mind. You do what you like and we won't bother you; just do the chores we ask. First of your changes is you'll not be in the cupboard anymore. The attic will become your bedroom. Also, you'll be getting your own furniture, toys, clothes, and new glasses. Rule number one, eat everything we give you; you're going to have equal portions and you need to grow. Second rule, you will watch the telly for an hour a day at least to show that you're a normal little girl. If you're most comfortable we'll put one in the attic so you don't have to watch with us. Rule three, you will do well in school because we know that you're not dumb. Fourth, do your chores but nothing more. Lastly, make friends, won't you? I don't care who...just make some. Also, I think we'll call you Dora...it makes it easier somehow...is that all right?" Petunia asked.

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with the arseholes?" Callidora asked dryly.

"Callidora Lilyanne Potter, _LANGUAGE!"_ Petunia shrilled, shocked at her niece's switch in personalities.

"Oh, sorry. You want me to be me so I'll be me, okay? I'm not so terribly meek nor am I dim; I call that my "Dora Dursley" mask. I guess I should say...thank you...Aunt Petunia...Uncle Vernon." Callidora said with a shrug. Things were finally going her way.

Chapter Three: Good Life

The next week was one of the best of young Callidora's life. She was wearing all-new clothes, shoes, and glasses. Not only that but she was taken in to get her hair cut and styled. It was still long, to the middle of her back, but the cut was pretty and her unruly red-streaked black curls smooth and silky. She even had her own new brush and special shampoo. Also, she was taken in to choose paint, flooring, and furniture for her attic bedroom. The attic was the size of the entire house so the Dursleys were even having one corner made into a big bathroom just for her. She also got lots of toys and even more books to keep her busy. All the stuff that was in the attic now would be going into the garage storage space or the basement. In the end her room would have cherry-polished floors, light yellow walls, the big, ugly light fixture would be replaced with a nice white ceiling fan, a cherry dresser, double bed, and nightstands, a few cherry bookshelves on one wall, a cherry entertainment center with a television, perhaps larger than Dudley's, and a stereo, a cream couch with reclining ends, a cherry school desk that would have a new computer and printer on it as well as a reading lamp, and a cushy cream office chair. The curtains on her big windows were emerald green and her bedspread was as well with little yellow patterns. She had matching pillow shams and yellow sheets. The Dursleys were even going to instal her own phone line like they had done for Dudley when he started school and she had a nice lamp on her night stands. Also, on the stand that didn't have the phone their was a digital alarm clock. Her bathroom would have the same yellow walls, checkered yellow and white tiled floors, and a nice porcelain toilet, sink, her own mirror, and a shower/bath combo. Until it was done she would be staying in the guest room. Dudley's room and second bedroom were also getting revamped so that he wouldn't be feeling left out. They were being combined into one room. It should be done before school started.

Throughout the remainder of the summer Callidora basked in the fact that she could be who she wanted to be without any repercussions. She even met the little girl that lived next door in early August.

"Hello." came a shy voice as Callidora left the yard. She spun around to come face-to-face with a little girl just about her age, perhaps a bit older.

"Oh, hi!" Hermione Granger was nervous. She was horrid at making friends and didn't have any idea why she was even trying; this girl's cousin had been mean to her, after all. Would she be mean to her too? Her mummy had told her to just say hello but shy Hermione had trouble with even that. She looked closer at the girl she was introducing herself too. Her face was round and kind, her cheekbones high, her skin lightly tanned. The girl had bright emerald eyes that were behind a pair of gold-framed glasses, hadn't she worn black ones before? In the middle of her forehead was a funny scar shaped like a crescent moon. She looked nice enough, Hermione decided, so she plowed on.

"I'm Hermione Granger...who're you?" she asked. Callidora looked closer at the girl. She was tanned a bit, had a kind face, chocolate brown eyes, and rather bushy brown hair. Her teeth were a little big in front as well but Callidora didn't mind.

"Oh, I'm Callidora Potter. Bit of a mouthful isn't it? I s'pose yours is no better; what were our mummies thinking? _CALLIDORA?_ _HERMIONE?_ I say we be friends, what about you? You wanna be my friend?" Callidora asked fearlessly.

"I...nobody's ever asked to be my friend before, do you mean it?" Hermione asked.

"Of course I do! I haven't got a friend either. As friends, what d'you say we shorten our names a bit to things only we can call each other? Let's see...you can be...Herms? Hermy? Mimi? Mia? Nia? Hmmm...what about Mine?"

"I...I like it. What about you? Allie? Cal? Dor? Dori? Dora? Doe? How 'bout Callie?"

"I like it! My relatives call me Dora but I don't like it much. Friends?" the newly dubbed Callie asked.

"Friends." Mine agreed. And so from that day forward the two little girls could always be seen together whether at Hermione's house or Callidora's.

School soon started and Callidora found herself waking early for it, excited for something for a change. She bounced out of bed, made it neatly, and quickly got dressed. She wore a pair of sandals, denim overalls, and a bright yellow T-shirt. Her hair was also done up into a braid and her light blue backpack on her back. Adjusting her glasses on her nose Callidora walked out of her freshly-finished room and down the attic stairs. Across the hall she went, down the main stairs, and into the kitchen. Grabbing herself an apple and a glass of milk she sat down and began to eat. Her cousin joined her moments later and unhappily ate an orange and milk. As she got up to rinse her cup and throw her apple core away she was almost tripped by her cousin's outstretched foot.

"Nice try." she snarked as she went past him unhindered. Jogging out the front door with lunch money secured in her backpack she met Hermione on the sidewalk.

"Hi, Mine!" she greeted.

"Hello, Calli. How are you?" she asked.

"Brilliant! How're you?" Callidora asked.

"Terrific. I can't wait for class!" her friend said enthusiastically and Callidora had to agree.

a little less than an hour later found both of them in the front row of the same classroom. In front of them all stood Miss Alexandra Wells, first-grade teacher.

The year absolutely flew by for everybody. Callidora didn't just do well in her classes; she excelled. She often worked months ahead the work was so easy for her. Hermione was the same way. At the end of the year Lexy Wells decided that it was time to get the Grangers and the Dursleys in to talk about the two. They could be promoted to third grade easily next year, perhaps even fourth and not face any challenges. They needed more than Surrey Primary could offer and she knew that. Hmmm, perhaps the principal would know what to do?


	13. Chameleon

Chameleon

An attempt to write a female Harry grows up a street kid fic… It's rather cringy and probably offensive to anyone who has had to go through such a thing, so I'm sorry for that! Also, sorry for the cringy accents written in here!

Chapter One: Street Dumped Part One

"But I din't mean ta, Auntie Tunia, I din't!" a little girl insisted. The first day of Kindergarten and she was already in trouble for somehow turning Dudley's hair pink.

"Oh shut up you _LITTLE_ _FREAK!_ Should have never taken you in! More trouble than you're worth! _CUPBOARD_ _NOW!"_ her aunt hissed. The little girl, too small for her age, with the thin face, knobby knees, and unruly jet black hair like her father with her mother's red streaking through it and her mother's startling emerald eyes behind thick, round, black glasses from an indigent bin and a lightning-shaped scar on her forehead sighed dejectedly and slumped off.

"I'll deal with the girl, Petunia, don't worry." Vernon Dursley said later that night.

"What are you going to do?" she asked her rotund husband.

"What I should have done years ago; let's just see how long she stays alive on the streets of London." Vernon smirked. And so in the middle of the night, about 11:00 PM, Vernon Dursley woke up and went downstairs. The little girl was sorry, really she was, she always did freaky things that upset her family but what was she to do? She knew she'd be locked in her cupboard a long time and she'd be lucky to get food. She sighed and curled up cuddling her one and only toy that she called Prongs, a soft, fluffy white stuffed stag with hazel eyes that never got ripped or tattered or dirty or lost no matter what happened to it, wrapping her soft, fleecy emerald baby blanket with her initials in gold that was also edged in gold around her as best she could. Her blanket was like Prongs, nothing could happen to it. However, in the middle of the night, she heard the door to her cupboard unbolt. The face of her uncle peered in at her.

"You believe me, uncle?" she asked. Her only answer was a thunk on the head, a field of stars, and then utter blackness.

Vernon Dursley drove for what seemed like hours all throughout London. Getting into the worse-off part of the city and finding a suitable alley he liked he parked the car and went around to the trunk. In the trunk was a large potato sack with the small girl, still unconscious, inside. Also inside was the little freak's toy and blanket, he would have burned them a long time ago if they would actually burn but alas, the toy and blanket were just as freaky as the girl. He heaved it out, rushed into the alley, set it none-too-gently down, and rushed out again.

"Good riddance you little freak!" he sneered as he sped back to Surrey, Little Whinging, and normalcy.

In the meantime, the little girl, barely five years old, began to wake up. What had happened to her? Where was she? Last time she remembered she was in her cupboard...and then...her uncle...her head...she was knocked out. She felt that she was in a sack of some sort on concrete. Thankfully her Prongs and her blanket were still with her. Eventually she found a hole and she worked at it until it was big enough for her to squeak out of, just barely. What was she to do? She was never allowed to talk to strangers...no that wouldn't do...a police officer, police were supposed to be helpful, right? But she was in some back street and part of her said their were probably no police.

"What do I do?" she moaned aloud. Dejectedly, Prongs in her arms, blanket wrapped around her shoulders, she began trudging down the alley and eventually down the streets outside of it. It was still dark, the middle of the night, and she was tired, ever-so-tired. A small, shadowy alcove between two buildings came into view, just big enough for a little girl to stay in, all curled up. It would be especially easy for this particular little girl since she was so small.

"Well I'm sleepy and it isn't no smaller than my cupboard so I can stay their and have a nap, oh I'm nackered." the little girl yawned to herself as she neared the alcove. Getting knocked out was not what she would call a satisfactory sleep, even by her standards and so she crouched down, entered, and curled up, resting her curly little head on the rough concrete. Not five minutes later she was asleep, cuddling her Prongs to her chest, blanket draped over her.

Everybody called her Mentor. She knew her real name, Adrila Vivika Knox, but Mentor was just as much her name as Adrila now. Thirty-six years of age and she had lived in the harsh, run-down parts of London all of her life. Her mother had died when she was two during the berthing of her younger brother in a particularly harsh winter, her father had abandoned her shortly afterwards. Many children she had taken in and mentored, taught them the three R's, reading, riding, and arithmetic, taught them how to survive, taught them how to care for one another. Her very most recent mentee, Alan, who she had found when he was three, had left. As she did with all her mentees, she gave Alan a nickname of sorts, a street name. His was Swiftblade for the speed at which he could pull out and fight with the rusty old switchblade he had found when he was seven. He was ten now, still much too young but old enough to think that he no longer needed her. Children came and went with Mentor, some staying months, some staying years. She had been "Mentor" since she was sixteen years old. Before that she was simply called Egghead by the people she lived with. She would rather read and learn than fight and maim. A frequent insomniac, Mentor left the abandoned apartment building which she currently lived in and started walking down the street. She walked several blocks as she often did, looping around each one. A flash of green caught her eye from a little alcove between two buildings and Mentor slowed down her brisk pace. Slowly she crept towards the little alcove and looked inside.

"What've we got 'ere?" she murmured for there she saw a little girl who looked barely three years of age, small and skinny, pale face half-hidden as she slept. Her hair was a mop of jet black curls streaked with a rich dark red. perched on the little girl's nose was a pair of thick, round, black glasses. The little girl looked to be dressed in not much more than rags, clothes that were far too big for her and shoes that were held together only by some miracle, that and a lot of scotch tape. The only nice things the girl had were a soft emerald blanket edged in gold with gold initials, ALP, on it, and a soft white plush stag with hazel eyes. "You poor lil' thing, you." taking care not to wake the sleeping child Mentor reached down and scooped her into her arms. Then, as quickly as she dared without waking the child, she began walking briskly back towards the place she called home. As soon as she entered the apartment she went and laid the child on her old, somewhat decayed, moth-eaten sofa. She kept the baby blanket on the child but also put a ragged quilt of her own on top. Mentor looked down at the girl's thin face pityingly. Even after all these years she still couldn't quite get used to the fact that children were abandoned all the time just as this little one most likely was. Etched into the child's forehead, Mentor noticed just then, was a peculiar scar shaped like a bolt of lightning, surely a token of this little girl's sad past. Mentor sighed and brought her fingers through her wispy brown hair, plopping down onto the chair that was perpendicular to the sofa. She wouldn't be able to sleep again and she had to be awake when the little one came around.

Mentor was just starting to doze a bit and the pink of daytime was just beginning to make itself known when the little girl stirred. Where was she? She wasn't in her cupboard! The memories of the past day came back to her in a flash. Her aunt, the cupboard, her uncle, hit on the head, waking up in the sack, finding the alcove, and going to sleep again. She realized that she was not on the concrete, she wasn't even on the lumpy crib matress in her cupboard, she was on something else entirely. What had happened? Who had found her? Was she safe? The little girl opened sleepy eyes to a dingy, shabby living room. On one wall was a book shelf with many books, all tattered and dog-eared. In one corner was a desk filled with papers, pens, and the like. Near it was a smaller desk, a child-sized desk. She was on an old couch which sat in front of a scuffed coffee table. On the two shorter ends of the coffee table were two old, tattered chairs. Slumped over in the chair nearest her head was a woman. The woman's face was rather rough and weather-beaten, her hair whispy, thin, and brown. The little girl knew not what her eyes looked like for they were closed. She couldn't help it, she gasped. The woman jerked awake, looking wildly around. Oh no, was she in trouble? What would this woman do to her? The woman's gaze fell on the little girl and immediately softened. The little girl became a bit less tense.

Deciding that she needed to do something Mentor softly %smiled at the girl. The child did nothing but bury her face in her blanket and Mentor's quilt.

"ello, child." Mentor spoke softly in her rough, inner-city accented voice. The little girl shook her head and buried her head further in her blankets. "I ain' gonna 'urt ya, ya coulda caught a right chill sleepin' as ya were. Wha were ya doin' ou' there? S'not much o' a place fer lil' girls."

"No-nothin...h-had to sleep." the girl stammered.

"Buh why sleep ou' there? Inner London ain' no proper place fer a lil' girl now is it?" Mentor asked. If her hunch was right, this little girl wasn't from London at all.

"Inner London? Bu-bu-but how could I be in inner London?" the little girl burst out before covering her mouth. "Sorry!"

"Don' worry, dear. Ain' nothin' wrong wih' askin' 'bout things. ere ya got nothin' to fear 'bout." Mentor said. From the little girl's outburst she recognized the posh accent of a Surrey child. "Now can ya tell me jus' where ya come from?"

"No...I can't." the little girl stammered.

"Child, s'clear tha oo ever was raisin' ya was a nasty bunch. Ya don' 'ave to fear me, ya know? I ain' gonna drop ya back off withem. No child should be afeared o' askin' questions. Ya can tell me wha'ever ya like an' it'll jus' stay 'tween us, right?"

"Promise?" the little girl asked shyly.

"Swear it. Name's Adrila Vivika Knox an' people call me "Mentor" 'cause I take to teachin' children wha' they need to know fer the world. Can ya tell me yer name? Do ya know it?"

"I do. S'just Aimee, Aimee Lily Potter and I'm called girl or freak." the little girl said softly.

"Ain' no child tha's a freak, understand? An' 'speshly not you. I'm from 'ere in London, 'ow 'bout you?"

"Little Whinging!" the little girl said. Ah, one of those posh little towns.

"I'm thirty-six years old an' me birthday's on July 17, 'ow 'bout you?" Mentor asked. She realized with children the more information she gave her potential mentees the more they would give back to her.

"I'm five, my birthday's on July 31." the little girl answered.

"S'far as I know me da's long-dead an' me mum died givin' birth to me little brother when I was two. Poor babe din't las' the night. Da lef' after that so I 'ad to find meself a place to live. There was this ol' man 'oo took in children from the street an' raised 'em, I was one o' the kids. Wha' 'bout yer family? Can ya please tell me a bit 'bout 'em?" Mentor asked. Aimee didn't have a clue why, she had only known adults to be distrustful and mean, but she trusted this "mentor" lady somehow.

"I lived with my aunt and uncle. They don't like me and call me freak. They say my parents were worthless drunks who died in a car crash and that's how I got the scar. Auntie Tunia...erm...Petunia...seems to hate me 'speshly lots 'cause she says I got my mummy's eyes and the red in my hair from her and I look, other than that, like my worthless daddy. I got in lots a trouble 'cause I somehow did my freaky thing and turned my cousin Dudley's hair pink. Woke up in a sack in an alley." Aimee said.

"Well ya seem like a good lil' girl to me an' very pretty too. Yer blanket an' toy are very nice an' I don' think drunken beggers coulda got 'em fer ya. Don' think bad 'bout yer parents no more 'cause they're dead, I'm sure they loved ya very much. An' don' ever think ya ain' worth being loved 'cause ya are." Mentor said, looking deep into the girl's emerald eyes with her own gray ones.

"I am...really?" the little girl asked skeptically. "But nobody likes me...I'm just a burden...worthless...I wish I had died with my parents!" she suddenly burst out.

"Don' say tha', lil' Aimee. S'no good to wish ya died when ya din't. Everybody's got a chance to be loved, every child's worth bein' loved 'cludin' you. An' don' call yerself no burden 'cause ya ain' one. Ya ain' goin' back ta them people again, you can stay 'ere wih' me an' ya won' be no burden, understand?" Mentor said softly.

"I...I s'pose so. You gonna teach me stuff? Can I learn? What can you teach me?" the little girl asked excitedly.

"O' course I'll teach ya. I think ya'll learn quite well an' I'll teach ya all I can. I din't get formal teachin', mind, buh I still know a fair bit o' the basics an' a bit more 'bout livin' in London." Mentor smiled at the now very excited little girl.

"Thank you...thank you so much." she said softly.


	14. Changes

Changes

An attempt to write a breaking the shackles, TWT story with a female Harry. I remember naming her all sorts of things from Dreama to Arabella to Ivy… this is the surviving version where she is Violet.

Chapter One: Disbelief and Betrayal

The din in the Great Hall was quite loud at each table. Students could not stop talking about the Goblet of Fire, who it would choose, what the tasks would be for the tournament, what dumb saps had actually entered their name, what have you. It was Halloween night, the delegations from Beaubatons and Durmstrang had arrived just the day before. I sat between Ron and Hermione, not saying anything, simply observing. Ron looked to already be working himself into a real state, a state that he gets in when he's envious and miffed at his lot in life. In this state he is sullen, snappish, and downright unpleasant to be with let alone talk too. Hermione looked eager to see what would happen, probably thinking she could research her way through the tournament. Fred and George looked a bit sullen that their aging potion hadn't worked. Me, you ask? I am indifferent. I don't see how people could just enter their name into such a stupid contest; a contest that has prematurely ripped away the lives of so many people before. I also don't understand how anybody could complain about the age limits because of the numerous deaths caused by this tournament. At least with an age margin of seventeen their's slightly less of a chance of someone dying. Maybe it's because I'm already famous, maybe it's because I wouldn't want any extra fame heaped upon me, maybe because I've had enough of my own adventures, but I thought the Triwizard Tournament an entirely idiotic idea meant for survival of the fittest, which country cranks out the top witches and wizards? Apparently not England because, according to research that I had conducted on the tournament, England hadn't won the tournament since 1774. The next tournament they had lost horribly with the grizzly death of their champion because British witches and wizards, many Hogwarts teachers, had gone down in the revolutionary war in what is now the United States. That wasn't just a Muggle war. I said none of this, however, I simply observed. The din of the hall quieted as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore stood up to address the eager crowd.

"On this night the names of the Triwizard champions shall be revealed by the goblet of fire. On this night the tournament can truly _BEGIN!"_ cheers rang out through the hall. The goblet was promptly revealed and the flames in it glowed red as a sheet of parchment shot out of it and into Dumbledore's outstretched hands.

"The Beaubatons champion is...Fleur Delacour!" Dumbledore called out. A tall, willowy girl with silver-blonde hair and blue eyes got gracefully up from the Ravenclaw table where the Beaubatons students sat and half-strode, half-flounced, up to the front. A chorus of cheers rang out from the Beaubatons students as well as from many boys who seemed taken in by her charms. Fleur was pointed to a back room and the hall quieted. Just then the second parchment of the night shot from the goblet in a burst of red flames and Dumbledore caught it.

"The Durmstrang champion is...Viktor Krum!" Dumbledore called. The Durmstrang students shouted and cheered as well as a few Hogwarts students. From the Slytherin table Krum got up in all his slouch-backed, duck-footed, scowling...well...I won't say glory...he's definitely better on the eyes when he's on his broom and in the distance but anyway he got up and marched up to the front where he was led through the same door as Fleur. The third and final parchment flew from the goblet and Dumbledore caught it.

"And finally, the Hogwarts champion is...Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore called. Deafening cheers rang out from most all of the Hogwarts students, including myself, as from the Hufflepuff table a rather good-looking seventh-year, the seeker and captain for the house team with brownish-bronze hair and gray eyes, stood up and walked, somewhat nervously, to the front where he was pointed through the same door as the others.

"Now our champions have been selected. We are grateful for all of the opportunities this tournament gives us to better understand one another and, we hope—com" but exactly what "we" hoped was cut off as the goblet's serene light blue flames suddenly became red again. The goblet shook and quaked until, in a large spat of bright red fire, a fourth piece of parchment rocketed towards Dumbledore. He caught it, a curious expression on his face. He read it, eyes wide, to the crowd.

"Violet Potter?" it came out more of a quiet question than anything and I ignored it. No, no, no, no no no no no! How could this be happening to me? Didn't I have enough adventures as is? What was I, Fate's favorite play-thing? I ignored the goblet, ignored Dumbledore, ignored the silence that was, in it's own way, even more deafening than Cedric Diggory's cheers, ignored the stares piercing me from all sides, and shut my eyes, just wishing for this to be a nightmare. My nightmare wishes were dashed, however, when Dumbledore said my name again, more of a sharp command for me to get my arse up there. "_Violet_ _POTTER!"_ Reluctantly, on shaky legs, I stood up. I tripped over the bench and stumbled down the isle, trembling with a mixture of fear, trepidation, and anger. Half-way up to the front of the hall the comments started.

"She's a cheat!" shouted one.

"Not even seventeen!" shouted another.

"Ve vill not stand for this!" shouted a Durmstrang student.

"Zis ees an outrage!" shouted a Beaubatons student. Many more comments of that sort were shouted as I trudged up the hall, cursing my own luck. I finally reached the headmaster and he motioned me through the door beyond the jeering crowd. Taking a deep breath I stepped through to the small room where the three rightful champions waited.

"What ees eet zat you need, leetle girl?" asked Fleur Delacour, I scowled. Sure I'm small for my age, I thought, but really, I'm not that "leetle" am I? I mean, I _am_ a fourth year.

"Vill ve be getting a clue for the first task?" Viktor Krum asked.

"Do they want us back out their, Violet?" Cedric Diggory asked of me.

"No...erm...I'm to be here too." I said. Before I could elaborate Dumbledore, Madam Maxime, headmistress of Beaubatons, Igor Karkaraf, headmaster of Durmstrang, Barty Crouch, and Luto Bagman entered the room.

"Vat is the meaning of this, Dumbledore! This is an _OUTRAGE!"_ Karkaraf fumed angrily.

"What's going on?" Cedric asked inquisitively.

"Miss Potter has been chosen as a fourth champion." said Crouch shortly.

"ow ees zis possible?" Fleur demanded.

"There are only to be three, are there not?" Krum demanded.

"Yes yes, it is our intention to get to the bottom of this." Crouch said, throwing an acidic glare towards me.

"That's right. Now Violet, did you enter your name in the goblet?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes piercing into mine.

"No." I said promptly.

"Did you ask an older student to put your name in for you?" he asked, gaze growing more fierce.

"Absolutely not!" I said vehemently.

"And of course she ees lying!" Madam Maxime snapped, her large face reddening making her look a bit intimidating since she was at least Hagrid's size.

"No I'm not!" I snapped. "This entire tournament is stupid and a waste of time, why not find another way for the magical nations of Europe to "cooperate and work together" without risking the necks of the wizarding world's youth? What is it for you people, survival of the fittest? Ooh, who can crank out the best witches and wizards? Great Britain? France? Bulgaria? Lets see who by letting a student from each country participate in a tournament that might kill them, shall we? Don't you think I've got enough publicity to last me a lifetime?"

"But ve who have the fame vill alvays vant for more!" Krum muttered from where he stood. I glared at him.

"_READ_ _MY_ _LIPS!_ I do _NOT_ want to compete and I had _NOTHING_ to do with this _TOTAL_ _DISASTER!"_ I huffed. "Do I have to join?"

"The little golden-girl enters her name and then feels that she cannot live up to vat is expected of her, eh?" Karkaraf sneered, the other adults ignored him.

"Violet, I am afraid the goblet cannot be re-lit until the next tournament. This is a magically binding contract." Dumbledore said, Crouch nodding in agreement.

"Is that it, then?" I asked sharply.

"The task is on November 21, you may go." Crouch said shortly. One by one the three champions and I left the small chamber, heading off in different directions. Angrily I stomped my way through the castle and up to the fat lady's portrait.

"Unity!" I snapped to the portrait who simply hmphed and swung open. As soon as I was in the common room I was getting questions from all sides. How did I do it? How did I get my name past the age line? Why didn't I tell anyone? What was I thinking? How did I make sure the goblet spouted my name?

"We must say—com" Fred said as he and George came up to me.

"That this all—com" George took over from his twin.

"Is brilliant! How did you do it?" the twins asked together.

"For the last time, you guys, I don't know how this happened! The last thing I want is to participate in this _STUPID_ _TOURNAMENT!_ I didn't put my name in, I had nothing to do with my name getting put in, and now I'm stuck doing this stupid tournament because it's magically binding. Does that answer all of your inane questions, you two?" I snapped somewhat viciously, a small part of myself rejoicing at the fact that I was one of the few people who could make the Weasley twins seriously cringe.

"Sorry!" they chimed before scuttling away.

"Perfect Potter has to have everything doesn't she?" Ron snapped from behind me, I whirled around.

"Excuse me, Ron?" I asked icily. He flinched under my glare but didn't back down.

"Perfect Princess Potter, you've got everything. You're well-known and famous and their you go seeking more attention and don't deny it either!" Ron fumed.

"So what you're saying, Ronald, is that I purposefully go looking for danger? What you're saying, Ronald, is that I seek all the attention I can get? What you're saying, Ronald, is that I meant for this to happen? _WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, RONALD, IS THAT YOU JUST THINK I'M SOME ATTENTION-SEEKING LITTLE BITCH WITH NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN CONSTANTLY PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER?"_ I roared, eyes flashing. I've only ever called Ron "Ronald" a few times before, times where he pissed me off. Never had I used it so many times at once, a sign of my temper, but the baffoon plowed on.

"What _Else_ would you be? Oh look at me, I'm the girl-who-lived and I've just got to _SHOW_ _OFF_ every year. I made friends with the Gryffindor book-geek so she can do my research for me and I made friends with the sixth Weasley boy to have a good _SIDEKICK!"_ Ron hollered.

"_NEWS_ _FLASH,_ Ronald! I've _ALWAYS_ seen you and Hermione as _TRUE_ _FRIENDS!_ I _NEVER_ befriended her because she "does my work for me" and I _NEVER_ befriended you because you were just a "good sidekick." I befriended you two because you were among the first people that I met that I _THOUGHT_ saw me for _WHO_ I was and not _WHAT_ I was to the wizarding world. Before you, Ron, I'd _NEVER_ had any friends if only for the reason that if any kid tried to be nice to me my cousin would wale on them. I _HATE_ my fame! I _HATE_ my status! I _HATE_ risking my life every year! Are you jealous of me, Ronald? Jealous because I have a little fame, a little fortune, and a little glamour? _WAKE_ _UP_ _AND_ _SMELL_ _THE_ _PUMPKIN_ _JUICE!_ First off, Ronald, I hate the fame if you're too thick to understand that by now than I pity you. Second off, I hate publicity and glamour and all that. Third off, I'd trade all the gold, everything I had, to have my parents back. You're jealous of _ME_ when it is I who should be jealous of _YOU."_

"Oh right!" Ron snorted. "I'm the second-youngest of seven with a Muggle-obsessed father, an overbearing mother, and _SIX_ older brothers that _ALWAYS_ _OUTSHINE_ _ME!"_

"How could you, Ron? Do you know how lucky you are to have a family? Your mother loves and takes care of you, your father works his arse off to keep your fat mouth stuffed with food, and maybe if you stopped trying to ride along with someone without doing anything productive for yourself you'd shine in your own light and be known for your own merits, not the merits of your friends or your family. You really are thicker than I thought." I said coldly. The entire common room was silent now, just watching us.

"Are you calling me stupid, Potter?" he shouted, waving his wand threateningly at me.

"In many ways, Ronald, you are the biggest baffoon I've ever seen. I thought better of you but you just became friends with me for all the perks didn't you, _DIDN'T_ _YOU?"_ I yelled.

"Well it sure as hell wasn't worth it, _THAT_ _IS_ _FOR_ _SURE!_ You're a worthless little bitch and you're going to use your fame to skate through the rest of your life aren't you? Well as far as I'm concerned you can take this friendship and _SHOVE_ _IT_ _UP_ _YOUR_ _SKINNY_ _LITTLE_ _ARSE!"_

"I know just what you are now, Ronald. If something has a use for you you'll use it, if it is no longer useful you throw it out, just like what you're doing with this friendship. You're just a jealous, bad-tempered, impulsive, idiotic, fickle little twit. I think I can sum it up pretty clearly in this statement, you're just like Malfoy with red hair!" my voice was low and dangerous. Ron's face went as vibrant red as his hair and with no further warning I felt rather than saw Ron's right fist collide with my left eye, knocking my glasses off and breaking the left lens. I stared in shock at him for a minute, my left hand reaching up to my left eye. It wasn't the first time I'd ever been hit or given a black eye but who gave it to me was the real shock. TEARS pricked at the corners of my eyes at this betrayal but I kept them back as well as I could, a few traitorous ones leaking onto my cheeks.

"Et tu, Brute?" I whispered, quoting a line from Caesar before my ire rose exponentially. "If that's how you treat friends than I'm glad I'm not your friend anymore, Ronald Billius Weasley, because I'm not going to sit back and have you slap me around. And remember, everything I get I can give so _FUCK_ _OFF,_ _WEASLEY!"_ my right fist flew out, smashing the burk in the nose. Before anything else could happen I ran blindly out of the common room and up to the girls dorms, tears unashamedly falling out of my eyes, not even noticing that I trampled my glasses in my haste to leave. Angrily I plopped on my bed and dug through my trunk for the bruise-healing paste I kept hidden. I rubbed the yellowish stuff around my eye and on the lid, I should be good as new by tomorrow. With a sigh I pulled out a pair of pajamas and dressed in them. Quickly I went to brush my teeth and then went back into the room, plopping on my bed, limbs spread out.

"I'm really disappointed in you, you know?" came Hermione's voice.

"Excuse me?" I asked coldly.

"Breaking the rules, entering your name, and then you blow up on your best friend when he's just a little frustrated, you know? I thought you knew better than this, Violet. I'm really, really, really disappointed in you."

"No, Hermione, I'm disappointed in you. I had nothing to do with the goblet and Ronald Weasley was acting like a red-haired Malfoy."

"How could you say that, Violet?" Hermione asked, scandalized.

"They're both bigoted, jealous twits but bigoted and jealous in different ways. Weasley's just as opposed to Slytherin as Malfoy is opposed to Gryffindor. I chose Weasley's friendship over Malfoy's so he became jealous, Weasley has always been jealous of something I never wanted, do you see my point?" I asked.

"I can completely understand Ron's ire, Violet, and you should too after what you've done." Hermione snapped. "Breaking the rules, confunding the goblet, I'll be shocked if you're not _EXPELLED_ after this!"

"Which would you rather see, Hermione? Me killed or me expelled? Honestly I value my life much more than I value Hogwarts; I'd rather be expelled then killed. Of course, you remember first year and what you said, right? "We could have gotten killed...or worse...expelled!" After all the times I've told you that I didn't enter my name in that _BLOODY_ _GOBLET_ you still won't look at this logically or with an un-bias point of view, will you? You have a lot of book sense, Granger, but your common sense isn't worth dragon shit. Just stay with Weasley, side with him in his hour-of-need, Granger, you two are no less than you deserve for each other, goodnight!" with that, I yanked my bed curtains closed, crawled under the covers, and went right to sleep.

Chapter Two: Belief And True Friends

The next morning I woke up early before either Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, or Hermione Granger, my ex-best friend. I had slept horribly the night before, it was only a quarter to six in the morning. I crawled out of bed and let my feet hit the cool stone floor. Making as little sound as possible I gathered up my toiletries and my Hogwarts robes, and crept into the bathroom. Stripping out of my ragged old pajamas I turned the shower on and stepped into the soothing, hot water. I let it rush all over my body, relaxing my muscles, soaking me through. I took my shampoo, which smelled like flowers and vanilla, and lathered it into my hair. Once I was done washing myself I let the water run over me.

After awhile I reluctantly got out and dried myself off with a towel and a drying charm. I looked in the mirror at myself as I brushed through my now-dry hair and pulled it first into three smaller braids and then braided the three smaller braids into one braid, sweeping my now almost grown out bangs to the right, the part in my hair to the left, showing my scar. Everyone says that I'm the spitting image of my mum. I have her same small build, same roundish face, same nose, same thick, dark red hair, albeit a little bit wavier, and the same almond-shaped, emerald green eyes. I have kept my hair down almost to my waste if only for the reason that the Dursleys never let me cut it. Everyone who has known my parents says, however, that I have my dad's ears, cheekbones, and most noticeably, his poor eyesight and his smile. Maybe it's because of my treatment at the Dursleys, maybe it's because Mum was sort of small in the first place, but I'm pretty small. I'm only five three, just barely. My mum, from what I could tell, was about five five and Dad was six one. Sprinkled across my cheeks and nose were a few freckles left over from the summer. In the middle of my forehead my well-known lightning-bolt scar stood out. I was relieved to see that the black eye I would have gotten from Weasley the previous day was only a faint shadow, barely noticeable even without my glasses. Once I was finished brushing my hair and teeth I pulled on my robes and shoes and went back into the bedroom. Granger was just beginning to stir but the other girls were blissfully asleep.

I grabbed up my school bag, filled it with everything I would need, and left the dorm room as quickly as I could. I felt a bit blinded without my glasses on but hopefully they were in tact and in the common room somewhere. I felt the reassuring presence of my holly and phoenix feather wand up my sleeve encase anybody tried anything on me. It was 6:20, breakfast should start soon. The common room was blissfully empty as I entered. On the nearest table I saw something. I neared it to see my glasses. Big, bulky, and black I had had them since I was six years old. All children in my grade were lined up in the nurse's office one day and given vision and hearing tests. The tests on my ears had shown that my hearing was fine but they noticed I had small canals and they could tell that I had had several ear infections...which I had...that would sometimes block me from hearing things. All-in-all, not too abnormal. When they did the vision tests, however, it was realized right away that I was straining my eyes too much and if I didn't get corrective lenses my sight could grow gradually worse. The Dursleys were furious, I couldn't eat for a week. My glasses weren't even to my prescription, just picked out of an indigent bin. The teachers at my school saw that I had glasses, however, so nothing was ever said. My glasses, for all their ugliness, looked quite fragile, more than usual. I remembered then that not only did my glasses fall off but I had ran over them in my haste to get out of the common room. It looked like someone had been nice enough to repair them for me. Sitting on the table next to them was a note. Curiously I picked it up and read it.

Violet,

Here are your glasses. I know how much you need them. Some people decided to make it their duty to do as much damage to them as possible. I tried my best with the reparo charm specific to glasses and think it turned out...but I'm not so sure. Nobody else would be bothered. I think the twins might have but they were gone to give their little brother an earful. Anyway, I hope they work...

Your Friend,

Neville

PS: I believe you.

I gasped. Really? Neville really believed me? Just those three words, even written down, meant so much to me...they made my day. I placed the note carefully, almost reverently, in my pocket. Gingerly I reached out and touched my glasses. As soon as I did, however, they broke apart into several small pieces. Neville would probably be upset if he found out the reparo hadn't worked properly. Taking my wand from my pocket I pointed it at the glasses, flicked it, and said the incantation.

"Occulus reparo!" the glasses fused together but still looked fragile. I tried picking them up again but they broke apart.

"Bugger me!" I cursed aloud. In very foul temper now I picked up the pieces to my glasses and brushed them into my pocket with Neville's note. With a sigh I left the common room and headed towards the Great Hall. By the time I got their their were very few people up. Seven Ravenclaws, five Hufflepuffs, three Slytherins, and one Gryffindor, a sixth-year that I recognized as Alecia Spinet. I sat down at the opposite end of the table from her and began to eat my breakfast. She waved at me, I timidly waved back. When I was buttering up a piece of toast I was startled by someone sitting next to me. My eyes snapped up and into the warm, forest green eyes of Neville Longbottom. I liked him very much as a person but my friendships with Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger had rather stunted my friendships with anybody else. I saw a lingering bit of sleep in the corners of his eyes and his nut-brown hair was still a bit tousled. I smiled tentatively at him, he returned it.

"Erm...hi...Violet." he said shyly.

"Hey, Neville. I wanted to say thanks for...for the glasses and...and all of that...you know...and for believing in me...believing when it seems nobody else will." I said, just as shyly.

"It's...it's not a problem. I could sort of see it...it was in your face that you are an unwilling participant. Ron Weasley...and people like him...they're idiots. Seamus and Dean don't believe you either, I'm sort of an outcast in my dorm now but I don't mind. I'd rather have friends that like me for...for who I am...than friends that like me because I believe in what they believe in." Neville said softly.

"Oh thank you, Neville, thank you, thank you, thank you." I said with a smile, Neville blushed.

"So...erm...did...did my spell...you know...work?" he asked.

"No, not really. But don't worry, I couldn't fix them either. I'll just have to make do without, I suppose." I said with a shrug.

"You ought to see a healer, Violet. You've had those glasses since first year haven't you?" Neville asked.

"Erm...not quite...but I don't need a healer...I'm fine." I protested, flushing at my friend's concern.

"You really should, at least go talk to Madam Pomfrey about it won't you?" Neville asked.

"No way, Neville! I swear that woman loves holding all her patients as hostages or something. She's hell-bent on making absolutely sure everyone is _perfectly_ _healthy;_ that woman would have everyone in their own, individual, germ-free, safe little bubbles if she could. I can barely step in there without having to spend the night!" I insisted.

"If you keep going around without your glasses you'll probably wind up spending the night in there anyway. I've seen you go around the common room without them, you know. Plus, no offense, but Gran says that most Potters are practically blind as bats, that includes your dad. Maybe it's just one of those pureblood things. We Longbottoms, in some instances, have hearing problems, the Blacks have dark tendencies, the Weasleys and Prewetts sometimes turn out impulsive, the Malfoys all have bad teeth, that sort of thing." Neville informed me.

"Hmmm...well...all right, but I won't see her until classes are done with. With the reputation I'm getting it wouldn't do any good to skive off class. Anyway, I bet some of them were expecting it but I'm not going to be some weak little girl just because one tool was taken away from me." I said.

"All right but we have Potions today, that's a disaster waiting to happen." Neville said.

"Hey, Neville, I'll tell you a secret that not even Weasley and Granger know." I said.

"What's that?" Neville asked.

"Snape can be pretty damn cool." I whispered into his ear. "I'd probably think he was a greasy git like everyone else in Gryffindor house if I looked more like my dad, who Snape was bitter rivals with, but I look like my mum, his very best friend, so we're cool. I cornered the professor after class one day in the middle of second year and demanded why he seemed to hate me so much. It's partly because he didn't like my dad and partly because he regrets screwing up his friendship with my mum. After we sort of got a mutual understanding we began meeting and talking about Mum. Last year Professor Lupin, who was one of my dad's best friends and probably the one friend of my mum's Snape could tolerate, joined in on the conversations, telling me all about Dad. Snape still acts like a greasy git in class mainly just 'cause it's fun. We enjoy our sparring matches, really. Don't be scared of him, if you want I'll tell him to redirect his energy on antagonizing Weasley and Granger instead of you. He'll still have to get on you somewhat for his reputation, though. Anyway, it'll be fine."

"Wow...you...you're civil with Snape? That's interesting. Looks like you've been able to do a lot of things unnoticed." Neville said.

"Yeah...yeah you're sort of right. Until now I've just sort of been underachieving because Weasley is a lazy arsehole and Granger is a nagging bitch that makes me feel inferior sometimes. Now that they've both turned their backs on me I'm going to show them I don't need them. I'm capable of more than they think. I study a lot less than Granger but, if I tried, could probably beat her to the top of the class. I also do a lot of independent study on things like ancient runes, arithmancy, creatures, and even a bit of Divination even though I think it's rubbish. I've been doing research on this dumb tourney ever since Dumbledore announced it. Now the kid gloves are off, I'm going to be the sort of student I should have been from the beginning, I've decided, and you're more than welcome to join me."

"But...but...but I'm not a good wizard...just mediocre at best...little more than a Squib...I know this. Their's no way I could be _near_ as good as you, Violet." Neville stammered, face reddening.

"Neville, that's bullocks and you know it! You can be a great wizard if only you are confident in yourself. I'm confident in you so be confident in yourself!" I said, my emerald eyes piercing into his forest ones.

"I...I...I can try my best...I guess...thanks, Violet." Neville said with a smile.

"Any time, Neville. Look at the time, it's almost potions. Let's get going, okay?" I asked. Neville nodded and smiled. The two of us stood up, heaved our bags onto our backs, and left the Great Hall. We made it to class several minutes early. Snape sat behind his desk grading his papers and muttering about dunderheads.

"Morning, Professor!" I said with a smile.

"Hello, Violet." he said with a nod. "How are you with the events of last night?"

"Weasley gave me a black eye, sir, but I used bruise paste so you can hardly see it. I broke Weasley's nose in return." I responded.

"Which Weasley? I don't believe you've called any of them simply by last name. Often you use the full name." Snape observed.

"Correct. It was Ronald, sir, and the infuriating thing about it all is that Granger believes that everything is all my fault." I huffed.

"Tell me, why did Mr. Weasley sock you in the eye?" Snape asked, his black eyes glinting.

"Well he started saying how I was just an attention-seeking, spoilt little princess who wasn't worth anything and how I was going to use my fame to skate through life. I told him I'd trade _EVERYTHING_ I had to have my parents back and how I envied him but there he went, insulting his own family and saying how I only befriended Granger because she's smart and him to have a good sidekick. He told me that my friendship wasn't worth anything and that I was a worthless little _BITCH,_ riding on her _FAME!_ He then told me to shove our friendship up my skinny little arse. I told Weasley he was just like Malfoy but with red hair and he punched me. I told him if that's how he treated friends I didn't want to be his friend. Then, I said "fuck off, Weasley," decked him in the nose, and ran out of the common room crying." I explained, a few rogue tears leaking out the corners of my eyes.

"Ah, I see. And what of Mr. Longbottom here?" he asked, his lip curling.

"Neville's on my side, sir. He believes me. Oh yeah, and could you tone down the animosity towards him, please?" I asked.

"And why?" Snape asked, Neville paled a bit.

"Don't worry, Neville." I whispered. "He likes to draw things out."

"Well...all Right then." Neville said.

"You sort of scare him, sir. He's a herbology genius and I think he could be just as good in potions but he lacks the confidence. You're his boggart, sir, at least you were last time I checked." I explained, Neville nodded.

"I assume you wish my energies to be spent on more...shall we say...worthy targets?" Snape asked, arching a thin eyebrow.

"Correct, sir." I said.

"And what do I get in return?" Snape asked.

"What do you want in return?" I asked.

"Show your true potential in potions, Violet. I know that you hold back and I see no reason for you to do so anymore. You have your mother's gift and you should use it." Snape said softly.

"Already planned on it, sir." I said.

"Very well. Now I suggest the two of you sit down; I can here your classmates coming." Snape said. Neville and I nodded and took a table in the middle of the classroom. Just as we were getting out our supplies students for our class, which was Gryffindor and Slytherin, started trickling in. Malfoy and his cronies sat at the front right, the other snakes took seats behind them leaving the seats to the left for the Gryffindors. I noticed with a smirk that Weasley wasn't yet in the room. As the rest of the class was getting their potions things ready the door flew open and in ran Weasley who looked like he had just gotten out of bed...which he probably had.

"_WEASLEY!"_ Snape barked. "Have you no sense of time? Class starts promptly at 8:00, even _I_ expected your simple mind to comprehend that, obviously not."

"But professor—com" Weasley started as he sat down next to Granger.

"Silence, Weasley!" Snape barked.

"But it's only—com" Weasley protested.

"Silence, Weasley, and five points from Gryffindor." Snape snapped, black eyes glinting, lip curling into a sneer.

"It's 8:01!" Weasley protested.

"That does not matter, Weasley, and according to the clock in this room it is 8:05. Another five points from Gryffindor for wasting five minutes of my time. Any more and you'll be in detentions with either Mr. Filch or myself for a week, is that clear?" Snape said dangerously. Weasley simply scowled and threw his things for the class out of his bag. "And five points for mishandling of equipment." I hid my smirk with my potions text as I flipped to the potion Snape told me last week we'd be doing today, the burn-healing paste. The letters on the book were blurry but I could probably brew this paste with my eyes closed it was so easy.

"Today you will all be brewing a simple burns paste. The instructions are on the board, you have the remainder of the class." Snape said. The instructions appeared on the board but I couldn't read them really at all. I got out what I knew to be the proper ingredients and started to prepare them. Neville turned out to be pretty competent as we went through the class for nobody was breathing down his neck. The two of us worked together as did Weasley and Granger. It was quite amusing to see Snape harp on Weasley and Granger's progress all through the lesson but he did get the chance to put to good use his Potter-hating act half-way through the lesson. At this point in the instructions we were to put in blood of a salamander, the blood of the dragon wasn't supposed to go in for three more steps.

"_POTTER!"_ Snape barked just as I poured in the last of what I thought to be the salamander blood. "What, may I ask, are you doing?"

"Pouring in the salamander blood, sir. After that I'll be putting in the aloe." I said confidently.

"_IDIOT_ _GIRL!_ Putting in the aloe after dragon's blood would cause an explosion of _CATASTROPHIC_ proportions! Where are your glasses, Potter?" Snape demanded, I heard a snicker from Weasley.

"Broken, sir. Got ran over by a lot of nasty hippogryffs...or should I say...Gryffindors? Ah well, they both have "gryff" in them don't they?" my gaze rested on Weasley.

"And why have you not fixed them? Are you so incompetent that you cannot perform a simple reparo charm?" Snape asked with a derisive sneer. Now it was my turn to act.

"_OY!_ I am _NOT_ incompetent! I tried it, Neville tried it, they won't repair." I snapped, glaring at Snape.

"Well let's just see if somebody who has a better grasp on magic can succeed where you failed eh, Potter?" Snape sneered. I humphed and tossed the pieces onto the desk.

"Here, do it then!" I snapped.

"Three points for back-talk, Potter, and I shall. This, class, is how a repairing charm is _SUPPOSED_ to go. _ OCCULUS_ _REPARO!"_ Snape waved his wand and my glasses sprang together. "Pick them up, Potter." I did so. As with the time before they shattered, a few Gryffindors snickered.

"They broke, sir." I said.

"Obviously." Snape drawled. "Tell me, Potter, how long have you had them?"

"Awhile." I hedged.

"How long is awhile?" Snape asked.

"Since before first year." I conceded, I knew I was pushing it.

"_HOW_ _LONG,_ _POTTER?"_ Snape barked.

"Six." I muttered.

"Six what, Potter? Six years you've had them or six years old when you got them?" Snape asked. Now this was getting humiliating. Gryffindors and Slytherins alike were snickering.

"Since I was six, sir." I said with a sigh.

"Do you not know that one should see an optician every four years? It is crucial for prescriptions to be kept up to date. Also, glasses can only be repaired so many times before they are un-repairable. This means repairing by both Muggle and magical means. You have had to repair these often, I can tell." Snape said, a bit of well-hidden concern in his obsidian eyes.

"Oh." I said a bit dumbly.

"Are these prescription frames? Not even your father needed frames so...dare I say...clunky."

"No, sir. My relatives just picked up a pare of glasses from an indigent bin and gave them to me." I said in a whisper so only Neville and Snape could here.

"I see. _ LONGBOTTOM,_ take Potter to the hospital wing. I shall inform your head-of-house that she is to have the rest of the morning off." Snape said. Neville nodded. We both stood up, put our things away, I put the pieces to my glasses in my pocket, and we left the room.

"Looks like you can't escape Pomfrey's clutches!" Neville laughed.

"Oy! Shut it, Nev! It's not as though you haven't been in Pomfrey's over-zealous care before now is it?"

"True." Neville conceded. "She's quipped that at the rate I'm in their I should have my own special bed, placque and all. And Nev?" I blushed at that.

"Erm...well...it just sort of came out...but if you don't like it...I..." I trailed off.

"No, I...erm...I really like it. You can call me Nev." Neville said with a smile.

"And you can call me...hmm...let's see...Vi. I'm sick and tired of being the moldable, spineless, quiet little girl that I've portrayed myself as. Now I want to be the girl who plays by her own rules, understand? Only true friends, like you, will be able to call me Vi and only sometimes, not all the time. I want to be your friend, Neville." I said, returning his smile.

"I want to be your friend too, Violet." Neville said. "And you can't tell me that Pomfrey hasn't said the same of you, about your own bed and all."

"True." I sighed, shrugging. "I'm in their at least once a term, it seems. She says my dad was the same, him and his friends, from pranks gone wrong or some such. Apparently they put more Slytherins in there than even the Weasley twins."

"Wow, that's really saying something!" Neville laughed.

"Yeah but there were four Marauders and only two terror twins. Hmmm, perhaps I should follow in their footsteps?" I asked contemplatively.

"Yes, perhaps." Neville said, shaking his head and chuckling. I smiled impishly at him and skipped ahead.

"Well at least we'll get to be re-acquainted with old Pom-Pom! C'mon, Nev, keep up!" I hollered before promptly skipping into the corner of a wall.

"You okay, Vi?" Neville asked, coming up to me.

"Oh yes, I'm just dandy." I said. With that squared away, the two of us started walking again, eventually arriving at the hospital wing.

"Good morning!" I chirped happily as I entered. Madam Pomfrey looked up from the potion cabinet she was bent over and looked at me, her sharp honey-brown eyes penetrating mine.

"What is it now, Miss Potter? I never thought I'd see you so early in the tournament but you surprise me yet again." she said with an exasperated sigh.

"Well...you see...erm..." I trailed off.

"Her glasses were trampled in the common room last night, she's been going around without them. Professor Snape sent her up here when she almost exploded her potion." Neville explained, I shot a glare at him, he cringed.

"Did you try repairing them?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Me, Neville, and Professor Snape, madam." I answered, pulling the glasses out of my pocket yet again. Madam Pomfrey tsked as she looked them over, flicking her wand to make them hole again.

"Please sit on the bed and we'll deal with this. Mr. Longbottom, you may return to class now."

"You okay here?" Neville asked with a slight pink tinge.

"I'm great, Nev, go ahead. I'll meet up with you at lunch." I said, heating up as well. Neville smiled shyly at me, I returned the smile, and he walked out the door.

"It seems that you and Mr. Longbottom have become more friendly? What of Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger?" Madam Pomfrey asked. I sighed and shook my head at the middle-aged witch who I often pretended to dread seeing but who had helped me in many ways, many times.

"Nobody believes me, Madam Pomfrey. Neville and maybe the Weasley twins and I saw Alecia Spinet wave at me this morning at breakfast but other than that either people think I'm an attention-seeking bitch or the coolest chick ever for putting my name in! It's so...so...so _INFURIATING!"_ I huffed.

"I understand your frustrations, Violet. Now how exactly were your glasses broken again, dear?" Madam Pomfrey asked. I sighed yet again.

"Ronald Weasley started antagonizing me last night about everything. Our fight escalated and he punched me in the left eye when I called him a Malfoy with red hair. My glasses fell off and broke. I cried, slugged Weasley in the nose, and ran out of the common room, crunching my glasses. Then, according to Neville, other Gryffindor students had decided to do as much damage as they could. He's the one who gave them back to me and tried to fix them in the first place." Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly and looked closely at the thick frames and even thicker lenses.

"How long have you had these glasses, Violet? And you will tell me the truth, won't you?" she asked. "And don't beat around the bush about it either! I know how horrid your relatives are and I frankly have no idea why I haven't seen the state of your glasses before!"

"Erm...well...since I was six, madam." I answered with a sigh. "And only 'cause the school nurse said I needed them."

"And are these your correct prescription?" she asked, glaring angrily at nothing in particular.

"Nomam." I muttered, embarrassed.

"Violet Lily Potter, there's _nothing_ to be embarrassed or ashamed of, understand? So if these weren't prescribed for you where did they come from?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Indigent bin, madam." I answered quietly. Madam Pomfrey swelled with absolute rage.

"An indigent bin, you say? An _indigent_ _bin?_ _A_ _BLOODY_ _INDIGENT_ _BIN?"_ she exploded, her voice started out low but ended in a shriek. I nodded meekly. The kindly but strict nurse seemed to reign in most of her fury after a few minutes and she continued talking. "Was that the only time your eyes were ever checked?"

"Yes." I answered. Madam Pomfrey just shook her head and muttered something about damn Muggles.

"Well it's high time you had a full magical eye exam. I don't know what I was thinking, not doing the same when you first came in here! If I could I would also do a full medical work-up on you but Albus refuses to tell me who your magical guardian is and I haven't been able to contact those _HORRIBLE_ _MUGGLES!_ I need permission from at least one guardian although I don't know why, a child could be in horrible shape because of the guardians and the guardians could choose to not sign permission so there would be no proof! Just get yourself settled, I'll do the proper spells. All you need to do for a magical eye exam is sit their. I do all the work."

"Okay, Madam Pomfrey." I said with a slight smile. In the next few minutes she ran her wand around my head, across my eyes, and in other various motions, a quill writing the results on a piece of parchment. Eventually she put her wand down and smiled slightly.

"Well your eyesight isn't nearly as bad as it could be. In fact, I don't believe it's any worse than what your father's was at your age which is a small miracle since you've been using the wrong glasses for most of your life. I'll be able to set you up with new glasses right away. Just come with me and we can get it all settled." she told me. I nodded and got up. I then followed her to a room off the hospital wing. Several things were on the shelves all around the room. One shelf was full of glasses which Madam Pomfrey motioned too.

"Erm...Madam Pomfrey?" I questioned.

"Yes, Violet?" she asked.

"Erm...are their any such things as magical contacts like their are magical glasses? Glasses are all right, I guess, for school, but not that practical apart from that. Especially with this stupid tournament coming I...I...I don't know what to do." I stammered.

"Oh, I see. Well yes, they do exist but they're rather pricey and hard to make. I can have them done by Christmas, however. Is that all right?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Oh...oh yes, of course." I said. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome, dear. Now go pick out some frames you like and we can discuss charms." Madam Pomfrey said. The next fifteen minutes were spent going through the glasses frames, deciding just what style I wanted. I eventually chose a pair of nice gold wire-rimmed glasses with lenses much thinner than I was used too. I liked them a lot, they looked quite nice on me with my green eyes and red hair. Madam Pomfrey and I went through the charms and I decided to add impervius, unbreakable, shatter-proof, and glare-proof charms on. When I pointed at the x-ray charm thinking it might work like Professor Moody's magical eye she laughed and said, "Not quite yet, Violet. You're a bit young. Perhaps when you're a prefect which, undoubtedly, you will be." I simply pouted.

"I can't do all the charms myself, I just carry the frames for my students to choose from. I have to floo a specialist at St. Mungo's and it'll be charged to your Gringotts vault. You have the gold, right? If not than Hogwarts has a fund." she said after awhile.

"That's fine, Madam Pomfrey, I have plenty of gold. I'll wait here until you're back. Thanks for all the help." I said. Madam Pomfrey smiled and stepped through the floo. A half hour later, just in time for lunch, I walked out the hospital wing seeing more clearly and sharply than I had _EVER_ seen before.

"Nice frames, Vi!" Neville said as I sat beside him at lunch.

"Oh! Thank you, Nev. They're even unbreakable now so _NOBODY_ can break them." I said, glaring down at Weasley.

"That's great!" Neville enthused. Just as I was taking a bite of my sandwich three people sat down across from Neville and I. It was the other three Weasleys, Fred, George, and Ginny.

"Yes?" I asked a bit frostily.

"Violet...we're really sorry about Ron." Fred said as seriously as I'd ever heard him before.

"What he did was unforgivable. We'd have never done. We're also sorry for questioning you." George said just as seriously.

"I'm just sorry I'm related to someone with so few brain cells as that prat, Ronald." Ginny huffed.

"We really do believe you." the three said together. I felt a bit misty, smiling at the two trouble-makers and the youngest Weasley.

"Really? Thank you so, so, so much. It means a lot to me that people believe me. Ron was my first friend other than Hagrid and my owl...and...you know...this has all really hurt me." I said softly.

"He's a prat, enough said. Hermione must not be as smart as she says herself to be if she sticks with _him."_ Ginny scoffed.

"Thanks again, you lot." I said, smiling.

"So your old glasses couldn't be fixed?" Ginny asked.

"No. What exactly happened to them after I left anyway?" I asked.

"The prat decided that you could just go without them. He, and those who agreed with him, took turns stomping on them until Alecia Spinet, the sixth-year prefect, came into the common room and threatened the lot of them with detentions with Filch. I dunno where she stands but at least she'll try and stop that sort of thing." Ginny said.

"She waved at me this morning. I needed new glasses anyway, your brother did me a favor. I've had the old ones since I was six and they weren't even to my prescription, just from some indigent bin." I said.

"The _NERVE!"_ Fred and George exclaimed.

"I think—com"

"Brother mine—com"

"We should have done more—com"

"Than just give—com"

"That overly-fat, pig-like—com" "Cousin of the Marauders' heir—com"

"More than the Tongue-Tongue Toffee!" they finished together.

"And something for the parents too." Ginny added. I laughed. Ginny seemed to have just as much of a prankster streak as her older brothers but more hidden, more sneaky and subtle.

"Hey, you three! I was talking to Neville a bit earlier about perhaps walking in my dad's footsteps. I was thinking the five of us, plus any other true friends, could reform the Marauders. What do you think?"

"Brilliant!" the twins exclaimed as Ginny simply smirked.

"Fantastic. So you know, I don't want to be the moldable, spineless girl who just follows people blindly anymore. I go by my own rules. You can call me Vi sometimes. It looks like it's about time for Defense Against The Dark Arts, we'd better go, Neville." I said.

"All right, just let me finish my pumpkin juice." Neville said. I smiled at my friend. After a minute he was done and we left the table.

"Hello, Violet Potter." came a light, airy voice from in front of me as Neville and I exited the Great Hall. Standing before us was a small girl in Ravenclaw robes. Her hair was long and dirty blonde, her eyes big and blue. Around her neck was a necklace of butterbeer corks and in her ears were radish earrings. I recognized her in passing as Luna "Loony" Lovegood. I had never called her "Loony" but many students did for her odd outlook on life.

"Erm, hello. Luna Lovegood, right?" I asked.

"Oh yes. I just thought I'd warn you that Rackspurts have scrambled the brains of many of the castle's occupants spreading symptoms of hatred and befuddlement. Keep those immune to the Rackspurts close, Violet Potter." Luna said.

"Erm...thanks, Luna. Hey, I realize nobody really seems to like sitting with you much in your own house...they're rather closed-minded aren't they? Anyway...do you want to sit with my friends and I at the Gryffindor table?" I asked, Luna beamed.

"Thank you very much, Violet. I shall indeed sit with you and your friends. It would be like having friends of my own." Luna said bluntly.

"Erm...Luna...I'd like to be your friend. You can count Neville and I as your first right, Neville?" I asked.

"Right." Neville agreed.

"Really? Thank you very much, Violet. Though Rackspurts have tried to take hold of your mind before I feel it is more open than most anybody's. I would be delighted to be your friend." Luna said.

"Great. We'll see you later, Luna. Oh, and by the way, call me Vi sometimes." I said. With that, Neville and I walked off.

We made it to class just in time and sat down in the front moments before Professor Moody entered. Enter he did, stumping to the very front of the class.

"Today," he said, "I'm going to teach you about the three unforgivable curses. Can anybody tell me why they are called such?" Granger raised her hand. "Yes...um...?"

"Hermione Granger. They're called the unforgivables because what they do is just that, unforgivable."

"Very good. Not only are they unforgivable but they get you a one-way ticket to the mouth of a dementor or, if you're lucky, a life-long stint in high-security Azkaban. There are three unforgivable curses. Can somebody name one for me? How about you there, Malfoy?"

"Well their's the imperius curse, of course." he said pompously.

"That's right. The imperius curse puts you under the will of the caster so that you do whatever they tell you to do. It is very difficult to break the imperius curse." with that, Moody got a spider out of a tank he had on his desk. "Now the headmaster doesn't think I should be teaching such a thing to students quite so young but I disagree. Prepare for everything, I say, _CONSTANT_ _VIGILANCE!_ _IMPERIO!"_ I saw from my seat in the front of the class the eight eyes of the spider go glassy, something I wouldn't have been able to see even with my old glasses. For the next few minutes Moody made the spider do several different tricks and stunts as the students watched, enraptured. He eventually stopped and faced the class again.

"Can anybody tell me another of the three unforgivable curses? How about you, Longbottom?" beside me Neville began to shake.

"Well...well there's the...the cru-cruciatus cur-curse, sir." he stammered.

"That's right. Pain, pain in every fiber of your body, like the worst sort of pain but amplified, absolute, horrendous pain. Sometimes the curse can drive someone insane if held on them long enough." Moody trained his wand on the spider again and hissed "_CRUCIO!"_ Beside me Neville shook and trembled in his seat, eyes downcast, looking positively green. He flinched each time the spider made tiny, pained squealing sounds. I put a comforting hand on his shoulder; I felt a bit ill myself. This man was mad, I was sure of it. I got the feeling he singled Neville out for some reason. As Neville's trembling increased I began to tremble but not with fear and disgust but disgust and anger. The professor had no right needlessly hurting the spider. I could swear I saw Weasley looking somehow pleased at the spider's torture.

"Stop it, stop it, _STOP_ _IT!_ Don't you think you've done enough? Honestly, do you hold the feelings of anybody in this room...or for the spider for that matter, into account? Look at us! _WE._ _ HAVE._ _ SEEN._ _ ENOUGH!"_ I exploded.

"Very well, Potter, sit back down." Moody said.

"Fine." I hmphed, sitting shakily in my seat.

"as you all know there is one last curse. Potter, tell me it's name and what it does." Moody barked.

"Avada kedavra, the killing curse. Pretty self-explanatory, really. Say the words, green light comes out the wand, and that's the last thing you ever see." I said.

"Correct. Nobody has ever survived the killing curse before. Nobody, of course, but one person and she's right here in this room." Moody growled. "_AVADA_ _KEDAVRA!"_ in a flash of bright green light that I had seen so many times in my nightmares the spider fell limp; I felt sick.

"Now you've seen a bit of what the curses are like we'll do demos on the imperius. I will pick students to come up here and try to fight off the curse." Moody said.

"Is he _BARMY?"_ I whispered to Neville.

"Ye-yeah, I think so." he whispered back.

"Malfoy, you can go first." Moody barked. Taking on a haughty expression, Malfoy swaggered up to the front.

"All right, I'll take your curse!" he said cockily.

"Very well, _IMPERIO!"_ Moody growled out. Malfoy's gray eyes glassed over. Soon enough he was doing acrobatic stunts that I doubt he could have done normally including flips and cartwheels. Many students, especially Weasley, laughed. Moody eventually let Malfoy off the curse.

"What are you laughing at?" he demanded as Malfoy made his way back to his seat, his ego utterly pummeled and his dignity stripped from him. "Would you be laughing if that was you? All right, you next, Weasley." Ron staggered up to the front. His blue eyes glassed over and the first thing he did was kiss the dead spider and place it in his hair before going to sit back down. Once his eyes cleared he screamed at the dead spider in his rumpled red hair. Nobody laughed this time.

"All right, how about you, Potter? Maybe you won't be such a weakling as those boys." Moody barked. I sighed and went up where the professor stood.

"Ready." I chimed.

"_IMPERIO!"_ the man barked. The spell hit me and a happy fog entered my mind. I could here his voice faintly in my mind. "Get on the chair...get on the chair." The regular part of me pushed against the command.

"_NO!"_ I thought to myself.

"You _WILL_ get on the chair!" the foreign voice said.

"_NO_ _I_ _WILL_ _NOT!"_ I said in my head.

"Yes you _WILL!"_

"You want a show you'll get a show but only on _MY_ terms!" I said out loud. Then, throwing off the fog entirely I jumped on the professor's desk. Once I was up there I began to sing "God Save The Queen." After every phrase of the song I jumped to a different desk, doing different little stunts. At the very end I flipped back onto the professor's desk and bowed.

"I did that all on purpose, no curse necessary." I said before leaping off the desk and sitting in my own to applause.

"You really had us there!" Neville whispered.

"Thank you very much." I responded.

"Now that, class, is how to throw off the imperius curse. Not only did Potter completely throw it off, she did what she wanted to do; most people can only stand and fight it. Fifteen points to Gryffindor." Moody growled. The class ended soon afterwards and Neville and I left the classroom. "Oy, Potter!" came a call from from behind us as we walked down the hall. I whirled around only to see two Slytherins coming towards me.

"Zabini? Greengrass?" I questioned.

"Hello, Potter." said Blaise Zabini, a boy of Italian descent with tanned skin, curly black hair, and violet eyes.

"What do you two want?" I asked. Zabini and Greengrass had done nothing directly against me so far, this I noted. They seemed the nutral sort.

"To talk to you, Potter." Daphne Greengrass, a girl taller than me with sea green eyes and light brown hair, said.

"About what?" I asked.

"The goblet business." Zabini said.

"We believe you." Greengrass admited.

"How do I know you're being honest?" I asked.

"What do you want, a magical oath?" Zabini spat, I shook my head.

"Point is we believe you, Potter, and wish to forge an alliance." Greengrass said.

"An alliance? Hmmm, all right. What's in it for me?" I asked, Neville's eyes bugged.

"My my, Potter, you're certainly being rather Slytherin aren't you?" Zabini asked.

"Of course, Zabini. I had to fight the hat to put me in Gryffindor. I might be with you lot now if I hadn't met that prick, Malfoy. It's not as though Weasley is any better, though. I dunno, if I could do it over again, I might just have chosen the snake house."

"You're more Slytherin than anybody could have guessed." Greengrass observed. "All right, Potter, we'll tell you what's in it for you."

"First off, we'll help take care of the Malfoy problem." Zabini said.

"And we'll help to spy on the more troublesome members of our house." Greengrass said.

"Hmmm, Slytherin insurgence. And I thought Ravenclaws were the smart ones. Just get Hufflepuffs and I'm all set." I said.

"What do you mean?" the snakes asked.

"I've got Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley as well as Neville here on my side from Gryffindor, you two from Slytherin, and Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw. All I need are connections in Hufflepuff. I'm trying to follow in my father's footsteps, you see."

"What do you mean?" Zabini asked.

"Your dad was an auror, right?" Greengrass queried.

"I mean his footsteps in school. Have you ever heard of the Marauders? Well they were a group of four Gryffindors that were really close...pulled pranks and such...mainly on Slytherins...but you get my point. I plan on doing the same thing but not just to the Slytherins...to all students that cause trouble and that deserve it. Connections in each house would be grand, don't you see? Plus, I'm sick of being such a...well...a goody two-shoes. This tournament makes me realize I'm my own person; I can play by my own rules, can't I?"

"You can count us in, Potter." Zabini said.

"That's right, friends?" Greengrass asked.

"Just so long as it's a first-name basis...and in public too...to hell with public image. I don't give a damn what people will think, what will they think about that?" I smirked.

"I, for one, agree it's about time. Not just for you...but for me. I'm going to...erm...to try and become more confident in myself like you said earlier, Violet." Neville, who had remained silent, said.

"Good on you, Nev." I said.

"We'll se you later then, Potter...erm...Violet?" Daphne asked.

"Sure, Daphne. See ya, Blaise." I said.

"Bye!" Neville put in.

"Bye, Violet, Neville!" Blaise called. With that, the two disappeared around a corner.

"That was nice." I commented.

"True." Neville said.

"Now that classes are done for the day, I'm going to the library. I need to do some research for the tournament and to look up guardianship laws." I said.

"Why guardianship laws?" Neville asked.

"Simple, really. Dumbledore refuses to tell Madam Pomfrey who my magical guardian is and my Muggle guardians wouldn't sign for me to have a full medical exam in a million years. Neville, swear you won't say...but...but I've never had a proper medical exam since my parents died. Madam Pomfrey does all she can but she can't do more without permission." I said softly, sighing.

"Are you inferring what I think you're inferring?" Neville asked, alarmed.

"Depends on what you're thinking. I don't mean you or Fred or George or Ginny or Luna or Daphne or Blaise any offense but I just can't say yet. I need to deal with my own demons before I can talk about them. Generally speaking, however, you're right but I give you no details. Look, I'll see you later." I said. With that, I picked up my pace, pelting towards the library.

"No running, Potter!" Madam Pince snapped as I skidded through the door.

"Sorry, Madam. I just need to do some research and your library is the place to go." I explained.

"See that you're careful with my books, Potter. What is it that you need? Perhaps I can help you?"

"I just need books on the Triwizard Tournament...preferably a rule book...and some books on wizarding law regarding guardianship." I said. Madam Pince clucked her tongue and frowned.

"Back corner near the restricted section, Potter." she said curtly.

"Thanks, Madam Pince." I said, rushing towards the back.

"I told you, Potter, no running!" the old woman sniped. I simply shrugged and grinned sheepishly back at her as I reached the shelves I needed.

Several books later I settled myself in a cozy little alcove that no student really seemed to use; it had a torch, a few beanbag chairs, and a low table. The more books I read the more pissed off I became. Apparently all magical orphans from the last war who had no specific guardian were assigned to be the wards of the head of the Wizengammot, in this case Albus Dumbledore. What was he playing at? What was he trying to do? I frowned and continued to read.


	15. Crestwell's

Crestwell's

An attempt to write a Marauders and Lily are forced to go to a Muggle boarding school fic… No comment…

Chapter One: What?

James, Sirius, and Remus were hidden behind a statue waiting for someone to walk by. James had forgotten his invisibility cloak in the dorm but that was all right, they were well-covered by the statue in the hall. Also, Peter was in a detention with Maritzo, the DATDA professor. They heard some footsteps coming down the hall.

"Guys, it's Evans!" James whispered. "We can't let her go through the trap!"

"How d'you know it's her?" Sirius asked.

"It's that jasmine shampoo of hers, I can smell it! Plus, it sounds like Evans!" James whispered. Sure enough, Lily Evans came around the corner. James then jumped out and dragged her behind the statue.

"Potter, what in hell are you doing?" she demanded, green eyes blazing.

"Their's a trap set up, Evans, or do you want to get covered in glue and feathers?" James asked.

"Fine then, but I swear if I get in trouble I'll hex you into a matchbox and flush you down the toilet to join Moaning Myrtle!" Lily hissed. "Oh, hello, Remus, Black!" she added grudgingly.

"Oh, james and me get the last name treatment but never Remus, why not just call him Lupin!" Sirius whispered. Down the hall came Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore talking animatedly. As soon as they came in front of the statue, "this is the song that never ends" blared out around them in the voices of James, Sirius, and Remus with annoying music in the background. right then, a whole bunch of water baloons came at them. After that, sticky gloo poured down and covered every part except their faces. Lastly, several yellow chicken feathers came down. If they tried to take a step during the next five minutes, more gloo and feathers rained down on them. Lastly, their was a spray of red and gold confetti that came out and landed on top of them.

"Pfft...pfft...revellio!" McGonagall said, pointing her gloo-and-feather covered wand at the statue the three Marauders and Lily were behind. The statue crumbled revealing James, Sirius, Remus, and a horrified Lily.

"Mr Potter, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Miss Evans, my office now, if you please!" Dumbledore said as he vanished the goop on both himself and McGonagall. The four followed the two whispering adults up to Dumbledore's office.

"I am very disappointed in you all, especially you, Miss Evans!" Dumbledore started.

"But Lily had nothing to do with this, professor!" James said.

"Guilt by association, Mr. Potter!" McGonagall said.

"isn't that a muggle saying?" Remus asked.

"Precisely, Mr. Lupin. We have decided to send you four to a co-ed muggle boarding school until Christmas break." Dumbledore said.

"What?" Lily asked. I've been living as a muggle all my life until Hogwarts, please not that!"

"We both agree that it is for the best since detention can't get through these three and they'll have you to help them." McGonagall said.

"When we get back, can I hex these idiots into wood and light them in a fireplace or something? Or can I at least kill Potter? I can't believe I'm going to miss out on head girl things and Halloween and _everything!"_

"You may do what you wish, Misss Evans. Also, you will be taking a time turner at the end of the semester back to this point. Even though you are of age, you cannot use magic unless in dire need of it for example the school faces a magical attack." Dumbledore said. This brought about groans from all four.

"We expect you at six tomorrow morning. You may not pack anything magic-related other then your wands!" McGonagall said. "You are dismissed!" The four trudged out of the office where Lily whipped around to face them.

"You three! This is all _your_ fault, especially you, James Potter you _prat!"_ she yelled. "Now I've got to live like a complete muggle and act like their's no magicle world! It'll be...it'll be...it'll be like being a _squib!"_ I can't wait to get back so I can _hex_ you!" with that, Lily stocked away to pack her Muggle things.


	16. Daniela

Daniela

An attempt to write a Danny Fenton/Phantom has a twin kidnapped at birth by Vlad and raised ignorant of her heritage… Ugh…

Chapter One: Daniel and Daniela

On the day of October 17, 1993, Maddy Fenton was in labor for the second time. Her daughter, Jasmine, had been born two years ago. In the room their was the labor doctor, nurses, and her husband Jack. Jack could sometimes be quite a fool and rather thick sometimes but Maddy loved him with all of her being. It also helped that he was turning out to be a wonderful father to Jazz already. Speaking of Jazz, she was in the waiting room with Maddy's sister Alecia and Maddy and Jack's old college friend Vlad Masters.

"Oh I swear Jack Fenton by the time I'm done with you you'll be lucky to live any sort of _afterlife_ after I've killed you for this!" Maddy screamed. She was usually the rash, logical one but in times like these she was like a _screaming_ _banshee._

"Na-now calm down, Maddy, you won't really kill me and then turn the ghost me into a pi-pile of E-ectoplasmic goop, now wih-will you?" Jack asked in a scared voice as his very sweaty red-haired wife tightened her death grip on his beefy hand.

"Mrs. Fenton, I can see the head!" said the doctor. "Just keep pushing!"

"What in the name of _ectoplasm_ do you think I'm doing you _idiot?"_ she yelled. A few pushes later a crying baby boy came into the world.

"It's a boy!" a nurse exclaimed.

"Yes!" Jack said, pumping his free fist into the air.

"Their's still the second child!" the doctor said.

"Oh, thanks so much for reminding me!" Maddy hollered. She pushed, screamed, yelled, and squeezed her husband's hand as tightly as possible for two of the most excruciating minutes in her life, then came another scream.

"It's a little baby girl!" said another nurse as she picked the baby up, cutting the chord. Jack again exclaimed in delight and pumped both of his fists in the air.

"I'm sorry, Jack, for getting on you like that!" Maddy said, slumping back into the bed.

"It's okay, Maddy!" Jack said.

"Would you like to see your new children?" asked the doctor. The Fentons nodded and were each handed a baby. If it weren't for the blue blanket of the baby in Maddy's arms and the pink blanket of the baby in Jack's arms both parents would swear their twins were identical. Both of them looked like the spitting image of Maddy except for the tuft of jet black hair on each of their heads. Both of them blinked open their eyes to show that they both had blue eyes which is what Jasmine had when she was born. Neither of them could be quite sure yet whether they would stay the same blue as Maddy's or become a darker blue like Jack's.

"They're beautiful!" Maddy cooed.

"What should we name them?" Jack asked.

"I think our son should be Daniel Jacob Fenton!" Maddy said. "Want to swap?" Jack handed Maddy their daughter as Maddy handed Jack their son.

"I think that our daughter should be Daniela Madeline Fenton!" Jack said. "She reminds me of you and Daniela and Madeline go so well together!"

"Perfect!" Maddy said with a smile.

It had been more then two hours that Vlad Masters had been sitting in the hospital waiting room with Maddy and Jack's brat Jasmine and Maddy's hillbilly sister. Those children of Maddy and Jack's, they should have been his! It was then that he came up with a brilliant plan! He would have one of them once and for all! It was then that a nurse came out.

"The babies have been born, you may come and see them now!" Babies! Not only did that idiot Jack impregnate his Maddy with one baby but _two,_ twins! Vlad walked into the room with Maddy's sister at his heels carrying Jasmine. Each parents were holding a baby, both spitting images of Maddy except for their hair which was jet black.

"You guys, meet Daniel Jacob and Daniela Madeline Fenton!" Maddy, Vlad's angel, said. It was decided, Vlad would take the boy, he would be the perfect heir!

"Awe, they're so perty!" said Alecia in her thick southern accent.

"Jazzy, do you want to see your new brother and sister?" Jack asked. The little girl smiled with delight. It was then that Vlad made his move.

"Ghost! I see a ghost!" he screamed. Everyone looked away and Vlad grabbed the closest child, hoping it was Daniel. He changed into his ghost form and flew away back to his Hummer, driving fast back to Wisconsin.

The nurse holding little Daniela didn't even notice the lightening of weight in her arms until after the ghost scare.

"Where's Vlad?" Jack asked.

"The question, you idiot, is _WHERE_ _IS_ _DANIELA!"_ Maddy yelled.

"What, Daniela's _gone?"_ Jack demanded. "I swear I'll rip that ghost apart _MOLECULE_ by _MOLECULE!"_ It turned out that their were two birth certificates made but only one baby would ever come home with the Fentons.

Daniel Jacob Fenton

Mother: Madeline Rene Jameson Fenton

Father: Jack David Fenton

Siblings: Older sister Jasmine Rose Fenton and younger twin sister Daniela Madeline Fenton

Born: October 17, 1993 at 3:23 PM

Height: 18 inches

Weight: 4 lb 3 oz

Location of Birth: Amity Hospital

Daniela Madeline Fenton

MOTHER: Madeline Rene Jameson Fenton

Father: Jack David Fenton

Siblings: Older sister Jasmine Rose Fenton and older twin brother Daniel Jacob Fenton

Born: October 17, 1993 at 3:25 PM

Height: 18 inches

Weight: 4 lb 1 oz

Location of Birth: Amity Hospital

Chapter Two: The Next Fifteen Years

The Fentons had put searches together for their darling girl but never even thought about their "old buddy Vlad". Years would go by, each October 17th re-opening the wounds in their heart.

Meanwhile, Daniela grew up in Vlad's huge mansion in Wisconsin as Madeline Masters, a girl often shut away from sight. Whenever guests were over, she was told to go nowhere, stay in her room! She was Vlad's unknown daughter, the one he told nobody of. Most of the time, she could go where ever she pleased except, of course, her father's study. "Their's far too many important things in here that little girls are not meant to see!" he would say. She really hated being cooped up in the mansion, what she really craved was the outdoors and she could only go out with her father with her. "It's only to keep you safe, dear Maddy!" he would say to her. She knew nothing except that he was a very wealthy and busy man. She was tutored every week day by a man her father hired and excelled at her studies. She was not a spoiled child by nature but did easily get bored. She often wound up playing tricks on her father or the mansion staff, even some people at a fancy party he had thrown. The girl had not the slightest clue that her father was an evil half-ghost that called himself Vlad Plasmius. However, despite this, she always had the feeling that she didn't belong with him, that he wasn't her father. When she was eight, she had asked him why.

"You look like your mother, dearest Maddy, let's just keep it at that, hmm?" he had said, ruffling her raven black hair with streaks of red if you caught it in the right light. One could never say she _hated_ her father but she didn't exactly _love_ him either.

At first Vlad had been disappointed at having grabbed the girl but soon was over this. Girls were more easily swayed, were they not? Over the years he thought he had raised her very well. When she was old enough, he might even give her ghost powers using his stabilized ghost portal. He had even given her a new name to better remind him of his darling Maddy. All-in-all, Vlad was not disappointed with Madeline Daniela Masters.

Mad's POV

When I was fourteen, my father started raving about this kid named Danny Fenton and how he had some sort of alter-ego that he called Danny Phantom.

From what I could guess, he was about my age. My father would leave for days at a time leaving me virtually alone. One day when he was gone, I was feeling extremely bored and decided that I would go to Father's study. I had been told to keep out but I wanted to know more. I walked into the room which, surprisingly, was unlocked. Their was an open passage in the wall making it look like he had forgotten to close it. With Curiosity getting the better of me, I walked into the passage and followed it along until I reached a very large room with some portal thing at the back that was turned off. I looked around to find all sorts of inventions and things and also a desk filled with papers. It was the portal that attracted me the most, however, and I saw a small rack of suits lined up on the left wall nearest the portal. I went over and chose a plain white suit with a black neck, gloves, belt, and boots. I, knowing my father would be away for quite awhile, put one on. I stuck what I guessed to be the activating wires to the portal together but nothing happened. As I walked closer, the doors opened but their was just metal on the inside.

"Just step inside, Mad, nothing will happen!" I told myself. I stepped in but tripped on a wire on the inside. In my mad attempt to grab something, I caught my right hand press a round green button on the metal wall. Their was a flashing of green light and intense pain. It seemed to last a long time before I was catapulted out of the portal unconscious.

I woke up awhile later only to see the portal glowing green. I pressed an external button and the doors shut. It was then that I saw my reflection in a mirror in the room. Everything about me was flip-flopped. The neck, gloves, belt, and boots of my suit were now silver and my suit was black. Also, their was a DP logo in the center of my top. My skin was more tan, my long, somewhat unruly hair tied up in a messy ponytail was snow white, and my eyes were a glowing ectoplasm green. Was this like Danny Phantom? Was this his alter-ego? I needed answers and I needed them _now!_ I rushed over to my father's desk and rifled through his papers. I found several things about a half-ghost named Danny Phantom, so was that what I was? A half-ghost? I saw all these horrible plans to defeat him, to capture him, yata-yata-yata, you get the picture! I couldn't believe it! Not only that but he was planning revenge on this guy named Jack Fenton, probably Danny's dad, for "That stupid ghost accident that left me a half-ghost and for stealing my Maddy away from me". I was confused, wasn't "Maddy" _my_ name? Wasn't that short for Madeline? Was this Danny's mother? I kept on reading to find out that my father called himself Vlad Plasmius and saw pictures of him in ghost form, his silver hair black, eyes red, cape billowing behind him! I also saw pictures of this "Danny" kid. He was a dead ringer for me in this new form, my ghost form, except he was a boy. I also saw pictures of him in human form and he looked so much like me it was scary! He had the same messy black hair with the slightest highlights of red, his eyes were baby blue just like mine and he even had the same sort of clothing style as me, jeans, T-shirts, and tennis shoes! I came upon more notes.

I was interested in having the girl as an heir but it looks like my original plan shall be realized. Maddy Fenton's children will either be mine or be destroyed. That silly girl of mine, the one who calls herself "Mad", she is as clueless as her brother and parents, she has _no_ _idea!_ I have her birth certificate in the compartment in the wall behind this very desk and it shall _stay_ that way! Silly children, I'll have my way in the end!

I couldn't believe it, I wasn't really his? Was Danny Fenton-Phantom my _brother?_ Was Madeline my real name or my mother's! I couldn't believe him, he probably took me right from under my parents' noses! I was disgusted, in dismay, my whole life had been a _lie,_ a total _lie!_ Their was one thing I was certain of now other then that I hated Vlad Masters with a burning passion, he was one seriously crazed-up fruit-loop! I whirled around and found the compartment instantly. In it were several papers including plans and notes for clones of Danny and further notes of how all of them but one had exploded and the one survivor, Danielle, who had turned out, as her name suggested, to be a girl, had sided with Danny and was now stable. At the very back was a laminated piece of paper.

Daniela Madeline Fenton

Mother: Madeline Rene Jameson Fenton

Father: Jack David Fenton

Siblings: Older sister Jasmine Rose Fenton and older twin brother Daniel Jacob Fenton

Born: October 27, 1993 at 3:25 PM

Height: 18 inches

Weight: 4 lb 1 oz

Location of Birth: Amity Hospital

I couldn't believe it, this was the real me? My name was Daniela? It fit me better, somehow! I gathered up all of the fruit-loop's papers and my birth certificate and stood up. It was then I realized I was still in ghost form. I concentrated on becoming human and so I did. I ran out of the room and to my bedroom, throwing all of my necessities into a large suitcase including the very high-end birthday gift of a laptop with Portals Riviera on it and my Ipod with my favorite songs along with the stereo docking station. I then ran to a sitting room and slid open a wall compartment where I knew Fruit-Loop hoarded thousands in cash. I grabbed it all, fifty grand in total, and stuffed it in my suitcase along with the stolen papers. I was leaving this prison and I would live out the rest of my life as Daniela Fenton, Dani, twin to Danny, Dani and Danny, twin halfas, rather funny, really, but Dani fit me best even if my brother and his clone, who was probably _my_ clone come to think of it, went by it. I decided that it would probably be best to try and get to this Amity Park as quickly as possible so I changed into my ghost form. I had read about some of the things that Danny, my twin, could do including fly, shoot ecto-beams, turn invisible and intangible, perhaps multiply, and do the ghostly wail and I hoped I would at least be able to do some, he sounded amazing. I jumped into the air and found I could stay their. I then tried going invisible and intangible as well as making my suitcase that way and succeeded. I zipped off right through the front door of the mansion and into the sunset to find my _real_ family.

Chapter Three: Home At Last

I just kept on flying for what seemed like hours. It eventually became dark and then light again. I knew that Amity Park was in Virginia but that's it. I found the state border and kept flying. I eventually reached the center of the state and flew on a little further. Their was the sign I had been looking for, Welcome To Amity Park. I flew around awhile looking at the houses in the neighborhood. I eventually came to one with this thing balanced on top of it, a sign read Fenton Works. I had no idea whether or not Danny's family knew about his ghostly abilities so I just flew in. Their were four people in the living room, one seemed to be trying to get somewhere. That one was my brother and he sensed me, I could see the fog come from his mouth as well as mine. Their was a girl a few years older then us, my sister, who looked a lot like Danny and I except she had the dark blue eyes of the man, my father, and the hair of the woman, my mother who was the _real_ Maddy. My mother looked like an older me except she had red hair. The man, my father Jack, was rather large with dark blue eyes and black hair. I made myself visible and the parents jumped out of their seats.

"Freeze, ghost girl, let me rip you molecule by molecule!" said my father.

"Wait, no!" I said as I turned human and fell to the ground. "You don't want to do that!"

"And why not?" the woman demanded.

"Because!" I said as I dug out all of Vlad's papers and found my birth certificate. "I'm your daughter!" I then handed them my birth certificate.

"You can't be our Daniela!" my father said bluntly. "You're a ghost and all ghosts need to be destroyed! You're probably the one that stole her away!"

"That's right, Jack, get the ecto-gun!" my mother said.

"I can't believe this, you don't believe me! You think all ghosts need to be destroyed? What about Danny, would you destroy him just because he's a half ghost? All my life I've lived a lie. My "father" was gone and I was bored and went into his study. He'd been gone a lot lately and had been going on and on about this Danny Fenton character with an alter-ego of Danny Phantom and I was curious. It was a rule in the Masters house that nobody went into his study but he'd been gone for more then a week! I took a secret passage to a lab and their was some portal thing their. It wasn't on so I activated it and nothing happened. As I went to look inside I tripped and pressed the on button, that's how I got my powers. I saw myself like this!" I transformed. "And I wondered about the DP on my chest. I wondered if this was what Danny Phantom was like so I raided my father's desk. That crazed-up fruit-loop stole me from you, he's a half ghost that goes by Plasmius. I found out everything about Danny and about me! All my life I've been known as Madeline Daniela Masters, Mad for short, out of sight and out of mind. Just yesterday, _JUST_ _YESTERDAY_ I find out that my whole freaking life has been a lie and that my "father" is actually some seriously crazed-up fruit-loop who wants Danny as his "heir" and has made several clones that have been destroyed when they tried to overshadow him and only one, a girl, was a good clone but went to Danny's side, her name was Danielle! If you haven't guessed already, this insane half-ghost kidnapper of mine is Vlad Plasmius AKA Vlad Masters. If you don't believe me then _fine,_ then I guess the only thing Vlad was right about was that you _are_ clueless!" I was yelling so loud by that point that the furniture was shaking. With a huff I flew through the wall, leaving my stuff behind.

Danny's POV

Uh-oh, uh-oh uh-oh uh-oh! I can't believe that girl barging in and blowing my secret! I didn't even have the reality gauntlets to change things! Mom and Dad sat in silence for a minute.

"You guys need to look through these papers!" Jazz said. "Look what you've made her do, she's clearly had a rough couple of days!" Mom and Dad just nodded. They sifted through the papers one by one growing paler and paler.

"Ih-is it true, Danny, that you're half ghost?" Mom asked quietly.

"Yes!" I said grudgingly. "It happened in September!"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Dad asked.

"Gee, I wonder why!" Jazz said sarcastically and then proceeded to mock Dad. "Maddy, I'm going to rip that ghost boy apart molecule by molecule!"

"Oh!" Mom and Dad both said.

"I can't believe that we didn't even think of Vlad, he _was_ the ghost, that _was_ Daniela we saw! Danny, we're sorry! All this time you've been saving us and we didn't even know, and what about your clone?" Mom asked. "You should find her, I'd like her to live here as well as Daniela."

"I don't know, I'll call her sometime, she's always on the go!" I said. I had received her cell phone number awhile back.

"Jazz, did you know about this?" Dad asked.

"Yes, I knew since that Spectra lady was counselor at our school in April." Jazz said.

"Sam and Tucker were their when it happened!" I said.

"You should have told us!" Mom said. "You might not have been stable and be in danger!"

"Yeah, well now you know!" I said. "I think I should go find my...my twin and tell her everything's all right and that she can stay here!"

Dani's POV

As I was flying around the block I all of the sudden heard someone else's thoughts.

"_At least now they know, I've got to tell my...my twin it's all right and she can stay!"_ I smiled and dived through the roof of my new home, scaring the crap out of everyone except Danny.

"I'm glad!" I said. "I think I read your mind, bro!"

"Yeah, same here, Daniela!" Danny said.

"I know that our clone goes by Dani but I'd like to go by that, more me and "Dan" reminds me of a guy and also of Dark Dan! I think that Danielle is both your clone and mine because she's a girl and a halfa. Probably Plasmius got some of my hair stuck to his fingers, he had a habit of ruffling it!"

"All right, Dani, it fits you.

"That's good!" I said with a smile. "So how about enrolling me in school? It starts soon, right?"

"Yeah!" Jazz said.

"Great, another Jazz!" Danny said jokingly.

"If you mean a total school nut then no, I've never so much as been outside the mansion yard before, let alone to a public school, You and Jazz are the first teenagers I've ever met. You'll have to introduce me to your friend Tucker and your _lovebird_ Sam!" I teased.

"Be quiet, Dani, we're _not_ lovebirds!" Danny shot back.

"Sure sure, Danny, and I'm the queen of England!" I said boredly. "Anyway, Mom, Dad...boy it feels good to call you that, their's fifty thousand at the bottom of the suitcase, fund your ghost research and make some new stuff, maybe put it in a college fund, whatever." My parents smiled at me and I turned human. They both then came forward and brought me into a tight hug, it felt so good.

Danny and I felt like we needed to spend some more time together so my bed was set up in his room. Plus, it would be most convenient for middle-of-the-night ghost fights, apparently. I was introduced to Sam and Tucker the next day.

"Omigod, is that a Samsinger XMS PDA with Portals Riviera Mini?" I asked. Tucker looked shocked.

"Uh, yeah! Danny, why didn't you tell us your sister was such a tech nut?"

"Well, Tucker, I've only known her for...let's see...a day!" Danny said. I smiled at my twin and dug out my own Samsinger XMS and compared it with Tucker's. His was silver but mine was red with silver buttons.

"Got any other pieces of technological goodness I should know about?" Tucker asked.

"Maaaaaybe!" I said innocently as I dug out my Archway laptop, my I-pod, and my Enginett smart phone. He stared at them in awe and burst out.

"I have the same things, they're as top-of-the-line as you can get!"

"I know, right! I heard they're releasing a new opperating system, though, Portals Thirteen!"

"I heard it's supposed to be even better then Riviera, they've worked out all the major kinks!" Tucker said. Needless to say Tucker and I were like old friends by the end of the day as were Sam and I, she was a bit like me in a sense. She even approved of my wardrobe saying "You're no Paulina!"

"She one of those popular bitches?"

"Yup!" Sam said darkly.

"She's not a bitch, Dani, don't listen to Sam!" Danny said.

"Oh yes she is!" Sam said heatedly.

"Saa-myyy is jeeeel-uuuus!" I said in a sing-song voice.

"I am not!" Sam stated.

"Oooh, sure you aren't!" I joked.

Chapter Four: School

Over the next week Danny and I mainly stayed home and hung out with Sam and Tucker. Danny also started to train me in using my ghost powers, I was still randomly becoming partially invisible and such by the end of the week but at least I could shoot off a decent ecto-ray. Mom and Dad got me lots of supplies for the school year and we also came up with the story on how I was found. I was really loving having such a wonderful family. The more time I spent with them the more I vowed to myself that I would have revenge on that sick, twisted fruit-loop.

Monday it was first day of school and I was _not_ intent on getting up, neither was Danny.

"You're going to be late!" Jaz hollered.

"Leami alone!" we both grumbled as we both dug ourselves further into the covers.

"C'mon, you two!" Jazz said.

"Jazz, you're too annoyingly perky in the mornings!" I grumbled.

"I've known that all my life, she won't ever get better!" Danny mumbled from his bed across the room.

"Ghooooooost!" Jazz shouted. The only thing she got in response was a muffled snore from both of our beds. Then, both Mom and Dad came running up the stairs.

"Mom, Dad, oh mighty ghost kids here won't get up!" Jazz complained.

"Maybe if you weren't trying to wake us up at the ungodly hour of seven in the morning we'd wake up easier!" Danny mumbled.

"Like I said, you're too damn perky in the morning!" I said as I pulled the covers over my head. Dad rushed forward and said,

"Get up or I'll rip you molecule by molecule!" He brought an unloaded ecto gun out and I swiped it from him easily.

"Mine! Not a very good way to talk to your newfound daughter now!" I mumbled. It was then that Mom and Jazz got two wicked gleams in their eyes but I didn't notice, neither did Danny because both of us had the covers totally covering us. I heard Mom and Jazz come in a minute later. One of them snuck up to my bed and the other snuck up to Danny's. Without any warning, my covers were yanked back and I felt a cold splash of water hitting me, soaking me right through. The same thing was happening to Danny. A grinning Jazz stood over me and a smirking Mom stood over Danny!

"Aaaaaaah!" we both screamed out. "I'm going to get you!" with an almighty leap, we were running out of our bedroom chasing after mom and Jazz who were running down the hallway.

"Ah, happens every year!" Dad said. I could only guess that this had become a tradition with them and Danny, it was the same for me now too.

After chasing them around the house a few times Danny and I realized that we'd be late for school if we didn't hurry. Both of us ran upstairs and to the bathroom connected to our room.

"I need to shower! You can wait! No I can't! I wanna go first!" we both said together in quick succession.

"C'mon, little sister, can't you let your newfound brother go first?" Danny asked.

"No! Can't you let your newfound sister go first?" I asked.

"No! You're a girl and you'll take forever just like Jazz does." Danny said.

"No I won't!" I said indignantly even though I knew I probably would.

"You can use my bathroom, Dani!" Jazz said. I thanked her and went into her room and to her bathroom. I sighed as I ran my shower and jumped in. I used my jasmine-scented shampoo and my tropical soap before getting out and toweling off. I then brushed my teeth and my wet hair before putting deodorant on and drying my hair. I had already chosen my outfit and it was in the bathroom already so I put it on. It was a pair of jeans with a light blue T-shirt and blue and white sneakers. I then decided to put a matching blue bandana in my hair like Jazz's pink one. I always felt makeup a bit stupid so decided to forget about it. I came out of the bathroom and Jazz's room to see that Danny was waiting for me.

"Take long enough, slow poke?" he asked.

"Shut up, jerk!" I snapped playfully as I nudged past him. I grabbed up my pink backpack with my full first name embroidered on it and slung it onto my back after making sure my phone, PDA, and I-pod were in their along with the school supplies Mom and Dad had bought me. I then followed Danny downstairs to the smell of breakfast. We went to the table to be served pancakes and bacon.

"I made sure these weren't the ones infused with ectoplasm!" Mom said.

"Um thanks, I think." Danny and I said as we dug in. It turned out that when Mom wasn't cooking ghost food she was a pretty decent cook. After a few minutes of eating Danny and I realized we were late.

"See you later, Mom!" Danny said as he stood up.

"Yeah, I might stay a little late and see what clubs and sports they have going on!" I said as I got up and wrapped Mom in a hug. With that said, both Danny and I turned invisible and flew through the roof and out over the neighborhood. Danny showed me the way to Casper High and we made it just as the first bell rang. We both became human and shrugged before going inside. Danny led me to the office where I met the secretary.

"And you are?" she asked.

"Daniela Fenton, my parents registered me. It's my first time in a public school but I think you'll find my transcrips satisfactory." I said.

"Ah yes. Is it true you're the Fentons' long-lost twin who was kidnapped by a ghost when she was just fifteen minutes old?"

"Um...yeah. He gave me to a human cohort of his and I never knew who I really was until I found my birth certificate. I hitchhiked from Wisconsin to Virginia and here I am." That was only a half-truth. We had come up with my story a few days ago. I couldn't very well say that after becoming a halfa I found out that my "father" was an evil halfa out to destroy my brother and my family, could I? The secretary shrugged and handed me a schedule before handing Danny his. First thing was homeroom and then English 10 with Mr. Lancer.

"Eeeenglish, joy!" I said sarcastically as we walked down the hall.

"Yeeeeah, my favorite subject!" Danny said.

"It's not that bad, guys!" Sam protested from behind us.

"Yeah!" Tucker agreed.

"Maybe here but—com" I was interrupted by Danny.

"Mr. Lancer is super strict and whenever he's surprised he shouts out a book, author, or poem title. We had him last year!"

"Ah, I see. I like English and all but I never have had good tutors. They make lessons boring." I said. It was then that some uppity-up kids came towards us led by some beefy blond dude.

"Hey Fenterd, who's your new friend?" he asked in an obnoxious voice.

"I'm not his friend, I'm his twin. Honestly, can't you read? And _FENTERD?_ What grade are you in, _KINDERGARTEN?"_ I asked as I stepped forward.

"Oooh, another Fenterd!" he said.

"Danny was right, Backster, you _are_ an idiot. If we're Fenterds then what do we come from, a fen-butt? Seriously, be more original. C'mon, guys, let's get to class." The four of us went around the staring popular group and down the hall.

"Seriously, Danny, he's the biggest idiot I ever saw except for Vladdy Boy." I said.

"But why did you have to tell that to his face? He's going to cream me now." Danny said.

"No he won't. I'll kick his sorry butt before he can kick yours. You fight all these ghost in the ghost zone and you _still_ get bullied by that idiot? I'm gonna teach you to fight like a human. You _do_ know I'm a blackbelt in karate right? I told Mom and Jazz when we were shopping on Thursday. From now on half our training will be in ghost fighting and half our training will be in karate."


	17. Demigod Witch

Demigod Witch

An attempt to create a Harry Potter and Percy Jackson crossover… BEFORE I had read the Percy Jackson books! Yeah, enough said…

Chapter One: Lily's Demigod Life

July 7, 1983

A beautiful young girl, about thirteen, with wavy dark red hair and emerald eyes walked through the streets of Little Whinging. It was hot and their was nothing to do other then school work but she had finished that, why redo it again? Lily Evans was a restless person, she could never stay in one place for too long. Suddenly, from nowhere, a weird black dog came out from nowhere and charged her. It made a swipe at her stomach and succeeded in making a bloody gash with it's claw. The girl who lived across the street, Amata, rushed forward tossing the confused red-haired witch a quill the shade of butterscotch. What was Lily to do, stab the creature in the eye? Why did a Muggle have a quill? The creature swiped again, this time at Lily's throat. A short gash opened and Lily could think of nothing else, in desperation she tapped the bronzy quill with her index finger and it suddenly became a bronze sword just the right size for her, what the hell was going on? The creature swiped at her left arm but Lily had just enough strength to bring the sword back and lob off the creature's head before she fell unconscious.

"Nectar and ambrosia, that's what she needs. I'm sure she is a half-blood." came the voice of Amata. Half-blood? Lily was Muggle-born, right? She never knew her mother but was sure she was a Muggle.

"Mmm, yaaawwwn! I'm not a half-blood witch, I'm just a Muggle-born witch." she said horsely.

"No, Lily Evans, you are much more then that." said a centaur. "You are a demigod, welcome to Camp Half-Blood."

July 10, 1983

It had been three days since Lily had arrived at camp. She had found out many things since she had arrived. First, Amata was a satyr, half goat half human. Second, the centaur was Chiron, the camp director.

"But centaurs can't stand humans." Lily had stammered.

"They are far too petty and annoying, yes, especially witches and wizards but we have no problem with demigods. Tell your school centaurs what you are and they will be kind." he had explained. Third, she had found out that her best friend, Severus Snape, was the demigod son of Ares and that Lucius Malfoy, to her amusement, was the son of Apollo.

"Tell anyone at school, mudblood, and you're dead." he had threatened. It all made sense somehow. When she was four she had asked who her mother was for Azalea, her stepmother and mother to her older sister, Petunia, never let her forget that Lily wasn't her daughter.

"Her name, dear flower, was Athena." her father had said.

"You mean like the goddess?" she had asked innocently.

"Yes, my child, like the goddess." ha, Lily thought bitterly, what you didn't tell me, Daddy, was that she _was_ the goddess. Strange things had always happened around Lily, magic included. She was extremely smart for her age but very hyper and stubborn. When she was small she always got b and d mixed up as well as m and w. She could open and close flower buds, read an entire textbook in less then six hours, and more. Her memory was sharp, her thirst to learn almost unquenchable. Petunia had been caring and loving towards her at first but that was before Severus and Hogwarts. She became freak, weirdo, bastard child, and other nasty names she would rather forget. If it weren't for her father Azalea would have been much worse to her. She was a spiteful, horse-faced woman who gave all her looks to her only daughter. Lily had flashes and dreams sometimes about a woman with rich red hair and calculating grey eyes. As soon as Lily's wounds were healed enough, she had been sent to the Hermes cabin where all newcomers went. It was on the third day that something happened. They were playing a game of demigod-style capture-the-flag against the Ares cabin and Lily was coming up with ideas.

"I say we just run in their!" said Mortimer, another newcomer.

"Don't be silly, we can just pop right in and get it!" said Maria, a daughter of Hermes.

"We're not all Hermes's children like you, Maria. Here's what I say we do. We surround the Ares guys as stealthily as we can and distract them. Then, you can pop in, Maria, and get the flag." Lily said. As soon as she had said this everyone stared up at her head and also above Mortimer's head. Above Mortimer's head was a red chariot. Lily looked up to see that a grey owl hovered over her head and, far above that, was a tree.

"You have been claimed!" Chiron boomed happily. "Mortimer Lloyd, your father is Ares, god of war. Lily Evans, your mother is Athena, goddess of wisdom and handicraft and, by the position of the other symbol, your great great grandmother is Demeter, goddess of the plants and the earth. Your great grandfather or mother must have been a demigod, you have the eyes of Demeter. Your father and grandfather would not have had enough godly blood for her powers to manifest. Mortimer, you join the Ares cabin. Lily, since Athena is your closest godly relative, you shall reside in her cabin but do some activities with the Demeter cabin."

August 25, 1983

"Alilya Athena Evans, where have you been? I get this weird message saying you were somewhere safe but nothing else? Why didn't you call? Why didn't you owl?" her green-eyed, brown-haired father demanded as Lily stepped through the door of her home with a suitcase full of clothes she had bought soon after starting camp half-blood. Petunia looked disdainfully at her and Azalea looked pissed that she had lost her servant for more then a month.

"Funny thing about owls, Father. Did you know they're my mother's symbol?" Lily asked bitterly, her father looked aghast.

"What do you mean—com"

"Oh don't act innocent. I'm walking the street when I'm attacked by a Hell Hound. Could you have at least told me that I'm a _demigod?_ That my mum is _the_ Athena? That your great grandmother is _the_ Demeter? That your grandfather was a demigod himself? No, I get slashed in the stomach _and_ the throat before our neighbor across the street who _happens_ to be a satyr tosses me my mother's quill that turns into a sword. I get my arm slashed, I cut the creature's head off, I pass out, I wind up in freaking _LONG_ _ISLAND_ in _AMERICA!_ Yes, you couldn't even tell your youngest daughter _that!"_ she fumed.

"You know...you know." her father stammered.

"You're clearly more an APHRODITE then an Athena if you didn't understand me, Dad, _GODS!"_ she yelled, running upstairs and slamming her bedroom door.

Chapter Two: A Whole New Chapter

November 2, 1989

Lily Evans, now almost twenty, was on a plain to New York City since appearation from country to country was not permitted without a very expensive license which she could not afford. She had one last hope in the war with Voldemort, to ask her godly family for assistance. The entire order knew of her demigod status. She was not the only one. Dumbledore was the son of Zeus, Molly Prewett Weasley was the daughter of Hestia. Arthur Weasley was father to only three of the Weasley children before he found out he could conceive no more. He was father to the other two children and the one on the way only by marriage and adoption. He knew that Molly Weasley and Hermes were truly the ones that just clicked but what could they do? Say "Hey, Fred, George, and the unborn child are sons of Hermes?" absolutely not. Also, it was found out that Remus Lupin was the son of Hera. His demigod status didn't help his licanthropy, though. Lily had the feeling that they would not help, however, for they had their own problems like Cronos trying to piece himself together and come out of the deepest, darkest pits of Hades which was called Tartarus. Stix, Lily thought, they'd better at least give me some advice. The plain touched down in New York and she, though very tired, stepped out into the coldness of the predawn morning. She hailed a cab and got in.

"Where too, lady?" the American asked.

"The Empire State Building." Lily said. She almost pulled out a drachma, then a galleon, then a pound before she found her American money. At this time of the morning the traffic was tolerable and she was dropped off at the Empire State Building twenty minutes later. She got out then and pulled out her suitcase and purse with a healthy supply of nectar and ambrosia in it and went inside. She went to the back alcove and looked at the elivater and the stairs, her slightly hyperactive eyes flicking between them rapidly. Their was no way in Hades she was going to walk up 600 flights of stairs so she pressed the "up" button on the elevator. She got into the sleek, paneled contraption and pressed the button that no Mortal, witch and wizard included, could see for the 600th floor. For the love of Zeus this was taking a long time, Lily thought as the screen showed she was only on floor 100. She had to keep her mind busy. Her ADHD was relatively mild and Dyslexia virtually nonexistent because of who her mother was but she had her tendencies. She tapped her foot impatiently and started counting the tiles on the ceiling. She lost track at 500 and began to tap her foot rhythmically on the plushy carpet. Stix, 300 floors to go.

"99 bottles of nectar on the wall, 99 bottles of nectar! You take one down, pass it around, 98 bottles of nectar on the wall! 98 bottles of nectar on the wall, 98 bottles of nectar! You take one down, pass it around, 97 bottles of nectar on the wall!" She got to 80 before she looked at the screen, 100 floors to go. She took out her wand and her quill/sword and twirled them around on her thumbs. Just as she dropped them both and was bending down to get them the door opened, oh for the love of Zeus. She quickly put them in her pockets before dragging her things out of the elevator.

"Alilya!" her mother, Athena, said with joy as she stepped forward, her rich, dark red hair like Lily's up in a bun, a gold circlet on her head, and her grey eyes sparkling with joy.

"Hey Mum!" Lily said as she stepped forward, curtseying.

"No need for that, Lily dear." she said. "What is it you have come for?"

"Lords Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Apollo, Ares, and Hermes; Ladies Hera, Athena, APHRODITE, Artemis, Demeter, and Hestia, I come to you asking advice and also to bring greetings and well-wishings from your demigod children and spouses in the order. Zeus, Professor Dumbledore says hello and he hopes that you are well; Aberforth says the same. Hermes, Molly sends her love and Fred and George are just as mischievous as you. Hestia, Molly says hello and she loves you. Hera, Remus says hello and hopes you are well. Now onto the main reason I am here. You are all aware of the war with Voldemort, right?"

November 5, 1989

They couldn't help. Athena and Ares had given Lily good advice but she felt she needed more. She had been so upset. She had left but Poseidon had followed her. It was as though they were meant to be with one another, their was one night of passion before he realized he should not do this, he was to have no children because of the oath. Now Lily was on the way home, hoping for the sake of her greek god lover, that she wasn't pregnant.

November 15, 1989

Stix! For the love of Zeus! Oh _HADES!_ She was, she was, she was. Three days ago she realized she was a week late on her period, she was _NEVER_ late. Maybe it was her godly blood but she was _never_ a day _early_ or a day _late._ She had looked up the pregnancy detection charm and performed it. She had glowed green meaning that she was. Poseidon was the first person she had had sex with since she was seventeen, that person being James Potter who was now more like her brother then anything. Now the oath was broken but she had to let Poseidon know. She had Iris messaged him and told him. He urged her to keep the child and Lily swore she would, she wouldn't dream of aborting this child. She would carry him or her to full term and always love the child and tell the child when it was old enough of it's godly origins.

August 1, 1990

Beautiful, oh gods she was beautiful. That was all Lily Evans, now Lily Potter, could say about her daughter. She had been born just twelve hours ago on July 31st at 11:59:59 PM. She looked mostly like Lily, and by extension her grandmother Athena, but she had her father's eyes that seemed to be made of the very waters in the sea, darker near the pupil but lightening the further out they went going from green to Athena's grey right at the outer rim near the whites of the eyes. Everyone would think they were just a combination between her emerald orbs and James's hazel ones. That was the story to everyone except the order. This little girl was a Potter now in everything but blood. Poseidon could not be their for the birth but said he, Athena, and Demeter would claim her when the time was right. She was married to James now so that it would appear she had gotten pregnant in wedlock with James, not out of wedlock with Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. The little girl's eyes flicked rapidly around focusing for a few seconds on Lily's eyes before she smiled a baby smile and her eyes went hyperactive again, moving from place to place faster then the snitch could fly.

"Looks like she's got your hyper bug, Lils!" James joked.

"It's not a hyper bug, James, it's called Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and she's far too young to diagnose." Lily said with a sigh. "But oh isn't she just beautiful?"

"She is my daughter, not in blood but in love." James said. And both of them swore on the River Stix that they would protect this precious baby girl, this very special demigod, Anastasia Alilya Potter from anyone and anything as long as they lived.

October 31, 1991

_BANG!_ The Potters' front door blew apart in a shower of wood splinters.

"Lily, it's him! Take Anastasia and run!" James shouted.

"I won't leave you!" Lily shouted back as she ran upstairs with her baby in her arms, barricading herself in the nursery and setting Anastasia in her crib.

"Avada kedavra!" the cruel voice of Voldemort rang out. Lily cried out in anguish as James hit the floor. She heard the cackling coming closer and the nursery door was soon blasted open.

"Give me the girl!" Lord Voldemort hissed.

"Never, you'll never have my Ana!" Lily said.

"Step aside, foolish mudblood, and you shall live." he growled.

"_YOU_ _WILL_ _NEVER_ _HURT_ _MY_ _BABY!"_ Lily hissed as Anastasia looked upon the sceen with childish wonder, her hyperactive eyes flitting between her mother and the red-eyed monster of a man.

"Foolish girl, avada kedavra!" and with a jet of green light Alilya Athena Evans Potter, daughter of Athena and mother of Poseidon, her mother's enemy's, child fell to the ground, dead. Voldemort then leveled his wand on the baby's forehead.

"Avada kedavra!" but the curse rebounded off her and hit Voldemort, destroying his body and blowing up that portion of the house save for where Anastasia's crib was. The only mark made by the curse was a bleeding cut in the middle of her forehead zigzagging like an ocean wave.

Chapter Three: Ana and the Dursleys

November 1, 1991

"Albus, are you sure she should stay here even with her...heritage? Her mortal Muggle aunt and uncle will surely not be terribly accepting." Minerva McGonagall said.

"It is the best place for her, Minerva. She can't very well live with her father or grandmother in Olympus can she? No, she's best here." Albus said as Hagrid let out a sob like a wounded dog.

"I can' believe it...Lily an' James dead...an' poor Anastasia off ter live with muggles." he howled as he looked at the baby girl on the porch in the pink blankets with the wave scar, red hair, and seawater eyes looking all around.

"No use staying here. We'd best be off." Dumbledore said. McGonagall nodded and appearated away while Hagrid got on the huge motorbike and flew off. Dumbledore shot his ten fingers forward releasing the ten balls of light back to their lamps, bathing the street in an orange glow.

; "Good luck, Anastasia." he said before disappearating.

April 8, 1997

It had been more than five years since Anastasia had lived with the Dursleys. She had always managed to get on their bad sides and was always known as "freak" and was forced to wear second-hand clothes that didn't fit her right as well as some of her Aunt Petunia's old things. Strange things always happened to her as well. Once, when she was washing the dishes, she had made the water go where she willed it too and even when she touched the water she didn't get wet. Another time, the Dursleys had been forced to take her to the lake because her babysitter was sick. Dudley had pushed her off the dock but she was able to breathe the water and she saw all sorts of wonderful things. When she finally came back up, perfectly dry, she told them of everything, that had gotten her a week in her cupboard. She was also very hyper, never being able to stay in one place for too long. She often got sidetracked from her chores and homework by other thoughts that popped into her head or other things she wanted to do. She was also very impulsive and quick to anger, her fuse was very short. Ever since she had started school reading and writing had been difficult for her. She got her words jumbled up and her speech was slightly delayed as well. The nice school nurse had given her a letter to give to her relatives and they probably would not be happy about it.

"Uncle Vewnon, Aunt Petunia, I've got somefin' for you from de nurse's office at school." she had said when she and her pig of a cousin, Dudley, had gotten home. "Ooh, cookies." but she was affectively stopped from grabbing one and the strange letter was yanked from her hand by her aunt. Petunia cracked it open and read it.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley:

It has come to my attention that your niece, Anastasia, has been struggling in class. She often cannot focus for very long and she struggles dayly with reading and organization. I have set up an appointment for her to be tested at the Children's Health Center at 3:00 next Monday afternoon. You are required, for the sake of your niece to have her tested. I theorize that she has moderate Dyslexia and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at the least and she must have tests done so we can meet her special needs. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Nurse Amy Huchenson

Chapter Three: The First Year

July 31, 2001

"Happy birthday, Anastasia." a small child with beautiful, captivating seawater eyes and silky, smooth, rich dark red curls to her waste said to herself as she blew on the candles of a birthday cake she had drawn in the dirt. She would've written "Happy birthday Anastasia" over it but was worried that it might come out as something like "naffy dirtbay Anastasia". Her own name was the thing she now had no trouble writing but she had to think hard about writing anything else. Five years ago she had been diagnosed with severe Dyslexia and ADHD. Drawing was something she always did as a fidgety habbit. She always got away with drawing in class, teachers thought she was trying to take notes, _ha!_ As if she would take notes. She could bearly write in a streight line and her handwriting was chicken scratch to the extreme. Her mad uncle had dragged them here in the middle of nowhere because Anastasia had been getting these strange letters. She could make out her own name and address on the envelope but had some trouble. They had had her cupboard on their and she had at first thought it had said "the cufdoarb umber the stairs" instead of "the cupboard under the stairs". At least this little shack was right by the sea; Anastasia always felt at piece by the sea. All of the sudden their came a booming from outside. Boom, _boom,_ _BOOOM!_

"Where's the cannon?" Dudley asked stupedly.

"In your head, squashing your brain pigley-wigley." Anastasia muttered. In came a huge man through the doorframe.

"Sorry 'bout tha!" he said. Then, with a great heave, he put the door back in it's frame, better protecting the shack from the storm outside, oh how Anastasia loved storms.

"I haven' seen you since you was a baby, Ana!" he said, using a nickname Anastasia could remember this beautiful woman with her hair and emerald eyes calling her as a baby.

"Sorry...but...who are you?" she asked.

"I demand you leave here at once, sir, you are breaking and entering." her Uncle Vernon demanded, holding out a rifle.

"Dry up, Dursley, you great _PRUNE!"_ the huge man said, taking the rifle and bending it as though it were a coat hanger, tossing the metal lump in the corner.

"Awesome!" Anastasia piped. "Wish I could do that."

"Righ' then. I'm Rubius Hagrid and I've got a letter fer ya." he said as he pulled out an envelope and handed it to the red-haired girl. She was able to make out the lable just because it was the address:

Miss A. Potter,

The Floor,

Shack On a Rock,

The Sea

She then opened her letter and began to read:

Bear Miss —mno—

Dear Miss Anastasia Alilya Potter,

Me are—no—We are pleased to inform you that you have been occepted—no—accepted at Nagmarts School of Wl-wi-witchcraft and wizarbry—wizardry—

"_NAGMARTS?"_ she asked.

"What?" Hagrid asked incredulously. "nagmarts?"

"Yeah! What kind of school is _NAGMARTS?"_

"It ain't Nagmarts, silly Ana, it's _HOGWARTS."_ Hagrid said with a laugh, Anastasia blushed.

"Don't make fun of me, I'm dyslexic."

"Wha?" Hagrid asked.

"You don't know what Dyslexia is? Next thing you'll tell me you don't know what ADHD is either." she said with a sigh.

"Wha's that?" Hagrid asked.

"Dyslexia is a reading disability and ADHD stands for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. So what does all this Hogwarts stuff mean?"

"You're a witch, Ana. You don' know? You don' know 'bout your parents?"

"Sure I do, they were drunks who died in a carcrash, that's where I got this wavy scar." Anastasia said in a "duh" fashion.

"_A_ _CAR_ _CRASH?_ A car crash kill Lily an' James Potter? It's an outrage, it's a _SCANDAL!"_

"She'll not be going!" Vernon hissed. "The minute we took her in we swore we'd put an end to this nonsense." Anastasia's eyes went the color of the ocean in a storm with fury.

"You knew? _YOU_ _KNEW_ and you never _TOLD_ _ME?"_ she shouted.

"_KNEW!"_ Petunia shrieked. "Of course I knew, my _perfect_ sister being what she was. To Daddy it was Lily this and Lily that, I'm so _proud!_ My mother and I were the only ones who saw her for what she was, a _freak!_ She wasn't really my full sister in the first place, our father had an afair when I was one and here comes _perfect_ Alilya Athena, the _bastart_ _child._ Yes, of course I knew. She ran off and had you when she was twenty, she and her good-for-nothing husband got themselves blown up, and _we_ got _landed_ with _YOU!"_

September 1, 2001

Anastasia sat in her compartment thinking about everything that had transpired in the last month. Hagrid had taken her to Diagon Alley and they had gone shopping for her school supplies. She had met this annoying, drawling boy that called himself Draco and she almost broke his nose before getting distracted by the houses he talked about. She had gone to Flurrish and Blots, rather reluctantly she might add, and purchased all her school books; nothing more nothing less. Anastasia loved to learn but she hated to read, plain and simple. After that they had gone to the apothecary where she could barely pay attention to what Hagrid was doing and saying because her hyperactive eyes were scanning everything from the unicorn horn to the beedle's eyes. She didn't even realize Hagrid had left for five minutes. She had eventually caught up with him at Olivander's where she had gotten her wand, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, the brother wand to Voldemort's. Hagrid had told her when they were still at the hut all about Voldemort so she was certainly creeped out. The next thing they had done was get her familiar, or should she say familiars. The first animal that chose her was a wind phoenix which she had immediately named Athena for some reason or another. Did she have a relative named Athena? Athena was dark and light grey with calculating grey eyes. The next animal that had pulled at her was a miniature Greenland Iceball dragon, a dragon that breathed water and ice. He had eyes similar to hers and she had named him Poseiden for some strange reason like the Greek god of the sea. Anastasia would choose water and ice any day over a fire-breathing dragon. Suddenly their came a knock on the door from one of the red-haired boys she had met on the platform.

"Mind if I sit here? All the compartments are full." he had said.

"Oh I'm _hurt!_ You only want to sit here because nobody else has any room?" Anastasia asked, acting upset.

"No...of course not. I just...you seem nice and some first-years don't seem so great. I'd rather not sit with Percy if I can help it and Fred and George would probably put a spider in my pocket. So can I sit here?"

"Come on in, Flamehead." Anastasia said. He blushed and sat down.

"Wow, is that a wind phoenix and a miniature Greenland Iceball?"

"Yeah. So you have three brothers and one sister?" I asked.

"Actually, I have five brothers and one sister...so far as I know. My adoptive dad is Arthur Weasley, he's Bill, Charlie, and Percy's dad but he couldn't have anymore children with Mum. She met somebody, an American named Hermes, and she had Fred and George in 1988, me in 1990, and Ginny in 1991. Dad's okay with it, though, he wanted a big family and she wouldn't have done it if it wasn't okay with him. They love each other a lot but just not in that way. Sometimes I think Mum's going to bite his head off because he's so obsessed with Muggles."

"Wow, that's kind of kinky." Anastasia observed dryly.

"Yeah, yeah it is." Ron said.

Two Hours Later...

Ron and Anastasia were really enjoying themselves hanging out, eating sweets, and talking about their lives. A bushy-haired girl with calculating grey eyes had come in with a crying brown-eyed boy asking if they'd seen a toad.

"Sorry, no." Anastasia had said.

"You're Anastasia Potter, I've read all about you, of course." she had said as Anastasia idly tapped her fingers on her second-hand jeans.

"Oh really? I didn't notice." she had said dryly. "So I'm in books too, huh?"

"Didn't you know?" she asked. "I would have read all I could if I were you."

"I hate reading." Anastasia said, twirling a piece of red hair around her fingers. The bushy-haired girl looked scandalized.

"I know you...you're that girl with the fat cousin who moved to Little Whinging in the fall of second grade. He was a bully and you were all hyper. Oh yeah, and you're dyslex —com"

"Don't say it!" Anastasia ground out. "Don't say it, Hermione Granger."

"You remember me?" she asked.

"Sure! I accidentally got your older half-sister, Louise, all wet because she was making fun of me. You were the girl who was the no-it-all who thought I couldn't read!"

"Well you really can—com" she started.

"It's my secret to tell, Hermione. Come back when you aren't such a know-it-all blabbermouth." Anastasia said on impulse, not even thinking about the hurt those words might have unleashed. She wasn't insensitive, really she wasn't, but she was an impulsive person. Hermione looked angry and shut the door with a _SLAM!_

"Mental that one." Ron said.

"I know." Anastasia agreed. "But I feel bad for what I just said, I'm too harsh and impulsive sometimes." Not five minutes later the arrogant blonde from Madam Malcon's strode in.

"I heard that Anastasia Potter was on this train, I suppose it's true." he drawled.

"Obviously." Anastasia mocked as she took her wand from her pocket and spun it on her finger.

"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better then others, Potter. You don't want to make friends with the wrong sort. I'm Malfoy by the way, Draco Malfoy." Ron hid a snicker with a cough.

"Red hair, blue eyes, and a hand-me-down robe? You must be one of the bastard Weasley children." Draco drawled. Ron turned bright red and he whipped out his wand but before he could do anything Anastasia had jumped up and slammed her fist into the ferret's nose, making it crunch and spirt blood. As said before, Anastasia is a very impulsive persen.

"Don't you dare talk to him like that." she yelled, eyes darkening with anger. The weather outside suddenly grew stormy and rain poured down. "_GET_ _OUT!"_ and with that, Draco Malfoy scuttled out.

"That was brilliant!" Ron said.

"Yeah, not really. I have a nasty temper and whenever I'm really pissed it starts to storm outside. I've gotten expelled from twelve Muggle primary schools and we've lived all around the country because of me. I hope I'm not expelled from here, though."

"I don't think you'll be expelled." Ron said with a smile.

On the Boat...

"Look, Ron, their's a boat with Neville and that Hermione girl." Anastasia said. They got in the boat and they soon shot forward. Anastasia fiddled with her robes as the boat continued across. Then, all at once, they got a view of the castle in all it's glory.

"Oh god, look at that!" Anastasia said excitedly, her hyperactive eyes scanning the entire thing, craning her neck every which way. Wanting a better look, she stood up. Then, suddenly, she tipped off the boat and into the water making everyone shriek. Anastasia was amazed with the view under the water. Their was an entire city of merpeople with grindelow as pets. In it's own den sat the giant squid. The head merman came up to her.

"You can breathe our water, human?" he asked, forgetting that humans, especially first-years, knew no Mermish. What was even more surprising was that she was staying perfectly dry.

"Yes I can, head. I have met the head of your brother clan in Lake Mist when my cousin pushed me off the dock. Very nice to meet you." Anastasia said.

"You can speak our language?" he stammered.

"Yes. I'd better go up before some idiot tries to save me, goodbye." and with that, Anastasia sprang up out of the water and into the boat, dry as ever, her wand in her pocket.

"What did you do? Are you okay?" Ron asked.

"Yup! I just had a nice chat with the head of the merpeople. Oh yeah, and the giant squid exists, his name is Tentalus." Anastasia said with a grin.

"You're dry as a bone, how is that?" Hermione asked.

"It's a power of mine. I might be a water elemental or something, I don't know." the red-haired girl said with a shrug.

The Sorting...

"Granger, Hermione." Hermione stepped up nervously and put the hat on her head.

"_GRYFFINDOR!"_ the hat shouted. The time dragged by slowly and Anastasia alternated between twirling her hair and twirling her wand.

"You're fidgety aren't you?" Ron asked.

"So are you." Anastasia commented.

"Yeah but you...you take fidgeting to an entirely different level." Ron said.

"I'm very ADHD. A year's worth of detention couldn't make me sit still for a class." Anastasia whispered.

"What's ADHD, Ana?" Ron whispered.

"I'll tell you later." Anastasia whispered back as Neville stumbled up to the stool. After an entire minute the hat shouted out, "_GRYFFINDOR!"_

"Malfoy, Draco came soon after. As soon as the hat touched his sleek head it shouted "_SLYTHERIN!"_

"No duh." Anastasia muttered, picking at her nails, a nervous habbit. After what seemed like forever, she was called by McGonagall.

"Potter, Anastasia." Anastasia walked as comfidently up to the stool as she could and let McGonagall slip the hat over her eyes.

"Hmmm, interesting, interesting. You have a very sharp mind, yes? I see, the pursuit of knowledge through books is not your forte, correct?" Anastasia snorted.

"It is as much my forte as sitting still for more then five minutes." she thought to the hat.

"I see. You are loyal but you would probably scare the Hufflepuffs into jibbering recks, they wouldn't know what to do with you."

"I'd rather not be with a bunch of sissies." Anastasia agreed.

"Hmmm, only two houses that suit you. You can be _great_ in Slytherin."

"_HELL_ _NO!"_ Anastasia shouted, not even bothering to think it, attracting stares from everyone.

"Are you sure, my dear? You could be great, you know, and Slytherin will help you on the _way_ to greatness." the sorting hat whispered.

"_YOU_ _PUT_ _ME_ _THEIR_ _AND_ _I_ _WILL_ _LEAVE!_ _I_ _CAN_ _BE_ _PLENTY_ _GREAT_ _IN_ _ANOTHER_ _HOUSE,_ _NOT_ _SLYTHERIN!_ _WHO_ _SAID_ _I_ _EVEN_ _WANTED_ _TO_ _BE_ _GREAT?_ _WHAT_ _ABOUT_ _GRYFFINDOR?"_ Anastasia shouted, standing up and knocking the stool over.

"Hmm, a good point. Nobody has given me such a tongue lashing since your mother wanted Ravenclaw, not Gryffindor so I put her in Gryffindor anyway. All right then, here is my decision—com"

"_GRYFFINDOR!"_

September 3, 2001

"Oh great, double potions with the Slytherins!" Ron moaned the next morning at breakfast.

"Happy-happy joy-joy." Anastasia muttered.

"I don't see what's so bad about potions!" Hermione said from Anastasia's left.

"Everything, the professor looks like a snarky git and the textbook is super dry...not that I got past the first chapter. Other then that it seems interesting but not with a professor like that." Anastasia said.

"Yeah, how old do the writers think we are, 30?" Ron agreed. "I'm with you, Ana, reading is a pain. It's like an inherited condition among the younger four of us, Fred, George, Me, Ginny, reading isn't our thing and we aren't exactly patient people."

"I know what you mean." Anastasia said with a sigh. "And Hermione, I'm sorry for hurting your feelings yesterday."

"It's okay, Anastasia. Friends?" she asked with a smile.

"Friends."

In potions Class...

"Anastasia Potter." Anastasia sat between Ron and Hermione in the dungion classroom that was Snape's listening to the greasy-haired, hook-nosed, bat-like teacher take roll. "Ah yes, Anastasia Potter, our new...celebraty." Draco Malfoy and his brawny bodyguard lunkheads sniggered into their hands.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making." Snape began to lecture. He spoke in little more then a whisper but Anastasia and her friends caught every word. _ This will be a long class._ Anastasia thought to herself. Snape clearly had the gift of keeping the class silent without effort but that didn't mean that he had the gift to keep Anastasia still. "As their is little foolish wand-waving here many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I certainly don't believe you will understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with it's shimmering fumes; the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins; bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death if you aren't as big a bunch of _dunderheads_ as I usually have to teach." silence was followed by Snape's little speel. Anastasia and Ron exchanged looks as if to say, _yaaawwwn,_ this will be oodles of fun. Hermione, on the other hand, was on the very edge of her seat, looking for the world as if she wanted to prove then and their that she was _not_ a _dunderhead._

"Keep doing that, Mione, and you'll fall off your chair or into your cauldron." Anastasia whispered.

"_POTTER,_ something you wish to say to the class?" Snape snapped.

"No, sir, just to Hermione." she said with a smirk.

"Three points from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter, and don't think you can talk in class just because of your _status."_ Snape sneered.

"A status I didn't know about until last month." she muttered.

"_POTTER!_ Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape demanded. Powdered root of what to an infusion of _WHAT?_

"A potion, sir...I dunno." she answered truthfully. She had waded through her potions book as well as she could but their were so many weird words, it was like learning to read all over again.

"Tut-tut. Fame _clearly_ isn't _everything!"_ Snape sneered.

"I don't see what fame has to do with what I read, sir." Anastasia shot back.

"Three more points from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter. Let's try again, tell me, Potter, where I would find a bezoar." Snape barked."

"The storage cabinet?" Anastasia asked. "As far as where it comes from originally...I don't know, sir."

"Seven points from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter." Anastasia clenched her fists under the table, boiling with rage as Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle shook with laughter from a few tables over. Nobody except Ron and Hermione saw her eyes become their angry, seastorm color. How was she supposed to know what in _hell_ a bezoar was? If she had seen it she probably misread it anyway.

"Hmph! Tell me, Potter, the difference between Monksfoot and Wolfsbane." Snape ground out.

"Honestly, sir, I don't know." Anastasia answered, her feeling of anger replaced by a feeling of stupidity, her eyes going the color of the sea on a clowdy day, greenish grey becoming her grandmother's grey at the very rim. Malfoy and his goons were roaring with laughter now.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before you came, little Miss Celebrat?" Snape sneered. It was then that the feeling of anger re-emerged and Anastasia's eyes changed again.

"I _did_ open the stupíd books. It's as though it's meant for adults, not eleven-year-olds! It's dry as the desert and their's nothing interesting. The art of potions could be so much more if it was written in a more interesting and easy-to-read format!" she snapped.

"Potter, that book is in simple English. What is it, can you not read? Can you not figure out the _difficult_ _words_ for yourself? Are you just too _lazy_ to take anything in?" Snape mocked. The room grew suddenly colder as Anastasia jumped to her feet. Icicles materialized on every surface.

"No, I _can't_ understand the terminolygy, it's like learning to read all over again!" she shouted. "And you're not helping me by making me look like the world's biggest idiot just because I'm Muggle-raised, just because I only found out about this world on my birthday just over a month ago!"

"Silence, Potter!" Snape bellowed. "Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek. Are you just too simple to read the potions book? Do you really think your excuses mean anything to me? What is _wrong_ with you, potter?" Anastasia took a breath of the air which had grown even colder and prepared to tell her secret; the one that set her apart from all the other kids; the one that made her look stupid when she tripped over words or spelled like a preschooler.

"_I_ _AM_ _DYSLEXIC!"_ she finally yelled, sending an accidental torrent of water through the entire classroom soaking everyone and everything except for she, Ron, and Hermione, turning Snape into a solid ice statue.

Gryffindor Common Room...

"What's Dyslexia?" Ron asked as he, Anastasia, and Hermione sat on the couch by the fire with his older brothers, Fred and George.

"It's...it's complicated. It's like letters reverse and it's hard to put words together. I get things mixed up like here and hear, their and there, that sort of thing. I also get similar words like say and saw switched. When I first read my letter...I thought it said Nagmarts. I didn't know that wizards don't know about it and other things Muggles have found out like ADHD. Anyway, if reading was easier I'd love to read but it's not easy so I don't like it. Snape was out of line and I don't care if I got a month of detention for freezing the git and giving him pneumonia, he deserved it." Anastasia said with a sigh.

"I must agree with you their, Ana. He was being absolutely horrid and it isn't as though you _meant_ to freeze him." Hermione said.

"Yeah." she said, seawater eyes staring into the fire. "And ADHD, Ron, stands for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity disorder. It's hard for me to concentrate on things, to stay still, and to not do something out of impulse like grab a cookie and eat it when I'm full or break Malfoy's nose."

"Brilliant job on Snape, by the way." said one of the twins, Fred.

"Yeah, no potions class for a week." George said with a grin.

"Look, Ana, if it's any consolation for spilling that all out in class, the four of us don't care just how well you can read." Hermione said. "Truthfully, I have very mild Dyslexia myself, sometimes I get letters mixed up. I talk on impulse a lot too, I've got ADHD, the impulsive type."

"Yeah, and I bet if us adopted Weasleys were to be tested we'd have the same two things, I don't know why, though." Ron said, scratching the tip of his nose in thought. Anastasia felt content. She now had friends who didn't see her as the hyper freak with ADHD and Dyslexia, who didn't see her as just the girl-who-lived, but as just Ana, Ana Potter.

September 5, 2001

Dyslexic? Severus thought as he awoke from his two-day stupor. Lily's child was dyslexic? Was she really so much like her father? Severus remembered the pain and anger that flashed through Potter...Anastasia's eyes as he had repeatedly snubbed her intelligence level. It had shocked him when she had yelled out something that she clearly wanted nobody to know, that she was dyslexic. Severus also assumed that by her fidgeting and other mannerisms that Anastasia had ADHD.

Severus remembered his own hurtful childhood; his Muggle stepfather snubbing him for his intelligence all the time; the day that he was tested for Dyslexia and ADHD himself. Lily Evans was the only friend that "the weird kid with dyslexia and ADHD from Spinner's End" had only because she herself was "the super hyper smart girl who stumbles over words". Lily was mildly dyslexic and Severus had mildADHD but Lily was almost as badly inflicted with ADHD as her daughter clearly was and Severus had quite a bit of trouble in his younger years reading, he still did sometimes.

Severus wondered why Anastasia had these problems so badly since she was just a little over a quarter god; didn't anyone with less then half godly blood have no godly powers? But then he thought of something; was James Potter Anastasia's true father? Could Anastasia's father be a demigod himself or perhaps a god? Severus was _not_ doing what he promised Dumbledore he would do; protect Lily's child. He didn't care now if Anastasia Alilya was really Potter's daughter, just that she was clearly unloved at home and lacked confidence in herself. If Dumbledore let him, he vowed, and if Anastasia allowed him too, he'd take her home during the summer and raise her up himself.

September 9, 2001

"Potter, I'd like to see you after class." Snape said, not unkindly. It was the first day of potions and Snape had been surprisingly nice to everyone and even snubbed his precious Slytherins. Anastasia wondered what in Hell was going on. The class filtered out and Anastasia grudgingly walked to his desk, her emerald green and gold bag with the initials Cap embroidered in gold on the opening flap.

"What do you need, sir? Have you come to snub me some more? Say I'm a simpleton?" she asked icily.

"Please come with me to my office, Anastasia, and we can talk." Severus said softly. Anastasia nodded and followed the professor into his office which was just as creepy as his classroom.

"Please sit down." Snape urged as he sat down behind his desk. Anastasia did so with a sigh.

"What do you need, Professor?" Anastasia asked, trying to keep calm.

"It's not what I need, it's what I want. I'm...I'm sorry, Anastasia, for the way I acted in our first class...I was out of line. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did." Severus said with a sigh.

"Why did you then?" Anastasia asked with a frown.

"I...I don't know. It's just...your father and I...we didn't get along. He and three friends of his always pranked me and teased me and were quite immature. Your mother always stood up for me, we were the best of friends since Muggle primary school. She was Muggle-born, as you know, and I am a halfblood, my father is a Muggle and my mother a witch. We lived in the same town and she was my only friend. I started to go down the...wrong path at Hogwarts, dabbling in things I ought not to have dabbled in, doing and saying things I should never have done or said. Our friendship broke apart late in fifth year when your father and his friends were teasing me. Your mother demanded James Potter that he stop what he was doing at once...he was levitating me upside-down...I was so embarrassed. I...I snapped then and called her the most unsavery name." Severus said with a sigh.

"What did you call her, sir?" Anastasia asked.

"Mudblood, I called her a mudblood. It's an extremely foul word that pureblood supremacists use to describe someone of Muggle parentage, like your mother and myself. She...she never forgave me for it so I got even further sucked to the dark side. It was only when she died that I came back over to the light; that I vowed to protect you." Severus answered truthfully. "I was unforgivably nasty to you but I hope we can start over and get along. You are right, that book is dry, you know. If you like I can tutor you in potions and give you some of my notes, not that you'll be able to read my chicken scratch."

"I'd like that, sir. Potions really seems to be a fascenating art and I'd like to understand it better. I'm sorry as well for smarting off, yelling, flooding your classroom, freezing you, making you sick, andbreakingmalfoysnose." the last part came out in a rush.

"You broke his nose?" Severus asked, eyebrow cocked.

"Yeah...he called Ron one of the "bastard Weasley children" so I punched him, I sorta have ADHD."

"Draco needs to learn manners, I haven't exactly been the best godfather. I'll tell you a secret only Lily, my parents, my old head of hous, and Dumbledore have ever known, Ana. Firstly, your mother was mildly dyslexic and had ADHD. I too am dyslexic and have ADHD." Anastasia was shocked, this professor that seemed like such a git had what she had? Her mother had them too? She wasn't alone?

"Wow. Oh god, I'm late for Transfiguration, McGonagall might make good on her threat to turn me into a pocket watch." Severus snorted at that.

"I'll write you a pass. Tomorrow I'll send you an owl with our potions times. I look forward to helping you, Ana, and fifty points to Gryffindor."

September 11, 2001

Her friends were shocked that Snape had actually been nice to her but hey, what could she say? She had broken him out of an old grudge and they were on nutral ground, almost friends.

"Look, Ana, Mione, flying today." Ron said, pointing at the Gryffindor notice board.

"But it's with the Slytherins." Hermione moaned as they left the common room.

In the great hall, a black raven swooped in with the other owls attracting stares. It then went right over to Anastasia and dropped a note onto her lap before flying off.

"It's from Snape." she said as she opened it and looked at the neat, carefully written handwriting.

Anastasia,

How about we have our lessons from 6 to 9 on Tuesdays and Thursdays? Also, on some weekends that you are free, how about 12 to 6 on Saturdays? You can send your reply back with your phoenix later.

Looking forward to it,

SS

PS, This isn't my handwriting, I'm using a dictaquill and their is a tricky translation charm on it so you can read it easier, don't expect this for everything, though, this is just a crutch.

"Cool." Anastasia said as she passed the note to Ron and Hermione, but Hermione was too horrified with the contents of the Daily Profit to notice.

"Oh my god!" she gasped. "You guys have to here this, it's terrible." she then read the article out loud for everyone to here.

Muggle Plains Crash

In the United states, around 9:00 this morning, Muggle airplains crashed into the World Trade Center and Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC. It is assumed that terrorists from somewhere in the middle east took over the cockpit and crashed the planes. As is it's job In times of disaster such as these, aurors from the American Bureau of Magical Affairs, headquartered in underground Washington DC, have begun to investogate. Their are magical traces at the crash sight and three men are being held in a cell for trying to appearate out of the country which is not allowed without a specialized permit. Aurors have yet to investogate the cites in New York but assume the same can be said their as well for the two extra men. We can only assume that these acts were ordered by an extremist terrorist group. Whether it is Muggle or wizarding we are unsure but the Ministry of Magic, the ABMA, the International Confederation of Wizards, and the Daily Profet intend to find out.

"God that's terrible." Anastasia said, horrified.

"I know, Ana, I know." Hermione said a bit tearily. "My aunt works at the pentagon, I hope she's okay."

"I'm sure she is." Ron assured her.

In Flying Class...

"What are you waiting for? Put your right hand over your broom and say "up"." Madam Hooch, the grey-haired, hawk-eyed flying instructor ordered the Gryffindor/Slytherin flying class. Anastasia sighed and held her right hand over her broom.

"Up!" she commanded. Her broom soared right into her hand. Everyone else was having trouble. Malfoy, who had bragged about flying for years and almost flying into a "parolane" could only get his broom into his hand on the seventh try.

Hermione's broom twitched and rolled over, neville's wouldn't move at all when he commanded. _ I suppose brooms are like horses._ Anastasia thought to herself. _ They know when you're afraid._ She got quite a good laugh when Ron commanded his broom upwards. It sprang up and hit him in his head.

"Oh shut up, Ana." he had grumbled, rubbing his head.

"All right now, everyone mount your brooms." Madam Hooch ordered. Anastasia and Ron exchanged happy smirks when she toldmalfoy he had been doing it all wrong for years.

"On my whistle, I want everyone to rise into the air, wait a few seconds, and then touch back down. Three, two, one—com" but before the whistle had reached Madam Hooch's lips, Neville Longbottom, in a fit of nervousness, had kicked off and soared into the air. He did zig-zags and loop-de-loops, bearly holding onto his broom. Ten feet...twenty feet...thirty feet...fourty feet...a grand fifty feet, Madam Hooch calling out "Mr. Longbottom...Mr. Longbottom" all the time. Neville's broom rammed him into the castle over and over and over again before his robes got caught on a ledge, he slipped off his broom, and he landed on the grass twenty feet away with a sickening _crunch_ sound. All of the Gryffindors rushed over to see if he was all right but Madam Hooch ushered them all away.

"Oh dear...oh dear, a broken wrist. Tsk tsk, let's get you to the hospital wing, dear." she said as she helped Neville up and let him lean against her. "Now nobody is to have one _foot_ off the ground. If I find anyone in the air you'll be expelled from Hogwarts before you can even say "Quiddich", do you understand?"

"Yes, Madam Hooch." everyone, including Anastasia, responded. The hawk-eyed flying instructor nodded curtly and led Neville across the grounds and out of sight. It was then that the little ferret-boy rushed over to the grass where Neville fell, picking up a round, glass object. Anastasia remembered it at once as the rememberall that his gran had sent him the day before.

"Would you look at this!" he drawled, surrounded by his Slytherin cronies. "Maybe if the fat lump had given _this_ a squeeze he'd have remembered to fall on his fat ass!" Anastasia's eyes darkened to their seastorm shade. She stepped forward, broom over her right shoulder, looking pissed.

"Give it here, Malfoy." she demanded.

"Or what?" Malfoy drawled.

"I see your nose is all patched up, I'd surely hate to break it again." Anastasia threatened, flipping her wand around in her left hand and stroking the mangled old broom with her right. Malfoy smirked and hopped onto his broom, soaring up into the sky.

"going to break it from up here, Potter?" he drawled. Anastasia's hyperactive eyes went from Malfoy to the school broom to Malfoy again before she mounted her broom, giving her wand to Hermione.

"Ana no! You'll get hurt...you'll get in trouble!" Hermione protested.

"Sei La ve!" Anastasia said with a sigh.

"What?" Ron asked.

"I heard it on the telly somewhere, that's life." Anastasia said as she shot into the air to Hermione muttering, "What an idiot." Flying felt so natural to Anastasia. She pulled her red curls out of their ponytail and let them stream behind her.

"_GIVE_ _IT_ _HERE!"_ she demanded, her eyes still dark and angry. Malfoy sneered as if to say, "I still have it, Potter." Automatically knowing what to do, Anastasia shot towards him like a javelin, it was Malfoy's last-minute swerve that saved him.

"Give it here or you can be rest assured that I'll knock you off your broom and you'll just be a splatter on the ground from this height." Anastasia said cruely as their classmates looked on in wonder from 100 feet below them.

"You wouldn't." he stammered, looking even paler then usual.

"Oh yes I would, you coward. You got on your broom to avoid me, a Muggle-raised gir-who-lived with what you'd call a blood-traitor of a father, and a _mudblood_ of a mother with the most magic-hating Muggles in existance. You don't have your lunkheads to save you now, Pureblood Inbred Ferret Prince." Malfoy seemed to think the same thing.

"Come and get it then, Potter, come and get it." Malfoy sneered as he tossed the little glass ball and dove to the ground. Anastasia's hyper eyes focused on it and she made an almost vertical dive towards the ground, catching it at the last second to cheers from the Gryffindors and an admiring _woop_ from Ron. Anastasia shot up again and tossed the ball, catching it again. Tiring of this, she stuffed it in her robes and started to spiral upwards doing dives and rises and sharp turns, first going with one hand and then with none. She made her broom roll over and over again and made it do loop-de-loops. Just as she was flying on the broom doing a handstand, an angry call came from below.

"Anastasia Alilya Potter!" it was McGonagall. Anastasia flipped herself so that she was balancing on the broom with just her feet in their old, tattered trainers and zoomed right to where McGonagall stood, jumping off the broom a foot from the ground, landing nimbly.

"Never in all my years...could have broken your neck...come with me." she stammered faintly.

"But Professor McGonagall, it wasn't—com" Ron started.

"Professor it wasn't her—com" Hermione interrupted.

"Malfoy was being a—com" Seamus Finnigan, another Gryffindor started.

"Malfoy should be expel—com" Dean Thomas interrupted.

"He stole Nevi—com" Parvati Patil cut in.

"Ana was just—com" Lavender interrupted her friend.

"_ENOUGH!_ You're all giving me a headache. Miss Potter, follow me." McGonagall ordered. Anastasia sighed dejectedly, just knowing she would be expelled, and dropped the broom before following the tight-lipped woman away. It felt like a death march to Anastasia. Maybe Dumbledore would let her stay on and do some of the stuff Filch and Hagrid did...shudder. She could just imagine her friends becoming great witches and wizards while she was forced to carry Hagrid's stuff and get a dayly tongue-lashing from Filch. She switched from picking at her nails to twirling her hair to biting her bottom lip to twirling her wand to thinking up song lyrics in her head as she marched her death march behind McGonagall.

"Quiddich." she said for the fun of it.

"What?" McGonagall asked.

"Quiddich...it's just a joke...never mind." she said with a sigh. Maybe she wouldn't be expelled after all? At least she had gotten McGonagall to talk. They approached a door behind which Anastasia could here Professor Flitwick lecturing students. McGonagall poked her head in and spoke.

"Phillius, may I borrow Wood for a minute?" she asked.

"But of course, Minerva." the little teacher squeaked. What was wood, Anastasia wondered. Was it a cane she would be hit with? Was it a paddle she would be spanked with? Was it a spoon she'd be smacked in the face with? Was it a pan she'd be hit in the head with? No...that'd be iron. So what _was_ wood? The proper question, Anastasia realized, was who _was_ Wood. Out from the classroom stepped a burly fifth-year Gryffindor with medium brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Professor, what is it that you need?" he asked.

"Just a minute, Wood, we need to get Steel." Anastasia felt dumber and dumber by the minute. Five minutes ago she probably would have thought "steel" was the pan that would hit her in the head. Steal was probably another student. Why was Professor McGonagall getting these students? Wasn't she to be expelled? They walked to where Anastasia knew Quirell's class was and McGonagall peeped in.

"Quirinus, may I pull Steel out for a bit?" she asked.

"O-o-o-of course, Mi-mi-Minerva!" he stammered. Out walked a slender girl with streight raven hair and ice blue eyes who looked to be a seventh-year with the Ravenclaw crest on her robes.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"Not here, Miss Steel." McGonagall said as she led them all to an empty classroom, locking and silencing the door.

"Wood, I've found you a seeker. Steel, I've found you a new Rank One."

"A seeker? But she looks bearly old enough to be in Hogwarts, let alone to be old enough for the house team." Wood protested.

"Yeah, Professor. Also, no disrespect, but Junior Aurors aren't allowed in until third year." Steel said.

"You two should have seen her, though. A student took a student's rememberall as Madam Hooch was taking him to the Hospital wing. Miss Potter here demanded that he give the rememberall back so she could return it. The student got on a broom though Madam Hooch expressly forbade it and flew up into the air. Miss Potter got on the broom she had and chased after him 100 feet up, almost knocking him off. After a few threats were exchanged he tossed the rememberall and dove for the ground. Miss Potter caught it in a near-vertical 100 foot dive coming out of it unscratched. She then tossed and caught it again. After putting it in her pocket, she did many different tricks, rolls and banks and dives and twists, many without hands too. She was even able to pull off a handstand. When I called her down she switched to balancing on her feet and jumped off perfectly a foot from the ground. Potter, meet Oliver Wood and Christina Steel. Steel, wood, meet Anastasia Potter." McGonagall raved.

"Ever flown a broom, Potter?" Wood asked.

"Not until today, no, but boy does it feel good. It's like on the broom is the one place where I can focus without worrying about if I get left and right mixed up, if I fidget too much, whatever. It all just feels wonderful. The zigs and loops were sort of like air fidgeting to me." Anastasia responded.

"That's right. Y'r the one who froze Snarky Severus Snape last week and made him ill. Didn't you yell out something about being...what was it...dyslexic?" Steel asked.

"Yeah...I didn't mean for the entire school to know. Basically, reading, directions, and organization are a pain in the ass. I also have ADHD meaning keeping still is really hard for me and I'm impulsive to the point of starting fisticuffs sometimes, not that I'm proud or anything. So Quiddich is that sport with the four balls, right? What are Junior Aurors?"

"Yeah. Junior Aurors make up sort of a club. We duel, fly in formation, and a lot of other things that lead up to Auror training. Aurors are like cops, dark wizard hunters. I'm the captain of this year's squad. I'll be inspecting the Rank Ones soon, seeing who is worthy. The Junior Aurors are like a one-way ticket to Auror training. We learn high-power jinxes, curses, potions, runes, that sort of thing." Steel explained.

"Awesome." Anastasia piped. "I'm _in."_

September 12, 2001

Tonight was the night that Anastasia had her course with Snape. She stood outside the door to his office and knocked.

"Enter." Snape said in an ominous voice. Anastasia grinned and swung the heavy mahogany door open, stepping in.

"Good evening, sir." she said politely.

"Good evening, Anastasia." Snape said.

"How are you?" Anastasia asked.

"I am fine. I suppose you are doing well, are you not?"

"Yeah, why ask?" Anastasia wondered.

"Surely you must be very happy. You are the youngest house seeker in more then a century and the youngest Junior Auror recruit in 500 years." Snape said with a smirk. "I hope you aren't as good as your father, Potter, or else my house might be forced to give up it's cup." Snape said.

"Hmm, all the reason to work harder." Anastasia quipped, sitting down.

"Did I tell you you could sit down, Potter?" Snape barked.

"No, but this chair just looked so inviting." Anastasia said innocently.

"Yes, very well then.


	18. Double

Double

An attempt to create a female Harry with a bit of a Hannah Montana-esque double life sort of thing… Dear God this is SO damn cringy! What the hell was I thinking? And the song bit I wrote… It embarrasses me to even post this, but a promise is a promise, if only to myself…

Chapter One: Lilium

I sighed as I walked out of the recording studio. It had been a long day for me. Recording my songs for my newest album really was work.

"Ready to go, love?" my aunt asked me as I entered the lobby.

"Absolutely. Once we go home and get out of our alternate looks let's go for pizza, yeah?" I asked her. My aunt smiled down at me and nodded. Together the two of us left the studio building in uptown London and got into the black limousine waiting out front.

"Where too, ladies?" asked the chauffeur in front, Fernando.

"Home please, Nando." I said, reclining in my seat. Fernando nodded and pulled out into the street.

"Want the radio on, sweetie?" my aunt asked a few minutes into the drive.

"Why not? All right, let's turn it on." I said, smiling. She smiled back at me and reached over, pressing the on button. Immediately I could here the announcer talking.

"this is Radio 1, your place for all of today's hottest music! Next up we have one of our most popular singers. Lilium Everbloom has been hot on the charts since she came on the music scene almost two years ago at the tender age of nine. Now, at almost eleven, she's about to release another album and we're about to play her newest song. Ladies and gents, sit back and relax as we listen to Lilium Everbloom's newest tune, Who I Am, on Radio 1." the peppy male voice exclaimed. I sighed, never in a million years did I think I'd be this popular. The beat and melody started up and I heard myself on the radio.

"Who am I, you might ask?

You might think you know but do you truly?

Sometimes I take life real slow then I kick it up fa-ast.

Most times I'm sane but sometimes I'm cray-zee!

There's so many dynamics that identify, _MEEE!_

How many there are you'll just have to wait and see.

Who am I?

I'm crazy and kookie and a little off the wall!

I have dreams and aspirations, the limit is the sky.

I wanna be who I wanna be, really that is all!

That's just a little bit of who I am!

Who am I, you might wonder?

What is the truth and what is just ridiculous?

I love baskin' in the sunshine and dancin' in the thun-der!

I can be serious and silly and sometimes downright ludicrous!

There's so many things about me that you don't, _KNOOOOOW!_

However many there are you'll have to wait for them to show!

Who am I?

I'm funny and witty but I have a gentle side!

I love music and movies even if they make me cry!

I just want to be known for me, do you understand?

That's just a little bit of who I am!

Sometimes when you go out into this big old world,

You forget what you're made of, it's only natural!

But somethin's gotta bring you on back to your roots,

And then you get to rediscover the truth!

Who are you?

Whether you be crazy and kookie and a little off the wall,

Or if you're funny and witty but you have a gentle side!

If you have dreams and aspirations, the limit is the sky,

Or you love music and movies even if they make you cry!

We all wanna be who we wanna be, really that is all!

You just want to be known for you, I think I understand!

Always keep in mind exactly who you are!

And now you know just a little bit,

The little things that make me tick!

I hope that now you can better understand me,

And who I am!

Oo-oo-oo, who I aaaaam!

Whooo Iiiii Aa-aa-aa-aa-am!

That's who I am!

"That is a really good song, you know." my aunt commented.

"Thanks, Auntie." I said, leaning into my seat. "Maybe people will remember that I'm a real person and not just "Lilium Everbloom, international pop sensation"."

"Doubtful, dear. This will probably just hype you up more." my aunt said.

"Well at least we know that Lilium Everbloom isn't a real person; she's just someone we created so I could express myself without all the hype my actual name would bring in the other world and also someone to honor my mum. The name's nearly the same, Lily Evans, Lilium Everbloom, LE, LE. I don't regret this for a second, really." I said.

"I'm glad." we lapsed into a comfortable silence as the limo drove on. After awhile more we reached our destination. It was a large, old manor house in the countryside. Nobody really lived near us; it was just what we needed. The only people that live in the house were my aunt, a few of the Potter house-elves, and me.

When I was five my aunt had divorced my uncle for the way that he treated both her and me and the way he instilled his bullying tendencies in my cousin. She allowed him to take custody of my cousin and she took custody of me since she's my aunt by blood. Before then we had lived in the house my uncle had purchased, Number Four, Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey. He, my cousin, Cheryl, my uncle's new wife, and their daughter, Danica, live there still. For awhile after the divorce we lived in an apartment in London and she substituted as an English teacher from time to time. When she wasn't substituting she home-schooled me. I had only been to a public school for kindergarten. I already knew about the magical world by then. After getting in contact with the magical bank about what my parents had left me we discovered that the Potter family was quite old and influential with several houses and an ancestral manor in Whales. Each house, apparently, had a team of Potter house-elves. The house we live in is one of the smaller manor houses. There is a team of six elves and two personal elves that came from the big manor in Whales. There's Parigron (Pippin,) Penelope (Penny,) Bubbles, Aqua, Frodo, and Franny. Then there's Rosie (who's my aunt's personal elf and Lilac (my personal house-elf.)

The limo pulled up the tree-lined gravel driveway, looped around the fountain in front of the house, and stopped in front of the front porch. Thanking Fernando for his services we then got out. We waved at Fernando and he drove away, waving back. The two of us went up the steps and into the foyer of the %house.

"I'll be down soon, just let me put my real face on." I said with a smile.

"Yes and let me take this one off." My aunt said, also smiling. The two of us made it up the sweeping staircase and to our separate rooms which were right across the hall from each other. I went into the bathroom attached to my room and looked into the mirror. A girl with a round face, a few freckles, emerald green eyes, a scar shaped like a sketched lily in the middle of her forehead, and slightly wavy strawberry blonde hair with a little curl up at the end looked back at me. This was almost eleven-year-old Lilium Rosalie Everbloom, my alter-ego. Screwing up my face for just a second my hair curled and became totally red and my scar changed to a lightning bolt. This was me as I truly was, ten-year-old, almost eleven-year-old, Harmony Lily Potter. Funny how you can become a totally different person just by changing a few things about yourself like your hair and, in my case, scar. My clothes automatically began to fall off of me so I rushed into my bedroom. I shrugged them off and put on a casual outfit, a denim skirt, a blue tank, and sandals. I threw my now-curly red hair into a ponytail and rushed downstairs.

"Ready to go?" I asked. Aunt Petunia nodded. I grinned and rushed out to the detached garage, getting into the front passenger seat of my aunt's silver Mercedes Bins.

Chapter Two: Hogwarts Letter

The rest of July passed in a similar way. I had several concerts that I had performed and I had finished the last tracks to my album, "Fantasy" which dealt with looking at life in different ways as well as actual fantasy and dreams. It was perfect, I thought, since I would be getting my letter to Hogwarts any day now. Aunt Petunia had told me all about magic long ago; she had too so I could understand the things I could do. She was even able to hire some tutors for my specific gifts. I am a parcelmouth and a metamorphmagus among other things. Ever since I was little I loved to sing and always wanted to do it professionally. We came up with the "Lilium Everbloom" idea when I was almost nine when my metamorphing was well-trained. I still use my own voice, of course, but it just makes itself older to match the age of "Lilium". At least I know what I'll look like in two years, or pretty near, anyway. I can also play the guitar, piano, and violin. Many of the songs I sing I have written myself; it's my way of self-expression.

I was excited to be going off to school but I wasn't sure what to do about getting off-campus for my singing. I might have to let a staff member, perhaps my head-of-house, in on the secret. Ah well, I'd cross that bridge when I came to it, I thought. In any case, perhaps I could do more of my music in the wizarding world where I could fully unleash myself. Hmmm...not a bad idea. Then again, life would be hectic as it was. I'd definitely just have to play things by ear.

The morning of my birthday on July 31 dawned bright and sunny and I woke early. Stretching out in bed I smiled softly. My dreams last night had consisted of a man on a flying motorcycle bringing me to the house we used to live in before Aunt Petunia divorced Vernon Dursley when I was five. Aunt Petunia says that for all she knows that might be the case. I slowly got up and made my bed. The Potter house-elves like to do that sort of thing but Aunt Petunia has taught me from a young age about honest work and doing things myself. With a _crack_ Lilac popped into my room.

"Does Little Mistress Harmony be wanting anything from Lilac?" she asked.

"Oh, no thanks, Lilac. I'm good." I said, smiling at the little elf in a pink dress with big, bright blue eyes.

"All right but little miss be calling Lilac if little miss be wanting anything." Lilac insisted before popping out. I smiled and went into my bathroom. Stripping out of my PJ's and putting them in the hamper I hopped in the shower.

A half hour later I was out and dried off. The outfit I wore was a light blue dress with white around the sleeves, bottom, and collar and a little white ribbon around the center. The shoes were blue sandals. I let Lilac put my hair into two plaits.

"Morning, Aunt Petunia!" I chirped as I sat down for breakfast.

"Good morning, Harmony." she said.

"So what's the plan for today?" I asked.

"You know the plan. You'll get your Hogwarts letter and go off to Diagon Alley today. After that, we'll come back here and have your birthday dinner." Aunt Petunia said.

"Ugh, you mean with Dudley?" I groaned.

"He _is_ your cousin, Harmony. You go to his birthdays and he comes to yours; that's just how it works." Aunt Petunia sighed.

"Well...all right then...I just consider it's a blessing that only Dudley and Vernon ever show up and not that trashy, low-class, gossiping trollop, Cheryl Witakur-Dursley and that Danica Yvonne, there little brat-child." I said viciously.

"Hold your vicious tongue, Harmony, please. I'm not saying I disagree but please." my aunt begged, shaking her head of shoulder-length, ginger-blonde hair. I laughed.

"Are you quite sure it is necessary to personally deliver young Harmony's letter, Minerva?" Albus Dumbledore asked his deputy head.

"Albus, you know the Hogwarts bylaws. All Muggle-born and Muggle-raised students _MUST_ have somebody deliver the letter in person. Miss Potter's aunt, though I highly doubt it, may have told her about magic but I need to confirm it. I will go immediately to the Dursley home and explain things." Minerva fairly snarled, lips thinning into a thin, severe line, moss green eyes flashing. Albus nodded his head resignedly. What plans did he have for the girl, Minerva wondered? Why would he want to skip the Hogwarts bylaws altogether? These questions and more still swam about in Minerva's Ravenclaw-sharp mind as she walked out of the headmaster's office. As she walked through the castle and into the grounds on her way to the appearition point at Hogsmeade Minerva's thoughts turned to the Despicable Dursleys. That husband, shooing and kicking at her, acting like he was king-of-the-world! That son, screaming and throwing fits, kicking his mother for sweets! And Petunia...Petunia...totally throwing away every bit of evidence that she ever was Lily Evan's sister. Her hair was died blonde, her eyes bore blue contacts. Minerva couldn't think of anything the woman did wrong that day, per say, but it was just the fact that Petunia was jealous. It would be a miracle to see any sort of turn-around. With her mind on that dark thought, Minerva reached the appearition point and popped out of existence.

Minerva re-appeared in an alleyway a block and a half away from her destination. The headmaster had said that nothing seemed to change, that as far as he knew Harmony Potter still lived on Privet Drive, so she strode up the rode. Taking a deep breath she approached Number Four and looked closely at it. A boxy, boring-looking SUV made by some British company sat in the driveway, the flowers were perfectly kept, the house was painted a shade of light pink, it had been light buttercup yellow before. Minerva sighed, preparing for the worst, and went up the front walk, onto the front steps, and rang the doorbell. An elephantine stomping came from inside the house closer and closer to the door. It eventually opened up to show an overweight boy wearing a West Ham football T-shirt, shorts, and no shoes. His hair was thick and blonde on his thick, pink head and his eyes were squinty and blue. The nostrils on his nose flared in a piggish manner and his lips were set in an ever-present scowl. This, Minerva was sure, was the Dursley boy, Petunia's son.

"What?" he demanded of her. Minerva smoothed down her black pants unconsciously and straightened out the short-sleeved, light green button-up she wore. At least she had had the foresight to wear Muggle clothing; it always seemed to help a bit that she wasn't dressed as a witch.

"Is either your father or mother in at the moment?" Minerva asked.

"Yeah yeah, keep your hair on while I call my dad." the boy snapped before turning his fat head into the house. "_DAD!_ _DAD!_ _DAD!_ _DAD_ _DAD_ _DAAAAAD!"_ an even more elephantine sound came from the house as a larger version of the pig of a boy came waddling into the entryway. Next to him was not Petunia as Minerva expected but another woman with a sharp face, steel gray eyes, and lackluster brown hair with a bad perm job. In her arms was a three-year-old girl with her same features save for Vernon's squinty blue eyes.

"Who is it, Dud?" Vernon Dursley rumbled.

"I am Minerva McGonagall. May we come in and talk?" Minerva asked bruskly. Vernon simply grunted. As soon as Minerva was in the hall the door slammed behind her curtesy of the Dursley boy. The woman with the child gave Minerva a penetrating stare before reluctantly leading her into the living room. Minerva scowled, looking over the tasteless place. All over there were pictures of the two Dursleys and the woman as well as the child in some later ones. There was no sign that Petunia or Harmony ever lived in the house. The Dursleys all sat on one sofa as Minerva sat primly on an armchair.

"So what do you want?" the Dursley man demanded.

"You are Vernon Dursley, are you not?" Minerva queried.

"Of course I am!" Vernon blustered.

"Very well, I am simply ensuring that I have the right house." Minerva said, waving a hand.

"What is it you need?" the strange woman asked in a clipped tone.

"First off, where is Harmony Potter? Second, who are you and what happened to Petunia?" Minerva asked.

"You're one of that lot, aren't you?" Vernon demanded. Cheryl, being two generations removed from a magical family herself, realized what Vernon was referring to.

"Vernon, do you mean the lot I think you're meaning?" Cheryl demanded, all hatred of magic ingrained into her since childhood.

"I don't know what you think I'm thinking, love. What are you thinking?" Vernon stammered.

"Don't play that game with me, Vernon Walter Dursley. You know what I mean. Magic users! Wizards! Witches! _FREAKS!"_ Cheryl hissed.

"Oh...erm...that..." Vernon stammered.

"How could you be? I thought you were normal!" Cheryl cried out.

"Ahem!" Minerva cleared her throat.

"I'm not, I swear! Petunia's sister was born a freak...and...well...she married a freak...and...well...their daughter is a freak too. That's the niece, Harmony. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, love, but I thought you didn't know about that lot." Vernon placated the woman. "Love?" Minerva wondered. She must be _REALLY_ missing something.

"Can somebody please explain why you're calling her "love" and where your wife and niece are?" she finally snapped.

"Petunia, _HA!_ Wouldn't let me give that little freak all it deserved, oh no! bout six or seven years ago now she filed for divorce. Took the freak with her and I'm glad. Still see them sometimes; it's her birthday today so Dudley's going over for dinner and I'm coming to keep an eye out. This is my new wife, Cheryl, and our daughter, Danica." Vernon explained. Minerva was utterly, totally, and completely floored. Petunia picked up and left? She divorced Dursley? This certainly was an interesting twist.

"Just tell me where they live and I'll get out of your way." Minerva finally said after a pregnant pause. Vernon grunted and fished out a piece of paper from his pockets, handing it to her.

"See that you do." he snapped before Minerva was rudely shepherded out of the house and the door was slammed on her.

"The nerve of them. Well I can only hope that Petunia is raising Harmony well." Minerva hmphed to herself as she walked back to the alley. Once she was there, she looked at the parchment. The Evans-Potter Manor may be found at 713 Broadview Drive, East Bremmorton, England. She snorted at the idiocy of the Dursley man. This was a Fedelius parchment with the secret on it, why hadn't he burned it? With a long sigh, Minerva incinerated the address and appearated away.

Next second she found herself in front of a wrot-iron fence. A few feet up the rode was a large wrot-iron gate with the Potter crest, a griffin in flight, and the family motto in Latin which translated too "Duty calls" carved out of it. The motto was arched above the crest. Taking a deep breath Minerva walked up to the gate and touched it. She felt something touch at her magic before a _crack_ sounded. Standing on the other side of the gate was a small creature, a house-elf wearing a well-tailored suit. His sudsy-blue eyes looked calculatingly into hers.

"What is you be wanting? What is being your business?" he asked crisply.

"I am Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have come to personally deliver an acceptance letter to a miss Harmony Potter." Minerva said. The elf, sensing no desception, beamed at her.

"Oh goody-goody! I is being Bubbles, Professor McGonagall, miss! Little Mistress Harmony has been waiting for her Hogwarts letter all summer but she is thinking it be coming by owl! Please follow Bubbles, miss!" the elf chirped. The gates opened and Minerva followed the elf through them. They clanked shut behind her, Minerva looked around. She stood on a compact gravel driveway with old oaks planted on either side going up to the house. She followed the elf up the driveway for awhile before spotting the house. It was large, three-storied, and made of light stone. Ivy, vines, and climbing roses wound their way up a few of the walls making for a beautiful sight. The front door was large and made of cherry with the same design as the gate. In front of the house was a fountain of a group of singing merpeople, the water spouting out of them. Bubbles led Minerva up the front steps, onto the porch, and through the doors into the house's foyer. The walls of the foyer were white, the floor of an intricately carved marble of different subtle pastel colors. Above hung a golden chandelier with many flickering candles. Two staircases were in the room leading to the second floor with light gold wood banisters and red-carpeted steps. Bubbles stopped Minerva at a set of white-wood double-doors before popping away. A minute later the doors opened of their own accord into a sitting room with paneled walls and cream-carpeted floors with gold threads weaving through.

"This is being Professor McGonagall." Bubbles announced to two figures sitting relaxedly on a sofa. One of the figures got up and walked towards Minerva.

"Long time no see hmmm, professor?" it was the unmistakeable voice of Petunia Dursley...or...Evans. In the warm light let in by the red-curtained windows Minerva took a closer look at Lily's sister. She didn't look like the bitter woman she once did but like a happy woman with a very fulfilling life. Her hair was back to its old ginger-blonde color, her eyes shown blue-green. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a yellow T-shirt.

"Hello, Petunia. I trust you are well?" Minerva asked a bit stiffly. "And it wasn't so long. Do you remember the cat on your wall that first of November in 1981?"

"That was you?" Petunia asked incredulously. Instead of the shrill adult tantrum about freakiness Minerva was expecting Petunia laughed a genuine laugh. "Oh good god, I should have known. You must have gotten a horrid impression that day. I was young and a fool, professor, that's all the excuse I have but as soon as I saw Harmony...none of it mattered. She was my baby sister's baby girl and that's all that mattered. I love Lily and I love Harmony."

"So you've taken Harmony in for love of your sister and not for all the luxuries you could get in a Potter house?" Minerva snorted, still somewhat disbelieving. Before Petunia, who Minerva saw looked quite hurt, could retort the second figure stood up and walked next to her.

"Don't you _DARE_ accuse my auntie of something so...so...so horrible and nonsensical and...and...and _ASSININE_ as that! She has always loved me and took care of me and we didn't even know about my family's wealth until I was six when we were living in a run-down apartment in London after the divorce when she decided to take me to the wizarding world for the first time. She's always loved me and taught me well. She is not just my aunt but my second mum, my teacher, my best friend. She has been home-schooling me in all she knows since I was six years old. She has a teacher's license, so you know, and sometimes substitutes for teachers in the area. I _NEVER_ want to here you talk about my aunt like that again, Professor McGonagall." Minerva looked closely at the figure and stifled a gasp. She was Lily's mirror-immage except for the fact that she had James's unruly hair texture, his ears, and his nose. Petunia smiled down at her niece who smiled back a wicked little smile, James Potter's wicked little smile. Harmony looked quite healthy and happy, her hair in two plaits with a few curling hairs coming out, dressed in a little blue dress.

"I am very sorry for what I said, it's just that Lily and James...they were, I think, my two favorite students, they _were_ in my house, Gryffindor that is, which I have been head of for thirty years, and I am very protective of anything concerning them including you, Harmony. Don't go spreading this about, though. I have a reputation to uphold and it just wouldn't do for people to know that I have secret favorites. I really am sorry, though, I was out-of-line." Minerva said contritely.

"It's okay, professor. So you have my Hogwarts letter? Why didn't it just come by owl?" I asked the professor curiously.

"According to Hogwarts bylaws all Muggle-born and Muggle-raised students must have their letters delivered in person by either the head or deputy head of Hogwarts. This is so that the wizarding world can be explained and magic demonstrated. It is also my duty to take you to Diagon Alley." the professor explained.

"But Mum was a witch so Aunt Petunia knows about magic." I protested.

"I know but in situations such as yours it is my duty to ensure that you know about our world, Miss Potter." the professor said.

"oh...I see. Well in that case I'm greatful that you came to introduce yourself. I have a few questions anyway, questions that I was afraid I would have to owl you lot." I said. She seemed like a woman that I could trust with my life and I was rather hoping I would get into her house so she could be my head. I just felt that I could trust her with this one secret. How could I get away for things otherwise? Aunt Petunia gave me an "Are you sure?" look, I nodded.

"Oh? Do tell, Miss Potter; what are your questions? I'll be happy to answer anything." the strict-looking professor said sincerely.

"Then please sit down so the three of us can talk." Aunt Petunia said warmly. The three of us sat down, Aunt Petunia and I on the sofa we were on earlier, Professor McGonagall in a cushy armchair.

"What are your polocies on students leaving the castle? Not just to go to Hogsmeade but...erm...to other places?" I asked nervously.

"Why would you like to know that, Miss Potter? Please forgive me but it is rather an odd question." she said, glancing at me curiously.

"Professor, can we trust you? I know that Lily really liked you but I just don't know..." Aunt Petunia trailed off.

"It depends on what sort of secret you hold." the professor said candidly. Aunt Petunia took a deep breath and spoke.

"If this secret got out then it would make Harmony twice as famous in the wizarding world as she already is. With this secret, the Muggle-borns would go crazy; I've seen some of Lily's classmates and Muggle friends because of this and it'd be only a matter of time. Plus, we plan on perhaps expanding into the wizarding world when Harmony is a bit older." she said.

"Expanding? The Muggle-borns? Now, Petunia, Harmony, you have me curious. I think I can keep your secret." the woman said.

"I think I'll just show you, it'd be much more convincing. Do you think you could put a slight expansion charm on my clothes, please?" I asked. Looking utterly baffled now the professor did as asked.

Taking a deep breath, Minerva watched as Harmony gracefully glided over to the baby grand in the room and stood in front of it. Then, she began to change before her eyes. Screwing up her face the girl's hair first straightened out into long, waist-length waves with a slight curl up at the end. Then, her hair grew streaks of golden blonde until she was more strawberry blonde. After that, her body grew a bit more defined, a few years older, she looked about thirteen now. Lastly, her famous lightning bolt scar warped and grew more lines, eventually looking like an outlined lily flower. Smiling cheekily at Minerva she sat on the piano bench, swung her legs around, and began to play. After a few measures of just piano a beautiful voice, an angelic voice, came from the girl as she began to sing.

"Had some hard times in your past,

Where you'd just as soon not look back,

But sometime you just gotta face the facts.

One moment they're here and the next they're gone,

Then you wake up at the crack of dawn,

And they're not with you anymore.

Go on go on, don't give up the fight,

Go on go on, you will bee all right,

Even when you wake up and cry in the dead of night.

Go on go on just keep holding on,

Go on go on, you just have to be strong,

They'll always be with you still even when they're, _GONE._

Gone gone gone.

Gotta bee,

When you feel the hopelessness,

Just sit back and take a deep breath,

Just pray that they have found peace after death.

Sometimes you can't help but feel so weak inside,

They were such a big part of your life,

You don't know how you can just move on.

Go on go on, please do not give in,

Go on go on, don't bottle it in,

There's always a shoulder to cry on, count on your true friends.

Go on go on just keep holding on,

Go on go on, you just have to be strong,

They'll always be with you still even when they're, _GONE._

Gone gone gone.

Gone from this plain gone from this world,

They're gone from there mothers and fathers,

Gone from their brothers and sisters,

Gone from their husbands and gone from their wives,

Gone from their little boys and little girls.

Even if you can't see them any more,

That doesn't mean they're gone, that they're not here anymore.

They're in your hearts, they're in your souls,

Their love will always be with you.

So when you think of them let's smile,

Remember the good times for a while,

And you can,

Go on go on, don't give up the fight,

Go on go on, you will bee all right,

It's okay if you still wake up and cry in the dead of night.

Go on go on you'll keep holding on,

Go on go on, you'll just have to be strong,

Know now that they'll always be with you still even when they're, _GONE._

Gone gone gone.

Even when they're gone.

Gone gone gone.

You've just gotta be, just gotta be, just gotta be _STRONG!"_

As the note rang out in the room Minerva felt her eyes moist and noticed that a rogue tear or two was running down her cheek. She hadn't cried since...well...not for ten years...that song...it really hit home for her. She had lost many loved ones and beloved students in the war with Voldemort; as a child of three, she had lost her parents in the war with Grindelwald, she was only just able to escape with her life. She saw that both Petunia and Harmony were teary-eyed as well. Then, it hit her where she'd heard the girl's voice. It was very much like her mother's singing voice; Lily Evans was a very musical girl, very gifted. Also, she had heard some charmed CD's the last two or so years of some Muggle pop artist the Muggle-borns were raving about; Lilium Everbloom...how could she have not _SEEN_ _THAT?_ Lilium Rosalie Everbloom...Lily Rose Evans...she almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

"Lilium Everbloom...I should have known." she murmured.

"I thought you'd figure it out, professor. I hoped you liked the song; it's a bit of a treat, see. I haven't even sent off the demmo yet. Only Aunt Petunia has heard it." Harmony said, shifting back to normal and sitting back down. Minerva nodded mutely.


	19. Dragon Girl

Dragon Girl

An attempt to create a Harry Potter and American Dragon: Jake Long sort of crossover with a dragon female Harry. Also, do note that I wrote many of these story ideas years ago, as a late teen/young adult with shows like this still in my memory of old childhood/early teen favorites, so yeah…

Chapter One: Fiery Mouth

"Take it back!" I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

"And why should I, you nasty little ingrate?" sneered Aunt Marge, Uncle Vernon's sister who had been insulting my parents for the last half hour. "The girl might look like her father but you know what they say in dog breeding, if there's something wrong with the _BITCH_ there's something wrong with the _PUP!"_ My tightly reined anger burst out at that.

"_SHUT_ _UP!"_ I yelled. As I did so a burst of bright flame flew out of my mouth, singeing her eyebrows off and burning her plate.

"What is this...this...this _FREAKISHNESS?"_ Aunt Marge demanded. "She's one of _THEM,_ is she? Colonel Fubster told me about her type; always thinking their magic can get them off scot-free with everything. We'll get it out of her, you just wait."

"You know about magic? _YOU_ _KNOW_ _ABOUT_ _MAGIC?_ Even last year you _KNEW_ _ABOUT_ _MAGIC?"_ I exploded.

"Of course not, girl. I only found out when those _FREAKS_ tried to modify my _MEMORY!_ Oh no, my colonel-friend _TOLD_ me about your _LOT!"_ she hissed, breathing hard.

"Well than you should _ALSO_ know that my parents were murdered in front of me, that my mum died to let me live, that I'm the only person to have _EVER_ survived the killing curse, and that I'm famous for it. I will _NOT_ take what you say about my parents lying down _ANY_ _LONGER!"_ I yelled, another fireball flying out, singeing her some more.

"_OUT!"_ Uncle Vernon roared. "I want you out of my house _FOR_ _GOOD!"_

"_FINE!"_ I yelled, another fireball singeing my uncle's mustache and burning his food. With that, I ran off upstairs into my bedroom. Haphazardly I threw all I owned into my trunk and let my snowy owl, Hedwig, out the window.

"I've got to go, Hed, find me later." I said to her. She hooted, nipped me affectionately, and soared into the night. Great, a week into the summer hols and I already screw things up. Last year I blow Aunt Marge up, this year I set her on fire. What next year? No, hopefully there _WOULDN'T_ be a next year at this hell-hole. Sighing, making sure my wand was secure in my pocket, I hoisted my trunk up and headed out of my room and downstairs. I was met at the door by my aunt who held a small box.

"Jessamyn?" she said tentatively.

"Yes?" I asked cooly.

"This box was with you on the doorstep, take it and...good luck." she said with a sigh.

"Erm...thanks." I said, taking the box and squeezing it into my trunk before shutting the lid tight again. "And I'll make sure to tell my convict godfather that you actually saw fit to give me this after thirteen years." Aunt Petunia squeaked.

"Yes...erm...of course...goodbye, Jessamyn." she stammered.

"Goodbye." I said, hefting up my trunk once more and going out the door. As soon as it was shut I said, "The name's Jessa and good riddance." With a sigh I trudged down the sidewalk and to an alleyway a few blocks away. Sighing again I took my wand and flicked it upwards. With a great _BANG_ the garishly colored tripple-decker Night Bus appeared and the doors opened.

"Welcome to the Night Bus, travel for the stranded witch or wizard, I'm Stan Shunpike." said the pimple-faced youth from last year.

"Hello, Stan." I said, stepping on with my trunk.

"Ah, Lavender, s'that you again?" Stan asked with a wink, recognizing me by the name I used last year, the name of my roommate, Lavender Brown. I had a feeling he knew _JUST_ who I was but was being discrete, thank God.

"Yup, I blew up on my uncle's sister again. Leaky Cauldren, please." I said, sitting on the nearest bed. Stan nodded and the bus lurched off.

Five stomach-flipping minutes later I stepped shakily into the Leaky and went over to Tom the barman.

"Ah, young Jessamyn, eh? You in need of a room?" he asked cheerily.

"Yes but _PLEASE_ be discrete about it won't you? Put the name under...erm...Jamie Evans." I said.

"Right-o! Allow me to show you to your room, _MISS_ _EVANS."_ he said, emphasizing my name. I nodded. He led me upstairs and into a cozy little room with a double bed, a small table and chairs, a writing desk and chair under a large window, a fireplace, an over-stuffed armchair, and an attached bathroom.

"Thanks, Tom, you're great." I said.

"Any time, miss." he said before leaving me in peace, shutting the door softly behind him. I sighed, went into the bathroom, and ran the bath. I looked at myself in the mirror then. Everyone says I look just like a female version of my dad but with Mum's eyes and some red streaks in my hair. Also, as my hair is long, it goes in sleek curls to about the small of my back, it doesn't stick up all over the place. Once, when I was six, my aunt hacked my hair all off except for my bangs to hide my scar. The next day my hair had grown back some. It wasn't down to my waste as it was, only about chin-length and it stuck out all over. A week later my hair was waste-length again and it hasn't shortened or lengthened since. Every time I got a haircut it grew back so the Dursleys stopped trying when I was about nine. I'm small too, about five feet and much too thin and fragile-looking, so I'm told, with small feet and knobby knees. In the middle of my forehead is the infamous lightning bolt scar. Sighing again I undressed and stepped into the water, letting it soothe my worries away. After awhile I got out, dried off, and went out into my room. I opened my trunk to dig for some pajamas. I scowled, disgusted at my selection. I'd need to get rid of Dudley's boy-to-girl hand-me-downs and all of my aunt's bras and nickers ASAP. In the meantime I pulled on a large shirt and a relatively new pair of underwear. It was then, as I took out my invisibility cloak and photo album of my parents that I saw the box that my aunt had given me. Many questions ran through my head as I gingerly lifted it out of my trunk, set it on my bed, and closed my trunk lid. Why had she given this to me? Why now? What was the purpose? Why didn't she just destroy it? Why didn't she give it to me earlier if she was even planning on giving it to me at all? I sighed, it was already after 10:00, I'd crack the mystery tomorrow. With that thought in mind I set the box on the bedside table, crawled into bed, and fell right asleep.

The next morning I woke up to a rapid tap-tap-tapping. In my half-asleep state my muddled mind connected it with my aunt pounding on my door.

"Ugh, shuddup, Aun' Spiddy. Be up 'na min an' make yer goddamn breakfast 'ka good lil' s'vant girl." I slured sleepily. Instead of my aunt's shrill voice degrading me for my language I heard a reproachful hoot-hoot-hoot muffled by the wall.

"_HEDWIG?"_ I squeaked, jumping out of bed and nearly stumbling over my feet as I went to the large window over the writing desk and opened it. Hedwig soared in, landing on my shoulder. As I closed the window she nipped sharply at my ear.

"_OUCH!_ What did you do that for, Hedwig?" I asked indignantly. Hedwig hooted as if to say, "Mistaking me for that ghastly horse-human? Hmph! I've never been so _INSULTED_ in my _LIFE!"_

"Sorry, Hed." I said contritely. "My aunt gave me a box that was left with me on the doorstep, what should I do?" I asked. Hedwig hooted as if to say, "Open it, Jessa, what else?"

"Thanks, Hedwig, I will." I said. I quickly made my bed, washed my face, and got dressed. I wore the uniform that goes under my Hogwarts robes which is Muggle-style. There's yellow shin-length socks, a knee-length skirt, red and gold plaid, a pressed white top, and a Gryffindor tie. I then combed my unruly hair but didn't bother to put it up. Finally I put the box on the bed and sat down by it. Adjusting the old pair of black glasses on my nose I squinted at the print on it. Tap, doesn't count it said. Below was a sketch of a wand. I did so and watched as the small, ordinary Muggle cardboard box, perhaps the size of my head, grew to about the size of my trunk. Sweeping my curls out of my face I opened the box with shaking fingers. On the very top was a letter sealed with a black stag with a blood red lily in its mouth. On the back, in flowing script, were the words: To Our Darling Jessamyn. My fingers shook harder as they unsealed the letter. Gingerly I pulled it out and began to read.

To our dearest Jessamyn,

If you are reading this than we're sorry to say that we are both dead. It is something that we have both prepared for for many months. We hope that if we are dead you are living with a loving family. You are to be with Sirius. We would have Remus take care of you if not for those blasted laws about werewolves. If Sirius is unable to take care of you we hope you are with Frank and Alice Longbottom growing up as near a twin as you can be to Neville whose birthday is the day before yours. If not the Longbottoms then you are to be with Amelia Bones, we hope that you and little Susan get on well. If not any of them you are to go to either Minerva McGonagall, Poppy Pomfrey, Fillius Flitwick, or Pomona Sprout. If, for some reason, they are _ALL_ unable to take care of you we hope that you are with a loving family all the same. You are not, under any circumstances, to go to Petunia and her _PIG_ of a husband. If that is who you are living with than get out of there, get out of there as fast as you can. This box was charmed to show up with you at your new residence from one to two days after the last of us died. It is also charmed so that it and its contents cannot be damaged or destroyed. Much of the contents are spelled so that upon our deaths they will automatically appear such as our wands and personal possessions.

There is so, so much that we have to tell you. First off, please know that we love you with all of our hearts and you are the most precious little person in our lives. Hopefully this is not so but Sirius, your godfather, might be accused of betraying us. This is not, however, the truth. We switched secret-keepers to Peter Pettigrew thinking that Sirius was the obvious choice and that nobody would suspect Peter. If we are dead by Voldemort's hand than it is because Peter gave up our location. There are other important things that we must tell you but we have our own letters for that.

No matter where you are, what house, or even school, you're in, no matter who you've grown up to be we love you. If you are a Gryffindor, brave and bold, we love you. If you are a Hufflepuff, loyal and true, we love you. If you are a Ravenclaw, sharp and wise, we love you. If you are a Slytherin, cunning and sly, we love you. If you foresake magic for a simple life, we love you. Perhaps we're laying it on thick, perhaps we're over-writing this, but we don't know how old you are or how long we've been gone. Perhaps you remember us, perhaps not, but this is written proof. Always remember us with fondness, our dearest daughter, and smile when you think of us. Live life, be happy, and follow your heart.

Love,

Your mum, Lily Rose Evans-Potter,

And your dad, James Charlis Potter

Tears in my eyes I gently set the letter aside. They loved me...they really _did_ love me, _ME!_ I looked into the box to see two other letters. Taking a deep breath I plucked one out. It was sealed with a blood red lily and had my name written on the back in a somewhat messy quill script. Funny, I always imagined Dad as being the one with the bad quillmanship. Gingerly I pried open the letter, took out the parchment, and began to read.

Dearest Jessamyn,

I can only hope and pray that this letter finds you in good health. There is so much I have to tell you and I wish I could do it in person. If you're getting this letter than I cannot. Please pay close attention to what I am writing for it is very important.

Though this might turn out as a shock to you my family is not entirely without magic. Have you ever heard of the old myths of the dragon guardians of the magical world? Well if you haven't than I will explain. If you have then you may skip to the next paragraph. A thousand years or more ago magical creatures and people were beginning to be hunted and were warring with each other. People came together and decided that the world in general, as it went underground, needed guardians to settle disputes and keep the worlds separate. The dragon, as the ultimate protective animal, was chosen. Already there was an ancient magical species originating from China, people who could become dragons. Dragon halflings, they were called. These people were known for their morals, strength, and ability to settle things quite easily in their own clans. These people were chosen as the world's magical guardians. The Dragon Council was then formed with the purpose of training young dragons, creating rules, and watching out for threats. Over the centuries a system was set up. Each country with a dragon population would have a country dragon selected, the other dragons would be held as back-up. The dragon gene is one passed down only through family as is the posission of country dragon. For most dragons the ability to shift is all that they have. Most countries nowadays have dragons including France, Germany, Norway, Italy, Spain, Ireland, and yes, the UK. Some countries, however, still have no dragons including the United states. Many of the dragons now are older, for some reason the gene has mainly skipped my generation.

What I am trying to say is...I'm the British Dragon. I am not only a witch but a dragon. Petunia got neither of these traits. As far as I know there are only a handful of dragons in my generation. I know for sure, however, that you are one as well. You had a cold not two weeks ago where you sneezed fire. If I were to have let your dragon magic mature normally you might be spontaniously going full dragon by the time you were five or six, that's much too young. I put a minor blocking spell on so that your dragon abilities would not show up until you were thirteen, the normal age to receive them. I would advise that you get yourself checked out to ensure that all blocks are off of you. This is the only block I would put on you but I have a very bad feeling about the Hogwarts headmaster. He is taking too much of an interest in you and might do more.

There is a prophecy, apparently, that was made the spring before your birth. Voldemort heard the first part of it and so many magical families and expecting parents were slaughtered the spring and summer before you were born. I assume that your Hogwarts class is rather small. Is this correct? I am sure that Albus would not want you knowing this but you're _MY_ daughter, damn it, and so you shall. The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him...born as the seventh month dies...and the dark lord shall mark him or her as his equal...and he or she shall have the power the dark lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other...for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches. Don't put too much stock in wizard prophecy for it is utter rubbish. Wizard-seers are those with very deluded oracle blood in their veins, only the prophecy of a pure or perhaps half oracle is worth anything. In any case this one could be interpreted in many different ways.

I am sorry to be putting this on your shoulders so young but you are the last dragon on the British isles, I know this. The Evans family is the last family on them. Because of this you will have to become the next British Dragon. In this box is a portkey that leads to the Dragon Council headquarters, the Isle of Draco off the United States's west coast. All you need to do is hold it and say _ACTIVATE._ It is there where you will have to train your dragon powers and find an appropriate dragon master. As far as I am aware there are a few dragon families with wizard magic but I am not entirely sure. Seek out their aid, they will be able to help you. Also, many dragon families have what are called animal guides. These are certain animals that are immortal and self-aware. Their is a licensing process that they undergo; these animals can be anywhere from a cat to a phoenix. I once met the Chinese Dragon before he stepped down and moved to America, he has a nearly 600-year-old Chinese sharpay named Fu-Dog. The Evans family has had the same guide for centuries, her name is Hedwig. She is a pure snow phoenix with the ability to cloak herself as a common owl. I do hope she finds you.

You are strong, Jessamyn, I can sense it in you. Strong of magic, strong-willed, and, most important of all, strong in the heart and soul. You will do great things, my dearest daughter, I am certain of it. Keep strong, follow your gut instinct, and I know you'll be all right. Remember that I love you with all my heart. Now, sadly, this letter must come to a close but before it does here is a song that I sing you some nights to get you to sleep. May it bring you a mother's love, the love that you might not even remember.

Soaring high into the sky, blending with the sunset.

Hush my baby please don't cry, please do not be upset.

Fiery red and dazzling gold, trilling up a melody.

A song to fight away the cold, a melody of family.

A creature that is light and pure, like fire in the sky.

A creature that is strong and sure, baby watch him fly.

Up he arcs and then goes down, glittering in the twilight.

And the phoenix will sing and soothe you asleep, he'll watch you through the nighttime.

The phoenix will sing and soothe you asleep, he'll watch you through the nighttime.

I love you, Jessamyn Lily Potter, _NEVER_ forget that. Always keep me in your heart, no matter where I am I'm never gone.

Love,

Your mummy,

Lily

For the next five minutes all I could do was open and close my mouth in shock. A dragon...I'm a bloody dragon...and a prophecy...what next?

"Hedwig? Are you really?" I asked the owl. In a flash of bright white light Hedwig grew to twice her size. Her amber eyes were now ice blue, her feathers white with hints of pale ice blue.

"Yes and it's about time you found out." she said aloud, her voice high, trilling, and ethereal. "And don't expect me to become a silly owl again, I'm too regal."

"You're full of yourself aren't you?" I quipped. Shaking my head I took out Dad's envelope. It was sealed with a jet-black stag and my name was written in the back in script that was elegant and yet still masculine. Carefully I took out the letter and began to read.

Sweet Jessa,

If you've got this than your old man's kicked it. Hopefully I've snuffed it in a duel of honor where I went out defending your mother and you. If not than I say _DAMN,_ that sure as hell isn't the way to go! (_OUCH!)_ Sorry, your mum just swatted me upside the head. All right, now I guess it's on with business as usual, bla, bla, bla! (_OUCH,_ _LILY!)_ Heh-heh, sorry 'bout that. Anyway, on with business.

There's a few things about the Potter family that you ought to know. Nothing quite so shocking as what your mum had to say, I don't think, but I don't know. First off, the Potters are a noble and ancient house meaning we've been around for more than 500 years. Due to this members carry titles such as "Lord" or "Lady" for the head-of-house. I am currently head of house Potter and Lily is my lovely Lady Potter.

If you are with the proper guardians than you get limited access to your trust vault at age six and limited access to the Potter family vault at age eleven. At eleven you get full access to your trust vault as well. Then, at thirteen you get to be able to make some decisions about investments and appoint proxies to the propper places which I will talk about later. At fifteen you get to take up full head-of-house status if you wish which will completely emancipate you. If you choose not to do this than you get it all at the wizarding age of majority, seventeen.

If somehow Albus Dumbledore (nasty, doddering, old coot) is able to circumvent our will as "chief warlock" or some other rubbish like that and you are put with improper guardians this is what is to happen. Upon your eleventh birthday you are to be given this box and to view our wills. It is your choice whether you want to become emancipated or take up one of the guardians (if they're available.) If you become emancipated you automatically take on all the titals that you receive except for the special one from Lily, the dragon title. You will still have to appoint proxies, however, while you are in school.

And now I will tell you about the Potter family. You, sweet Jessa, have quite the ancestry. We Potters are descended from all four founders. Most people know of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw since it was their daughter, Helena, who married Barron William Potter. You know them now as the Gray Lady, Ravenclaw's house ghost, and the Bloody Barron, Slytherin's house ghost. A rather tragic love story, that, but they were able to have one son before ol' Willy killed his wife and then committed suicide. What most people do not know are the Hufflepuff and Slytherin ties. Well William and Helena had a son who had a son who had a son who married Ceredwin Hufflepuff, first female Hufflepuff born since Helga, her direct ancestor. Then, several generations before me, another ancestor, this time on my mother's side, Melantheos Black married Emmelyn Gaunt, a poor, beaten-down girl that he had rescued from her father's drunken rage. She was the elder of two children and directly descended from Salazar Slytherin. My mother, Doria Black, was the last of that particular Black line, Melantheos's younger brother is the one known for today's Black line. Mum's particular ancestors were very secretive but still the head of house Black since Melantheos was the older brother. I wasn't told of this until after Mum was dead, (she was killed by Bellatrix Black-Lestrange during my sixth year,) only when Dad lay dying of a slow-acting poison when I was nineteen did he tell me. Apparently the founders' heir or heirs have all power over the castle, its wards, and whatnot. This makes them even higher up than the headmaster or headmistress. Also, it is said that the Board of Governors was only created to keep the founders' interests in mind and can be overturned. In any case the Potter and Black families hold seats on the Board of Governors. Also, you inherit seats from all six family lines. Technically, although nobody knows this, I am Lord James Charlis Potter, lord and head of the noble and ancient houses of Black, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Potter, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

"I'm sorry to have all this heaped on you like this but hey, life's life, right? When life gives you lemons, _MAKE_ _LEMONADE!_ Oh yeah, that's what _I_ say. I guess there's not much else to say, is their? Just live life to the fullest, that's all I ask. Make friends, pull pranks, and (ouch, Lils,) oh yeah, get good grades, I guess. On a closing note I'm going to write down my own lullaby, enjoy.

Crazy colors mixed together making shapes that don't exist,

Full of big green snakes with lions roars and gold lions that go hiss-hiss.

Lots of things you'll find in Dreamland that you can't find when awake,

Like Padfoot in a pink tutu and Moony drinking a hole lake.

So let your little eyes close and open on the other side,

Their's so many things to see when you go sleepy-bye.

When you close your eyes you are in Dreamland's sweet embrace,

And you will see so many things that in real life you'll never face.

So I hope your night is filled with giggles and sweet dreams, sweet dreams, sweet dreams galore,

Now, my Jessa, it's time for bed and soon you shall awake once more.

I love you so very, very, very much. No matter what, dead or alive, Daddy's always here. You are so sweet, so precious, so special. You're _EVERYTHING_ to me, Jessa.

Love,

Your daddy,

James

Shock...absolute and utter shock...that's the only way I could describe it. I didn't know what to say...this was all so odd...but in any case I needed to get to Gringotts and quick.

For the next few hours or so I looked through my parents' things. Inside the box were two trunks, my parents' school trunks. Also their was Dad's old Shooting Star broom, his transfiguration and defense journals, his wand, and his wedding band. Among Mum's things were her charms journals, potions journals, wand, engagement and wedding rings, the aforementioned portkey in the shape of a golden dragon bookmark, and a few other pieces of jewelry from Dad. One piece in particular was for me, a gold locket with flowers carved into it. Inside on the left _was_ a picture of Mum and Dad, on the right was a picture of the three of us. One thing that surprised me was an invisibility cloak with a note saying that it was a Potter heirloom...bbut then...what about the one Dumbledore gave me? Hmmm...is _THAT_ how he always knows when I'm using it and where I am? That old coot, And I just thought he was some all-powerful wizard who could see through my cloak when I was eleven. Hmph, the _NERVE!_ Ah well, the cloak could be useful as a _SPARE._ Also, their were quite a few potion vials. One of them was one Mum created that would get rid of the Ministry's trace on under-aged witches and wizards which she had discovered hadn't truly been removed from her as a Muggle-born witch. I quickly drank it and moved on. The next one was a special potion with a note saying it would help with memory and conprehention and that it was one of the Potter family secrets. Another potion was for reflexes, another for stamina. I downed these as well. Desperate times called for desperate measures said the note with the potion vials, Ministry be damned. The next two potions were the most interesting. One was an animigus-revealing potion so that I could become a true animigus, not just my dragon half. The last one was a "just in case" potion that would get my body physically to the point it was meant to be. "In case you've been forced to live with my dratted older sister," said the note. I would drink it and the animigus revealer tonight. Lastly, their was a strange basin with runes carved into it and a box filled with vials. A note said that it was a pensieve and the vials were memories up to the Halloween where my parents were killed. It seemed to me that they had just put the final memories in just before they were attacked.

Chapter Two: The Isle

My stomach growled with hunger as I re-shrank the box and its contents and put it in my trunk. Straightening my outfit and putting on my best pair of shoes, (my black Hogwarts school ones,) I left my room and went downstairs to the main bar area. I looked at the clock and it read that it was almost noon.

"Ah, 'ello, Miss Evans. Finally come down fer a spot o' lunch?" Tom grinned.

"Yeah." I said, making sure my bangs covered my scar.

"What'd ya like, then?" he asked kindly.

"Erm...how about some Shepherd's pie and a butterbeer?" I asked. Tom smiled and nodded.

By noon I was propperly filled up and making my way into Diagon Alley. Confidently I strode up the street and into Gringotts.

"Hi, Griphook!" I greeted, coming over to the counter of goblin clerks. He looked quite surprised that I recognized him.

"Ah...yes...hello, Miss Potter." he said. "Forgive me my shock but it is rare when a wizard or witch recognizes us goblins by name. We all look alike, they say."

"Well that's _DUMB!_ You're all...dare I say...short but it's in the face, no goblin has the same face. It'd almost be like you goblins saying all _HUMANS_ looked the same, how _RUDE!"_ I huffed. Griphook merely grinned.

"Right you are, Miss Potter. Now tell me, what can I do for you?" he asked.

"I've come about my family vaults." I said.

An hour later I walked out as an emancipated individual, the Potter signet ring on my right ring finger with the other five family crests on the band. Not knowing the guardians on my list that well I chose this path. Also, I had had my magic examined for any blocks and a major one had been found binding three fourths of my magic. I also discovered why my hair always stays the same, I'm a metamorphmagus. Looking around the alley I decided that now would be a good time for shopping.

I dropped into my bed that night exhausted. I had gone shopping in Diagon Alley and Muggle London. In Diagon Alley I had gotten an entire new wardrobe that would grow with me, more books, more potions supplies, new cauldrons, scales, and fials, and a rune-making kit. If I studied enough I might be able to make it into Arithmancy and Runes class instead of Divination. Their was a magical optician that I went too as well. I walked out with a brand-new pair of glasses that would automatically adjust to my eye perscription for five to six years and that would grow as I did. Unlike my old glasses that I had gotten from an indigent bin when I was six which were bulky, thick-lensed, round, black, and always slid down my nose these were sleek, gold wire-rimmed, comfortable, and had thin, oval lenses. Lastly, I bought a multi-compartment trunk and a bottomless weightless backpack. One compartment for clothes, one for books and writing stuff, one for other supplies, and one for training. The compartments were all tripple-expanded except for the last, it was room-sized. The trunk was black wood with gold hinges, lock, and the Potter crest on the lid and the backpack was red with my name, Jessamyn, in gold. In Muggle London I bought all-new clothes, shoes, accessories, and even some Muggle technology. Among these were a brand-new HP laptop and an I-phone. I had also gotten a makeover. First off, I got a manicure and a pedicure, my nails were now all a Gryffindor red. Also, now having more control over my metamorphic abilities I went for a hair cut. My hair now went down to my shoulders in sleek little curls, light, layered, and bouncy. Merlin, what a day. I looked to my bed-side table to see the catch-up potion. It was reddish-brown and slushy-looking, _YUCK!_ I grimaced as I chugged it down, worse than Polyjuice. Immediately I fell into a restless and uncomfortable sleep.

The next morning I woke up feeling different. I got out of bed and padded to the bathroom, still half asleep. As I got out of my new yellow nighty I gasped at myself. I had shot up from five feet to five six overnight. No longer was I a skinny, boyish twig but a rather healthy-looking girl with...dare I say...curves and...a chest. Smiling I hopped into the shower and sighed contentedly as the cool water rushed over me. In ten minutes I was out, dried, and dressed. I wore a short black skirt and a red spaghetti-strapped tank-top with black flip-flops. Around my neck was my locket and on my finger was my signet ring. Adjusting my glasses on my nose I went to pack. I had put everything new in my new trunk last night. With my wand I shrank my old trunk and put it in my new one. My wand then went into a wrist holster, my backpack with my computer and phone on my back, and I heaved up my trunk.

"Bye, Tom." I called as I came down. "I'm going now."

"Good luck, Miss Evans. That'll be ten sickles." Tom said. I smiled and tossed a galleon on the counter before going into Muggle London. Finding a nearby alleyway I slunk into it and took out my portkey. Hedwig, who had been following me, settled on my shoulder. Taking a deep breath I said the password, "_ACTIVATE,"_ and I went off with a lurching spin. I was really feeling sick...how long would this hellish thing go? Just as I thought that I saw a vague shape of an island before it came into focus and I slammed down on something hard and vaguely human shaped. I groaned and opened my eyes to see the dark eyes of a teenaged boy. His skin was tanned, his eyes almost black, his hair was jelled into black spikes streaked with green.

Jake's POV:

"C'mon, Gramps, do we really have to stay here _ALL_ _SUMMER?"_ I asked as we landed and went human in the island's entrance courtyard.

"For the last time yes, Jake, yes _yes_ _YES!"_ Gramps said, scowling.

"Awe maaan!" I moaned.

"Tough break, kid, a-flooggy-googgy-goo!" Fu-Dog laughed. I glowered at him.

"This is going to be _SO_ _BORING!"_ I groused.

"Jake, for the last time be—com" but what Gramps was going to tell me to "be" was cut off. In a swirl of air and color a figure appeared right above us. Before we knew it we were all being toppled. A heavy-looking black and gold trunk fell into Gramps's arms knocking him on his backside and some big blue and white bird fell on Fu's head. I was most entranced by what knocked me flat on my back. I was looking up into the pale face of a teenaged girl. Her eyes flicked open, they were the most startling shade of emerald hidden behind a pair of slim wire-rimmed glasses. Curly strands of red-streaked black hair fell into her face and I could just see a strange scar in the shape of a lightning-bolt in the middle of her forehead. There was something about that scar...something from my gramps's lessons...but what was it? She groaned. After a minute she shakily rolled off of me and stood up, brushing down her clothes.

"Oh Merlin...I'm so sorry...I didn't realize...here, let me help you." she said, extending her hand. Her accent was thickly and undoubtedly English. I took it and let her help me to my feet. She was pretty, I realized, with a somewhat thin face, high cheekbones, a cute nose, and full lips. Her hair went down to her shoulders and she was about five six. She wore a red tank, a black skirt, and flip-flops. On her back was a red backpack.

"It's cool." I said. She smiled shyly at me.

Jessamyn's POV:

I smiled tentatively at the boy who I had fallen on top of. He was rather cute, I realized, he looked somewhat oriental. He wore a pair of casual sneakers, somewhat baggy jeans, and a red T-shirt with yellow trim. He smiled somewhat cockily back at me. I looked around and blushed as I saw that Hedwig was on some gray, wrinkled dog's head and a little old man in blue with tufts of white hair on his balding head was being held to the ground by my heavy trunk.

"Hedwig, get off the dog's head would you?" I asked as I gingerly lifted the trunk off the old man. He wasn't Professor Flitwick small but close. He smiled greatfully at me as I extended my hand to help him up. Hedwig bobbed her head and fluttered to my shoulder.

"Thank you very much." the old man said, his accent oriental. "I am Lao-Shi and this is my grandson, Jake."

"What's up." Jake greeted, his accent definitely American.

"I'm Jessa." I said, playing it safe. I didn't want any more hero-worship. I looked around for the first time and saw that I was in a courtyard of some sort. Just then a few people came sprinting out of a building and right towards us. There were two men and one woman.

"Stop right there!" said the first man, a rather regal-looking chap with shoulder-length dark silver hair, a pointed goatee, and sharp gray eyes. His accent was thick and French.

"Which one of you used unauthorized magical transport onto this island?" demanded the second man with a head of balding, graying black hair and cool cerulean eyes. His accent was thick and Scandinavian.

"And your explanation had better be a good one or you will find yourself in one of our holding cels until we can figure what to do with you." said the woman who had chestnut hair, tan skin, and chocolate brown eyes. Her accent was thick and Spanish.

"I believe that would be the young lady here." said the little old man, pointing to me. "She and my grandson had a rather...ah...interesting collision." I could feel my face grow red and sense a little bit of pink creep into my hair where some red was. Taking a deep breath I willed my hair to stay normal.

Jake's POV:

The girl, Jessa, blushed. I could have sworn I saw pink in her hair instead of red for a second but in a blink of an eye it was gone.

"Yes...erm...that would be me." she said, showing them a gold-colored, dragon-shaped bookmark.

"Eet ees a portkey." murmured Counsilor Delacour, one of the former French dragons. What's a portkey?

"Vat are you doing vith a portkey to this isle, girl? Ve only give such things to country dragons and ambasadors to the magical governments. How did you get that, little girl?" barked Councilor Polioff, I think he was like the Soviet Dragon or something.

"My...my mum." Jessa said softly.

"And who is your mother, child?" asked Councilor Delgado gently. She, I think, used to be the Spanish Dragon.

"Was, madam. She is dead." Jessa said quietly.

"So vat? Who vas she then?" Polioff barked.

"Be calm, friend, we do not 'ave 'er eentire story." said Delacour.

"My mother was the last British Dragon, Lily Rose Evans...Potter. I have come here about dragon training." Jessa said. Potter...what was with that name? Niggling me in the back of my mind? _DANG!_ This is gonna drive me _CRAZY!_

"What ees your name, may I ask?" Delacour questioned. Jessa sighed resignedly.

"My name is Jessamyn Lily Potter." she said simply. The eyes of not only the council members but of Gramps and Fu widened almost comically, Jessa...Jessamyn...whatever her name is...blushed bright red. What was so important and/or shocking about this girl?

Jessamyn's POV:

"I remember your mother well. She was a quick study." said the woman with the chocolate eyes.

"You were her dragon master?" I asked. "But wouldn't my grandfather have been?"

"In most cases," said the sneering black-haired man, his gaze flicking over to Jake and his grandfather, "family is not allowed to train each other. Only in places vere another dragon cannot come and train the young is family training allowed."

"Oh." I said.

"But yes, I was Lily's dragon master. She was very bright, very quick, even with the additional weight of the witch-magic that she was learning. Your mother's death...and your father's death as well, mind...were quite tragic. From the few times I met James he seemed like a very good, well-mannered wizard. Are you like your mother and father? Can you do non dragon-related magic?" the woman asked.

"Erm...yeah...I'll be a fourth-year at Hogwarts. My relatives...eh...saw fit to get rid of me and my aunt gave me a box with some of my parents' stuff that explained the dragon thing so I didn't know until yesterday. That's why I'm here. I might have been here much earlier but Mum put a damper on my dragon powers because I...erm...was spitting out fireballs at a year old, according to her letter. Anyway...I don't know who you all are so...erm..." I trailed off.

"ow seely of us. Let us go eenside and we will eentroduce ourselves. Monsieur Long, You and your grandfather may go on and do as you were going to do beefore zis unforseen event 'appened. Mademoiselle Potter will be eentroduced to ze ozer young dragons later." said the first man with the French accent. Jake winked at me before he was dragged off by his grandfather.

"This way, Miss Potter." said the Spanish woman. I nodded and followed her and the men into the building they exited and into a somewhat large chamber.

"Who was it using unauthorized magics?" asked a man with long silver hair. His accent was German.

"Is that the one?" asked a stern-looking woman with iron-gray hair cut to her chin and crystal blue eyes. her accent sounded Irish.

"This is my former apprentice, Lily Evans-Potter's child, Jessamyn Potter." said the Spanish woman.

"Ze girl ees a witch-dragon and 'as come 'ere to train." said the French man. The three adults motioned for me to sit at a large table across from the two others. I sat and the other three did the same across from me.

"Allow us to eentroduce ourselves. I am Sabastian Delacour, I was once the French Dragon. I am a wizard-dragon." said the first man with the gotee.

"Ach, Gregor Polioff, former Soviet Dragon." gruffed the cold black-haired man.

"And I am Sofia Delgado, former Spanish Dragon and your mother's dragon master." said the chocolate-eyed woman.

"I am Fritz Schoman and I was once the East German Dragon." said the silver-haired man.

"And I am Fiona McClaine, former Irish Dragon." said the last woman.

"Oh...ah...nice to meet you." I stammered.

"So you are here for dragon training? Have you an animal guardian? Have you mastered your dragon form?" asked Councilor Schomer.

"I have the Evans animal guardian, a phoenix named Hedwig, but...erm...I haven't...um...gotten my full dragon powers yet. I didn't know until yesterday and like I told these three Mum put a block on my dragon powers because I was sneezing fireballs as a baby. According to her letter they should have been wearing off all through the year since I turned thirteen in July so...erm...it's just a matter of practice, I guess...or maybe I might have been here sooner." I stammered.

"I see. So we will have to get you up to speed rather quickly then. Where do you go to school? When does it start up again?" asked Councilor McClaine.

"I go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I'll be a fourth year, and it starts up again on September first but I got an invite from some of my friends to go to the Quiddich World Cup so...erm...I'd like to go to that." I responded.

"No discipline, I see." muttered Councilor Polioff with a disgusted sneer, I sneered right back at him. Just what I wanted, another Snape.

"Enough, Gregor. I think that we can grant her this small request. As far as her friends know she is, first and foremost, a witch." said Councilor Schomer. The Russian man simply hmphed and glared at me, I glared back. He muttered something about "celebrats" always getting what they want.

"Yes, zat sounds quite reasonable. I zink zat we should gieve 'er to a room weeth anozer girrl or two soon and draw 'er up a schedule." said Councilor Delacour.

"First off, do your guardians know where you are? Do you have their permission?" asked Councilor McClaine. I gave them a dark look.

"My guardians until yesterday were my aunt and uncle and an insane headmaster. The headmaster wants me as a tool and my aunt and uncle wouldn't give a damn if I was hit by a lorry right in front of their eyes; they might only react if they thought their neighbors were around to watch. I'm only "that delinquent Potter girl" who goes to "St. Agnus's School for Incuribly Criminal Girls," after all, so they might not even react then." I scoffed in a dead sort of voice. A few of the adults shot me pitying looks; I hate pitying looks so I simply glared and looked away.

"We will have your schedule and room assignments to you soon; in the meantime you can go and socialize with the other students." Councilor Delgado said gently.

"And do not worry for zat trunk, eet weel be deeleevered een to your room." Councilor Delacour said.

"Thank you." I said, standing up. With Hedwig perched on my right shoulder I left the building in the direction pointed out to me. Eventually I reached the student courtyard where many teens and pree-teens lounged about.

"I can't believe I got that Fred Nerk as a roommate." came a somewhat familiar voice. Through the croud I saw Jake Long, his grandfather, and their gray dog.

"Enough of this, young dragon, you cannot get _EVERYTHING_ you want in life!" sighed his grandfather exasperatedly.

"Hi!" I greeted, walking up to them.

"Hey, if it isn't the beautiful _JESSAMYN!"_ Jake greeted me cockily.

"Don't be a prat, Long, we've only just met." I said cooly.

"How can I be if I don't know what that is?" Jake asked innocently.

Jake's POV:

Jessamyn simply looked annoyed, her hands on her hips, frowning at me.

"Hmmm...British diction for dummies...ah...let's see...idiot, fool, clown, pest, jerk, understand now?" she asked, arching an elegant black eyebrow.

"Sure sure. But come on, chill out, the _AMDRAG'S_ in the _HOUSE!"_ I said.

"Amdrag?" she questioned as if testing the word out on her tongue.

"Of course, you know, the _AMERICAN_ _DRAGON?"_ I prompted.

"Right...sorry...but no. As far as I know there _IS_ no American Dragon. Well, at least, there wasn't one when my mum wrote that letter." Jessamyn said.

"Say _WHAT?_ Well your mom died when you were like...one, right? You just happen to be lookin' at the _FIRST_ American Dragon." I informed her.

"Oh, well how nice." she said dryly. "Well I don't much feel like bragging about myself and my titles to an arrogant toerag like you, long, so I think I'll go now, thanks."

"Dang, girl, you frosty." I complained, immediately finding myself on the receiving end of her glare.

"Gee, to think I never noticed." she said scathingly. She made to turn away but I stopped her.

"Wait...just who are you...what's your story...whose dragon are you?" I asked.

"My story isn't any of your business, Long, and I'm no country's dragon yet. My mum, however, was the last British Dragon and I will be as well. Goodbye." with that the mysterious Jessamyn Potter swept away and was lost in the crowd.

Jessamyn's POV:

"Stupid, annoying, arrogant, _GIT!"_ I fumed to myself. "Ooh, look at mee-ee, the Amdrag's in the _HIZ-OUSE!_ I'm just so cool with my _DISARMING_ smile and expect every girl to fall at my _FEE-EET!"_

"Mocking someone, are we?" came a voice from right in front of me.

"What's it to you?" I asked, looking into the blue eyes of another boy.

"Sounds like you were dissing that arrogant twit, Long. I'm right, aren't I?" the boy asked. He sounded Australian to me.

"Yes. I don't know why he thinks he's so damned special. "Ooh, look at me, I'm the _FIRST_ American Dragon." I mean _REALLY!_ And he seems to whinge and whine about _EVERYTHING!_ "I can't believe I got that Fred Nerk as a roommate." he says. I hope not all dragons are as annoying as him or else I'll surely bash my head in on the hardest surface here. Also, if Long tries to flirt with me again, I'll thwack him 'round the head with a frying pan until he sees sense, hex him six ways from Sunday, thwack him, hex him, thwack him, hex him, and then thwack him again for good measure." I ranted, the boy simply smiled.

"Good head there on your shoulders, I say. Name's Nerk, Fred Nerk, and what about you?" he asked, flicking some bright red hair out of his baby blue eyes.

"Oh...erm...I'm Jessamyn Potter...but it's just Jessamyn or Jessa, please." I stammered.

"Well, "just Jessamyn or Jessa," it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Fred said, his eyes not even flicking to my scar.

"Likewise, Fred. So you don't really mind that I'm...erm...famous, do you? That is to say...erm...you made no reaction...I like it that way...thanks." I said, why was I suddenly so damned tongue-tied.

"No, I don't mind at all." Fred said. I beamed at him.

"Great. Well...I'm going to go off and meet some more people, see you around?" I asked.

"Sure, see you around." Fred said before the two of us walked in different directions.

"Oh Sun, this is _SO_ exciting, isn't it? This is the first summer I can come here and train with all the other dragons!" came an excited child's voice. A few yards off I saw a little Asian-American girl talking to a tall Asian woman.

"I'm glad you're excited, Haley." the woman said. "I've got a few things I need to take care of, you stay around here and mingle." the woman said gently. The girl nodded and the woman walked off.

"Hello." I said, coming up to the girl. She looked a bit like Jake but her hair was all black and done in wavy pigtails.

"Hi!" the girl greeted. "I'm Haley Long and I'm eleven, what's your name? Are you a dragon too? Have you ever been here before?"

"I'm Jessamyn Potter, I'm fourteen...almost. Yeah, I guess I'm a dragon but I haven't been here before. My mum was the British Dragon. I didn't know I was a dragon until yesterday when I read letters from my parents. Oh yeah, and I'm a witch." I said. Little Haley's eyes flicked to my scar for the briefest instant before meeting with mine again.

"That's cool...sad about your parents...but still cool." she said. "My big brother's the American Dragon and I'm real prowd of him but for the fact he can be a real bighead."

"I noticed." I said dryly, Haley giggled.

"He's not all bad, Jake, just immature. I love him lots and he does his job well." the small girl said. It was then that the Asian woman returned.

"Come on, Haley, your room has been assigned. Let's find it, all right?" she asked.

"Okay. Bye, Jessamyn." she shot over her shoulder.

"Bye, Haley." I called back.

"Zat leetle girl ees sweet, much like my seester, Gabrielle." said a girl to my right. I faced her to see that she had long, silvery blonde hair and sky blue eyes.

"She is, isn't she? Jessamyn Potter, nice to meet you." I said.

"Ah, ze girl-oo-leeved, yes? I am Fleur Delacour." she said.

"Delacour? Like Councilor Delacour?" I asked.

"Ee ees my grandfazer. I am ze French Dragon now for my fazer deed not get ze trait. I am also a witch-dragon." the French girl said.

"Oh, that's cool. So...erm...I've never seen you at Hogwarts..." I trailed off. Fleur threw back her head and laughed musically.

"Seely girl, do you zink zat all witches and wizards go to zat school of yours? Zere are more schools zan ogwarts, you know. No, I go to ze French school, Beaubatons." she explained. I blushed full-out and could sense, rather than see, my hair turn completely pink and my eyes turn a meek brown.

"Erm...sorry..." I sighed.

"Eet ees all fine. I see zat you are a metamorphmagus, yes? Zat can be quite a useful abeelity. I 'ave a friend, Odette-Marie, 'oo ees also a metamorphmagus." Fleur said. As I relaxed I felt my features go back to normal.


	20. Experiment

Experiment

An attempt to write a Maximum Ride series story focused on a WAY OP twin of Max herself who's the poster child for Mary-Sue…

Chapter One: Introductions and New Faces

Hello, my name is Avian-Human Hybrid Experiment 1276, isn't that pretty? Ha! Even though I usually joke around, I'm serious, it's anything but pretty. When I was ten, I christened myself Andromeda Starlight or Andi for short, much more my style. All my life I've lived in a cage, literally, with several other cages whose occupants are ever-changing. I've been kept in this room for fourteen years, my whole life, other then experiments they do on me. It's horrible, the food is gruel, the whitecoats (mad scientist dudes) are nasty, and I've got more eraser (wolf-human hybrids) scars then anybody else. All I know about myself is that I have a sister, my twin, who they have only referred to as Avian-Human Hybrid Experiment 1275. Once, when I was ten, the whitecoats and erasers just started to treat me harsher, I asked them why.

"God, wackoes, I didn't think you could treat a ten-year-old girl worse then dirt, alas you surprise me and prove me quite wrong." The whitecoat simply growled angrily and backhanded me in the face.

"It's all your sister, you'll be just like her! She and five others escaped from the unit in Death Valley California. So help me you will be _nothing_ like Maximum Ride!" he had said, dragging me off for experimentation.

And here I sit. I have wings but I've never been allowed to fly before. They're red with gold patterns all through them and have a rim of gold all around them, I love them. Another thing the whitecoats call me is Project Phoenix because of them. I almost considered Phoenix as a name but decided it was too closely linked to the whitecoats of The Academy, my own personal hellhole. All the experimenting has given me some powers. Some are neat and some are not so neat. I can read minds but can't shut the ability off, I constantly hear a buzzing of thoughts. I can ignore them alright but I can't totally shut them away for me not to hear. I can also know every thought a person ever thought or just whatever I want to know when I look into someone's eyes for long enough. That's really useful for knowing the whitecoats' evil schemes. It is because of these two abilities mainly that I trust nobody. The whitecoats do not know the full extent of my powers. I keep them hidden just enough to keep me from being "retired", which means killed. Also, I'm telekinetic, can control people's minds, and can turn things invisible. Last but not least, I'm psychic. This is one of my most disturbing powers. I only know the future based on the path laid out at the moment. One change of the mind or heart and the whole future changes. I can find out what will happen up to a certain point only if I want too. However, I do get random visions that happen when I'm not expecting them when something big or important happens. Lastly, I can talk with my twin telepathically even though she doesn't know it. I've been giving her instructions through visions and mind readings since the day Fang's blog first came online. Max is a lot like me. She can be snappish, sarcastic, and very tough as well as motherly. I have the same traits, all of the younger experiments look up to me and want me to look out for them. None of them has made it, their's a few kids who've been here a few years but I think that the whitecoats want to retire them, poor things. The whitecoats sicken me. I actually make the threat to break some random bone in their body every morning. I think Max and I are identical but I don't know, I wish I did. She gets really pissed at "the voice" because she gets head aches from it, called brain attacks, and then she internally yells at me which I can hear quite clearly. The communication often gives me the same head aches as well and Max's voice often sounds distorted to me, probably because of the distance or I've never heard her voice. Other then mind reading and visions, I help the flock through Max by Fang's blog. A few weeks before I became "the voice" to Max, I stole a laptop that a whitecoat left using my telekinesis and making it invisible. Funny thing is I can see it while nobody else can, I made it that way. I don't tell Max I'm her twin because she might try to rescue me or something and that won't due. At the moment she thinks it's her dad, though she never says his name. I also don't tell her the outcome of her decisions, whether successful or not, because that will either A, get them all cocky and doom them to failure for being distracted, or B, get them so down in the dumps they fight like crap and all is lost. Maybe someday we'll meet, I've been plotting escape from The Academy, the name of this hellhole, for more then a year.

I woke up on the morning of August fourteenth ready and rearin' to go, yip yip! Gotcha didn't I? No, I was woke up by some whitecoat yelling into the door.

"All experiments wake up _pronto!_ Prepare for testing immediately!" he boomed before slamming the door. Their was an outcry of human moans and groans as well as some inhuman yowls and growls and gurgles, some not sounding like any specific animal at all. A whitecoat came in right at that moment, my least favorite, Dr. Gregs.

"Ah, Avian-Human Hybrid Experiment 1276, how nice to see you!" he said while his mind clearly said, "_That filthy experiment, the sooner these idiots get done experimenting on it and retire it the better!"_ I acted like I didn't hear him, I pretended to not be able to read minds.

"I do believe that you must surely be suffering from early onset Dementia, Dr. G! I believe I told you just yesterday to call me Andi?" I winked innocently at him, his thoughts were murderous and his face grew pink. I knew that his father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and the men before that wasted away with things like that, just the way to strike a chord. Also, I knew that every woman he told his history too, whitecoats included, turned up their noses and strode away, never to come back. "Perhaps a wife? Maybe she could help you? Or have you _forgot_ to get one?" His face was tomato red now as I smirked at him through the bars.

"Little waste of space, I happen to be very happily married!" he growled.

"Hmmm, then where's your ring? Did you _lose_ it? Trying to impress another woman? Ooh, I heard Dr. Kadova Cericuse just broke up with her fiance, maybe you should try her if you want to have an affair to get over your end-of-your-sanity crisis!" I said. I was going overboard and I'd be dragged by my hair by erasers all the way to whatever torture chamber but I frankly didn't give a damn. I could have sworn that I heard a little girl gasp and laugh at the same time, had I seen her before? I remember hearing the whitecoats dragging in new kids last night, but I didn't know how many or where they were. Dr. Gregs was as red as my wings, almost. "Oooh, you're trying to say you _lurve_ me by turning the same color as my wings, that's so _sweet!"_ Dr. Gregs looked totally shocked and still. I puckered my lips like I was going to kiss the cretin, but when I was close enough, I spat my prepared ball of saliva right in Dr. Greg's eyes. He sputtered incoherently and then looked livid. I faked a sad face. "What? you didn't like it? And I thought we were _such_ good friends! You really make me sad, Dr. G, Ah well, I'll just play the part of the crazy ex-lover and break your jaw for payback, how does that sound? Then maybe I'll knock you out for fun!" It was so fun to threaten the whitecoats, it was my favorite pastime. I could see six people in cages side-by-side laughing hysterically. One of them looked...just like me. I had looked at myself thanks to my laptop's webcam and we were identical in everything except the wings. We were both tall with the same long legs, her skin was a bit tanner because she had probably been outside recently, her hair was just like mine, long and dirty blonde, and her eyes, as well as mine, were chocolate brown. She looked at me, shocked, and then looked away. Dr. Gregs yanked open my cage and grabbed me out by my arm, it didn't hurt. Their were already four erasers their to escort me to my torture.

"You their!" Dr. Gregs ordered. "Take it to the neuro-science lab, don't let it fight you, drag it by it's hair if you must, anything!"

"Heeellooo, aaanybooody _hooome?"_ I hollered, rapping sternly on the whitecoat's head. "I do have a gender, or have you forgotten what I look like naked in the test tubes too?" Dr. Gregs looked really pissed now. He went to slap me but I socked him in the jaw before he could do anything else. He winced in pain and crumpled to the floor. I forget how many whitecoats I really _have_ done damage too, quite a few. The erasers growled and grabbed me by my arms and by my hair. I started punching and kicking as was my custom. For one, I might just find their weak point, for another, it was fun and a sense of release for me. I'm not saying I beat people up for fun, of course, but I did it to whoever I thought deserved it.

Max's POV:

"Oh my god, Max, she looked just like you! I mean she has different wings and everything which are totally cool, I mean did you see that red and gold, but oh my god she could totally be your long-lost twin sister or something, wouldn't that be really awesome? huh huh huh huh...umph!" it was then that Iggy reached through the bars of Nudge's cage and clapped his hand over her mouth.

"You're gonna make my ears bleed, Nudge!" he groaned. "She did sound a lot like you, Max!"

"Yeah, she was _awesome!"_ Gazzy said. "Did you see how she was to that whitecoat?"

"Yeah, but she could be another clone, dangerous. She might just know I'm here and get me to trust her!" I said skeptically.

"She's no clone, I could see it in her mind!" Angel said. "She's her own person but she was thinking about the twin the whitecoats always said she had. She's fourteen, I don't know anything else other then the fact she's been helping us silently in some way. I don't know how, but she's been helping. Max, I think she's your twin!" I was totally stunned. A twin? Me? A twin? No way! But their were small differences other then our wings. She looked a tiny bit taller then me. Not by much, but it was enough for me to notice, maybe a few centimeters or so, a half an inch at most. Also, her voice sounded just like my own voice and reminded me, somehow, of the voice in my head!

Chapter Two: Experimentation and Meeting The Flock

Andi's POV:

I was dragged off through several hollways deciding that I'd save my good energy for later. I was brought through a sterile room with different tables and tanks and scary tools that was far too familiar. They dragged me over to a tank I had never been too before.

"Heya, wackjobs, how's it hangin'? What extreme pain and scientific experimentation shall I be subject too today, hmmm?" I asked the three whitecoats by the tank.

"Shut up, 1276, and strip down!" one said harshly.

"Tsk tsk, Dr. Robsin, I've already broke _one_ jaw this morning, it'd be a _shame_ to break another!" I said as I winked at the irate whitecoats. One of them, a woman, came up and backhanded me in the face. It bearly hurt because _she_ was a puny human and _I_ was a super-awesome Avian-American bird girl.

"Not that it's any of your business but we'll be working on your endurance, ajility, and pain threshold. We also might be doing some grafting." she said coldly. "Take off it's clothes and put it in the tank!" The erasers savagely ripped off my plain grey dress and underwear and lifted me up and thrusted me into the tank. It slowly started to fill up with icey liquid, maybe water. Several wires and things started to attach themselves to me all over my body and a cap-like thing was brought down onto my head where it clamped tightly. As the cold liquid came higher, a tube was shoved down my throat, a cover put over my nose, and goggles over my eyes. When the tank was completely filled with the liquid the lid was slammed shut. _ Uh-oh, isn't electricity bad in water?_ I thought to myself as I heard the machinery hum to life. Suddenly, my body was filled with incredible pain all over. I went to scream but I couldn't open my mouth, the tube was in the way and if I adjusted it it just pressed harder against my windpipe. The pain was so intense...what in hell were they doing. Then, with a big _zap,_ I fell unconcious.

I woke up what seemed like hours later on a metal table that I was strapped too. I hurt all over and felt very hot. A whitecoat came in then and I scowled at him.

"What in hell'd you do to me this time, Dr. Robsin?" I demanded.

"Ah, that is for you to find out. Right now we are going to test your pain threshold and healing ability." he said. It was then that I saw the devices around the room. The whitecoat swung a vice-like thing right to my right leg.

"Oh no, you are _not_ breaking my leg!" I snapped. the whitecoat merely smiled unpleasantly and stuck my lower leg in the vice, squeezing tight. I felt extreme pain and then heard a sickening _crunch._ I clenched my teeth as I tried not to scream out. He took the vice away, leaving my leg in an awkward position. All I wanted was for it to not be broken, for it to heal. Suddenly, as I put my hand on that part of the leg, it came together with a painful _snap_ and looked as though nothing had happened.

"Ah, very good. You will be here for a while, we still haven't done the grafting." the whitecoat said. It was then that a solid metal top was dropped over my table and several wires connected to me. Their was a flash of light and pain, I screamed out and then fell unconcious.

Max's POV:

It hadn't been that long that that girl had been gone when a whitecoat came in, opened my cage, and dragged me out. My lovely eraser escorts drug me through several hallways to the neuro-science lab.

"What are you doing?" I demanded of the whitecoats.

"Oh, everything we didn't get the chance to do to you when you escaped four years ago, everything we did to your precious twin Andromeda!" one of them said unpleasantly. "And everything we'll be doing to her for the next few weeks." My clothes were ripped off and I was thrown into a tank. All of the pain that occured their was intense and I quickly passed out.

I was out for what seemed like a long time. I woke up on a metal table in a room with a similar table that had a dome over top, someone was in their. I hoped beyond hope that it wasn't my newfound twin...Andromeda...my god. A whitecoat soon came in and put a vice near my left leg.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Testing your pain threshold and healing ability!" he said nastily.

"Oh no, you are _not_ breaking my leg!" I snapped.

"Aha, so twins _do_ think alike!" he said nastily before shoving my leg in the vice and closing it. I felt pain and my leg snapped with a _crunch._ I clenched my teeth as I bit back my scream. My hand fell to my broken leg and it suddenly came back together with a _snap_ sound.

"Ah, even though we have done all of the same things to you in a shorter span of time it appears to have worked! We still haven't done the grafting, however. That's what's happening to your dear twin over their." With a press of a button, the same shell came over me, wires attaching themselves to my body. With an extreme _zap_ filled with pain I fell unconcious.

Fang's POV:

It had been more then a week that that other girl and Max had been taken away. On the second day Angel and Gazzy were taken away to be experimented on and were brought back two days after that looking exhausted. That same day they were brought back Iggy was taken for two days. Upon his arrival, Nudge and I were taken out for some painful tests that lasted two days.

Finally, in the middle of the night after two weeks, some erasers came in dragging two identical girls, Max and her twin. Not even bothering to sepearate them, they were hurled into the same dog crate right next to mine.. They appeared to be sleeping so I said nothing.

Andi's POV:

That grafting seemed to take a long time. I ached all over and could vaguely feel the erasers dragging me and another person somewhere. I was carelessly lobbed into a dog crate and someone else was lobbed in on top of me.

The next day when I awoke, I realized that I was sharing my cage with somebody else and it was a cage right by five of the kids who were laughing at me...what was it...it seemed like more then a week ago now. Someone was waking up next to me and I looked to see an identical girl, was she my twin? I bearly remember that morning.

"Aaaaah!" We both shouted. "Who are you? Me? Who are _you?_ Stop doing that!"

"Okay...well...I'm Andromeda, you can call me Andi, I named myself when I was ten. I know I have a twin named Maximum Ride who escaped the Death Valley California unit."

"Oh...oh my god! I...I'm Max!" she said. "So you've been here how long?"

"All my life. Welcome to the oh-so-lovely academy, Sis!" I said sarcastically. It was then that a kid with dark hair and eyes looked at both of us.

"Oh my god, Max, are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Fang!" Max said. I'm just a little sore and...ouch! You're sitting on my tail, Andromeda...wait... _ TAIL?"_ I looked to see that sure enough their was a chocolate brown cat-like tail coming through Max's dress. I felt my own back and, to my horror, their was a similar one on me.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" the two of us screamed. "We've got _tails!"_

"I wonder what else they did to me!" Max said.

"Yeah...Fang? You mean like the blog's Fang?" I asked. "I nicked a laptop with my telekinesis and turned it invisible so only I could see it. I've been following your blog since it went online."

"Wait, Andigirl1276?" Fang asked.

"The one and only!" I said.

"Wow! Telekinesis. I just hope they didn't try and sever my voice again, I need that!" Max said. It was then I knew it was time to come clean.

"Um...Max...I'm the voice. I kind of have visions of the possible future and I've been helping you ever since Angel was captured that one time. I guess it's twin talepathy. I didn't want to tell you who I was because the whole "saving people" thing might have made you want to come get me and I wouldn't risk the necks of you and your flock."

"What? _You're_ the voice?" Max demanded. "All those brain attacks, all your cryptic messages, _everything?_ Do you know how many times I almost fell out of the sky because I had a brain attack? How many times I've wondered if I was _insane?"_

"Yes and do _you_ know that because of the same brain attacks from trying to save your necks I've almost been retired _six_ _times?_ Every time you yell at me I can here you loud and clear. I couldn't tell you everything I saw because I didn't know you and if I saw something good you guys might not think about what you were doing and change the future. If I saw something bad then it'd be even worse and all hope would be lost. The truth is I've just done it all because I care for you and I know that saving the world isn't just on your shoulders, it's on mine too. I've been trying to escape for more then a year, I've got a plan. I can read and control minds, see, I've got all the mind powers Angel here has. I've just got to find the right time to control a whitecoat and get all seven of us out of here."

"Oh...I'm sorry, Andi. I can see you were trying to help. Just so I know you're being completely honest and so I can try talking back, can you be the voice again?"

"Of course I can, Max. To save the world you must first get yourself and your flock out. I will assist you!" I thought into her head.

"Gee, thanks for being so cryptic, _again!"_ Max thought back. Now that I had heard her voice she sounded crystal clear.

"Okay, I believe you completely. Now, we've all got to figure out how to blow this joint!"


	21. Fae

Fae

An attempt to create a story with an OC non-human witch coming into the picture and befriending the Marauders… I don't know what to say about this one…

Chapter One: Jocelyn Cooper

"Bye, Dad!" I said to my father as I gave him a hug. "I'll miss you, you know!"

"I'll miss you too, Joss. You keep yourself safe. You can tell people your secret _only_ if you feel you can trust them. Thank God you inherrited your mother's gift of trust."

"Yes, dad, but the bad thing is that like you it is very very very hard to hide things or to lie even though I _do_ have Mom's gift!" I said. I say "mom" not "mum" because I'm half-American. Dad's American and Mom's British. Both of them are magical and can be considered a witch and wizard but they're really faeries as I am. I'm not talking about the teeny creatures in the lamps at special functions, those are sub-par fairies on the lowest ranking, Fae Lolia, but I am half Fae Ultima, my father being full, one of the two most powerful group of faeries with special gifts, and half Fae Sirena or Siren in normal speak, my mother being a full Siren, the other most powerful group of faeries with special gifts. In the wizarding world we are still looked upon as sub-par, in England anyway. I've been going to the Salem School of Magic in America but Voldemort destroyed most of it so everyone who went their is going to other schools. I'll be entering my fifth year. Mom couldn't see me off because she does not possess the gift of disillusionment, that's the ability to hide all fae characteristics which my dad can do but I can not do as well, I can only dim my fae features, make my wings disappear, soften my features, turn my eyes and hair a normal color, and get my ears to look human. I still have the incredible siren beauty but most people might just think I'm part Veela, no, Sirens are much more powerful then Veelas and a much older race as are Fae Ultima. If Mom came through the train station the muggles would stare, especially at her golden wings and Siren beauty. The only way anybody could ever tell I was a fae was if they knew what fae looked like and if they really looked at me hard. I still have sharp features and slightly pointy ears and eyes that are just as slanty that are a strange shade of dark blue which are normally purple. My hair is normally purple but in this form is blonde with purple streaks. Also, my skin does not glow gold like a Siren's so much.

"You'd better flash over once in awhile, Jocelyn Amina Cooper!" Dad warned. Flashing is what we call the teleporting ability of Fae Ultima and Sirens. The gifts I was born with are the ability to flash, partial disillusionment, I can turn invisible like Dad, telekinesis, telepathy, I can know things about a person by looking in their eyes, as little as their favorite color and as much as their whole lives if I stare in to their eyes long enough, I can know someone's blood status and if their is any magical blood in them, I can tell when someone's lying, I know who to trust, I'm a seer, and, like all Fae Ultima, I can't easily lie unless it is truly necessary that I keep something to myself like my Fae heritage. Also, I can do special Faery magic and any wizard's magic wandlessly but still have a wand, willow with my own hair in it, how cool, and can use the old doggerel verse very well like some American wizards. American magic is a little different then British magic, you see. As far as reactions, like all fae, I have a very bad reaction to iron, it makes me sick. It's not so bad in this form but it still makes me sick, I can tell that this train is an iron mine. Also, like all Fae Ultima, I am forced to follow anyone's command if my full fae name is used, Sunbeam Jocelyn Amina Cooper. The only way I could ever get out of that, I think, is if I am ordered to do something horrible or sinister or just plain mean, I can fight ordinary commands too but I have to be aware that someone's about to shoot me a command. Poor Dad has to follow every command he is given, even the bad ones, because he is a pure Fae Ultima, thank God for Siren blood! Speaking of blood, my blood is gold like that of a siren's but has some streaks of silver like that of a Fae Ultima. Mom is one of the few good Sirens who do not seduce men. It is also a good thing that both my father and mother have found mates in each other. It is really hard for Mom to not be sneaky and hide things but they work through it. I'm more like Dad in the sense that I have a really hard time lying but, unlike Dad, I can lie. Also, I have a problem with blerting out things including uncomfortable truths and thoughts in my head, it takes a lot of effort to even fib and keep my trap shut. From my mom I do have a sneaky and mischievous streak and can keep my trap shut for certain personal gains such as a good laugh because of a prank. I was the worst prankster at Salem. Lastly, since my mom's a siren, I have all the beauty of a siren but more of my dad's features and can controll things by music and my own song that I can sing so high up no human can hear it like any other siren. That makes for a good prank as well. "Also, Joss, please try not to prank the pants off these students!" Dad continued.

"Prank the pants off? Dad, that is _so_ first year!" I said with a grin.

"You know what I mean!" Dad said.

"Yes I do, I also know that I'll probably disobey you in the next six hours...oops...dang it!" I said, slapping my long-fingered hand to my full lipped mouth.

"I know you will, Joss, just don't get caught. You're really getting good at that innocent act!" Dad said. I smiled and hugged him one last time before lightly picking up my trunk with my faery strength, which is far better then that of wizards and muggles, and got on the iron-clad train. The fumes and over-all look of it made me feel sick already. I searched for a compartment with nice-looking people and finally found one with four boys. I looked at each and I saw I could trust the one with dark hair and eyes, the one with messy black hair and hazel eyes, and the one with tired blue-grey eyes and medium brown hair. I could not, however, trust the fourth with wattery blue eyes and mousy hair. I knocked on the door anyway, they all had the prankster aura around them.

"May I join you?" I asked in my half-British half-American accent that was in my voice that sounded to all boys like some sort of melody even in this form. They gaped at me and nodded. I walked in and thrust my trunk up on top of another with a family crest and sat down.

"I'm Jocelyn Cooper but you can call me Joss!" I said with a smile. I looked into each of their eyes and found their names, blurting them out before I could stop myself. "And you're Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Petigrew...oh god I'm screwed...forget I said that, okay?" The guys looked skeptical and Remus was looking at me curiously, I could tell that he was a werewolf bitten at the age of five.

"You, you're a faery, aren't you?" he asked.

"You mean those little creatures in the lanterns at Christmas, of course not, Moony!" James said. I was biting my lip, trying not to say anything.

"Na-no, of course not!" I stammered. "Do you consider all Americans to be of the fae...I mean faeries? I mean come on, that'd be like me saying Remus was a werewolf!" I blerted. The boys all looked shocked, not at the fact that Remus was a werewolf but at the fact that I said that. I really wasn't paying much attention to anything though because the iron of the train was making me feel sicker then I thought I would. Their was iron on the window frame, iron in the ceiling, iron iron iron. I accidentally nudged the iron bar of the window and a hole appeared in my skin trickling the blood I have in this form, red with hints of silver and gold. I was feeling more and more light-headed. I was able to manage one doggerel verse spell before I slipp unconcious.

"Iron all over this train, it makes me sick that is quite plain. It all makes me want to reel, so please just turn it into steel!" With that I slipped out of my seat and onto the floor unconcious.

Sirius's POV

This new girl was so strange, I thought as she was talking. She had very sharp features, rather pointy ears, slanty eyes which were a strange shade of dark blue, and purple streaks in her otherwise golden blonde hair. She reminded me of one thing from my parents' lessons on "inferior creatures". I could still see that book. "Faeries, also known as fae, are humanoid creatures that range from the Fae Lolia, faeries used in party lamps and as decorations, to Fae Ultima and Fae Sirena, the two most powerful types of faeries which have special abilities. The characteristic features of a faery include slanted eyes, a strange coloring of them, typically unnaturally colored hair, sharp features, pointy ears, and sometimes a glow to the skin and inhuman beauty in the case of Fae Sirena." What was this girl, was she half-faery? I couldn't tell because she had the characteristics of a Fae Ultima and a Fae Sirena. If I didn't know better I'd swear she was a veela. She actually looked like she was trying to hide something. Also, Fae Ultima cannot lie but she did, or at least tried. I could see her start to look sick, if she was even part-faery then the iron would have an effect. her hand accidentally brushed the window frame and I could see a hole burn into her skin, the blood that came out was red with flecks of gold and silver from what I could see. She then suddenly burst into the old doggerel verse that was still sometimes used in America, I thought she sounded slightly American.

"Iron all over this train, it makes me sick that is quite plain. It all makes me want to reel, so please just turn it into steel!" With that, she slipped onto the floor and her features changed. Her eyes stayed the same shape but became a vivid purple. Her hair became the same color as her eyes and her beauty intensified though her features grew sharper and her ears pointier. I could also see a pair of folded up wings on her back, they were silver with lines of gold weaving their way through in some sort of pattern.

"She's definitely a faery!" Remus said.

"Yeah, she is!" I confirmed. "She probably doesn't want anybody to know so don't tell anyone!" I said. "I think she turned all the train's iron into steel."

Joss's POV

I woke up to someone waving chocolate in front of my face.

"Hmmm, chocolate, gimme!" I said, snatching the chocolate. I opened my eyes to see as I did in my faery form, this couldn't be good. I forgot that if I touched iron I would go unconcious and revert back to normal. I hastily sat up and masked my features.

"Damn it, now you know!" I said. "At least I can tell that you're all trustworthy, I'll tell you. I am half Fae Ultima, my dad being full, and half Fae Sirena or Siren, my mom being a pure siren. The gifts I was born with are the ability to flash, that's like your appearition but different, partial disillusionment meaning I can soften and dim my fae features unlike Dad who can do it fully, I can turn invisible like Dad, telekinesis, telepathy, I can know things about a person by looking in their eyes, as little as their favorite color and as much as their whole lives if I stare in to their eyes long enough, I can know someone's blood status and if their is any magical blood in them, I can tell when someone's lying, I know who to trust, I'm a seer, and, like all Fae Ultima, I can't easily lie unless it is truly necessary that I keep something to myself like my Fae heritage. Also, I can do special Faery magic and any wizard's magic wandlessly but still have a wand, willow with my own hair in it, how cool, and can use the old doggerel verse very well like some American wizards. American magic is a little different then British magic, you see. As far as reactions, like all fae, I have a very bad reaction to iron, it makes me sick. Also, like all Fae Ultima, I am forced to follow anyone's command if my full fae name is used, The only way I could ever get out of that, I think, is if I am ordered to do something horrible or sinister or just plain mean, I can fight ordinary commands too but I have to be aware that someone's about to shoot me a command. Poor Dad has to follow every command he is given, even the bad ones, because he is a pure Fae Ultima, thank God for Siren blood! Speaking of blood, my blood is gold like that of a siren's but has some streaks of silver like that of a Fae Ultima. Mom is one of the few good Sirens who do not seduce men. It is also a good thing that both my father and mother have found mates in each other. It is really hard for Mom to not be sneaky and hide things but they work through it. I'm more like Dad in the sense that I have a really hard time lying but, unlike Dad, I can lie. Also, I have a problem with blerting out things including uncomfortable truths and thoughts in my head, it takes a lot of effort to even fib and keep my trap shut. From my mom I do have a sneaky and mischievous streak and can keep my trap shut for certain personal gains such as a good laugh because of a prank. I was the worst prankster at Salem. Lastly, since my mom's a siren, I have all the beauty of a siren but more of my dad's features and can controll things by music and my own song that I can sing so high up no human can hear it. That makes for a good prank as well. That's basically my make-up. I'm going to do a doggerel binding spell so you cannot tell. Despite how doggerel spells are undermined here, they're actually quite useful and more powerful then people think. Anyway, be prepared. This might kinda sting because I'm just locking this secret up. A secret here has just been told, make these four keep it till they're old. If this secret they do not keep, then they shall become fluffy sheep." I could see all four wince and rub their heads.

"That was wicked!" Sirius said. "So you prank?"

"Yup, I'm board, how about some truth or dare?"

"Bring it!" Sirius and James both exclaimed while Peter gave a weak smile and Remus sighed exasperatedly.

"First, I'll put a truth spell on you, it's American and works even better then your truth syrum. I would usually use my wand for spells other then doggerel verse but I don't feel like digging it out so be prepared, vocatrusis! You can start first, Sirius!"

"All right, Joss, truth or dare!"

"I'll start with truth."

"I want to know what you can see in all of our blood stats, is their anything that I can rub in my parents' faces?"

"Well Remus, you're a halfblood, not that that matters, your mother is pureblood and father muggle-born. Also, I know you're a werewolf. Peter, you're a bit more then half-blood, you have a muggle great-grandparent. James, you have blood in you from Godric Gryffindor himself, now don't go spreading that around, and you also have some blood of the phoenomen in you, men who were much like the phoenix in that they lived a very long time and were very good and noble people, clearly that didn't pass to you!" I said jokingly.

"Hey!" James said indignantly.

"Just kidding! Anyway, Sirius, their _is_ something you can rub in your parents' faces. You have your "handsome charm" because you have a great-grandmother who was a dark veela making you not quite pureblood. Also, if you didn't know this, your parents are second-cousins. No offense, Siri, but that's disgusting! Oh yeah, you also have a muggle great-great-great-great-great grandfather."

"Awesome!" Sirius explained.

"Oh yeah, and Sirius, don't go flaunting your eighth-dark veelaness. James, truth or dare."

"Dare of course!" James said.

"I dare you to let me control you with my siren's song!" I said. "You'll never know what you'll _really_ do! Also, my song effects everyone, it's like mind-control or something, guys are only effected by my audible voice and these looks even dimmed down. Anyway," I opened my mouth a bit and blasted out my song which actually said, "James I know who you crush on, now I dare you just for the reaction to go running up and down the halls saying "I love Lily Evans!" You wouldn't stop thinking about her!" James, in a trance, got up and even put the sonorus spell on himself before going out of the compartment. He ran up and down the hall screaming at the top of his lungs amplified by the sonorus spell, "I love Lily Evans, I love Lily Evans, I love Lily Evans, _I_ _LOVE_ _LILY_ _EVANS!"_ I mentally commanded him to come back and quieten himself which he did. Not a minute later an irate red-head came storming into the compartment.

"James Potter you arrogant _prat!_ What were you doing? Trying to make me see reason and go out with you?" she demanded. I knew that she was muggle-born but from a long line of Squibs and the descendent of Ravenclaw though she was in Gryffindor. She also had some phoenomen blood in her. They didn't see it yet but James and Lily belonged together.

"No, Lilyflower, but now that you mention it, will you?" James asked.

"Absolutely _not!"_ Lily snapped.

"Well it was Jocelyn here who made me do it!" James said.

"What do you mean!" Lily demanded and then looked at me, thank goodness I was in my more human form. I knew I could trust her and I could tell that she knew by looking at me. She was thinking, "_This new girl is definitely a faery,_ or at least _part!"_ I shut the door and did a nonverbal doggerel spell to have her keep the secret.

"Yes, Lily, I am of the fae. You can't tell anyone, not even this Severus I see in your head." I said. I then proceeded to tell her everything. She was amazed and we hit it off. Even though I was making friends with these four I could tell that I would become friends with her.

"Remus, we're prefects! We have to meet the head boy and girl now!" Lily said. Remus and Lily then departed and James, Sirius, Peter, and I were left alone.


	22. Family Ties

My Family

An attempt to write a story with VERY nice Dursleys in a universe where Petunia miscarries Dudley, causing she and Vernon to reevaluate things…

Chapter One: Little Katie

Their are many people that believe that their are alternate timelines, realities, parallel universes. Some of these universes have different outcomes than others. In one particular universe James and Lily Potter had a son, Harry James, who eventually was orphaned, survived the killing curse, and was sent off to his relatives who hated him, thought he was scum and a freak, and never told him of his magic. In the universe where this story takes place most things are the same except for a few key points. First off, Lily and James had not a son, Harry James, but a daughter, Katherine Lily. The events of halloween 1991 are the same, however.

Also, Petunia was resentful of magic, true, but she wasn't so petty as to let something like that get between her and her sister and she eventually grew to love the things that her sister could do with her gift. Both the sisters shared happy tears when they found out they were pregnant at the same time. Lily cried with Petunia when the child was born several months prematurely and died that very day, she and Vernon were to name him Dudley Vernon, and Lily cried with Petunia when she was told that due to the hardships delivering Dudley she might never have any more children. Petunia cried tears of bitersweet joy when Lily gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby girl, Katherine Lily, on July 31, 1990, and Petunia also wept with Lily when she found out about the prophecy and how her sister must go into hiding with James and Katie to protect them. The morning of November 2, 1991 is when this story, however, truly begins.

Petunia Dursley nee Evans stretched out in bed and opened her eyes. It seemed rather cold this morning, the house was filled with a chill. Getting up slowly as to not wake up her gently snoring husband the young woman slipped into a pair of slippers and a fluffy light blue robe. Silently she padded downstairs and into the kitchen. She and her husband had purchased a house, number four Privet Drive, when she was pregnant with Dudley because it was a good size and their was a park and school close by. Now, however, it just felt big and empty especially after the nursery they had set up, all cute in yellows and greens. Even in the year and a half since her baby's death Petunia just didn't have the heart to take it all down.

Now what could she make for breakfast? Their was still some milk left but their were a few empty bottles just waiting to be put out. With no further adieu Petunia picked up the bottles and tip-toed to the front door. Upon opening the door she almost screamed in shock and dropped the glass bottles in her arms. . Their on her front steps was a little pink bundle that looked suspiciously like a baby. Setting the bottles on the porch Petunia gingerly picked up the child and brought her inside. Whose child was this? Why was she on Petunia's front steps unless...unless...no, no, no, she dare not think of the implications. Trembling violently now, her heart gripped in fear's icy hands, Petunia stumbled into the living room and sat heavily on the couch. From within the folds of the pink blanket Petunia saw a letter addressed to her. It was in a parchment envelope. With shaking fingers she slit open the envelope and took out the letter.

To Mrs. Petunia Dursley,

I am very sad to inform you that your sister and her husband were killed by Lord Voldemort on October 31, 1991. They were betrayed by their secret-keeper and the dark wizard Voldemort was able to enter their house. James dueled with Voldemort until he was killed with the killing curse, Lily sacrificed herself so that her child could live at least a little longer, she was felled by the same curse. However, when Voldemort turned his wand on Katherine, his killing curse backfired thus destroying him for the time being. Now she is famous in our world, the girl-who-lived, she is called, and she would grow up best away from all the fame. This is why she has been given into your care. Treat her well, Petunia, like you would your own child.

Sincerely,

A. P. W. B. D.

"_LILY!"_ Petunia screamed in anguish. "Lily...Lily...oh Lily...little Lily...sweet Lily...magical Lily...lovely Lily...beloved Lily...oh Lily...Lily...Lilly, Lily, _LILY!"_ she sobbed, numbly dropping the letter to the floor and cradling her niece close to her. Vernon came thundering downstairs, wondering what was so wrong with his wonderful wife.

"Vernon...my sister...oh God...I can't believe it...it should have _NEVER_ happened." Petunia sobbed as Vernon sat down and put a beefy arm across Petunia's dainty shoulders. For the first time he noticed the baby in Petunia's arms. Thick, curly golden blonde hair covered her head. It was faintly streaked with red. A sweet, round face looked curiously up at him, the child had penatrating emerald green eyes. On the middle of her forehead was a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. The child, both Vernon and Petunia realized, looked just like Lily. Petunia could remember back to when she was three and Lily was born; she had had the same red-streaked gold hair which had grown more and more red over time so that by the time she was about sixteen or seventeen her hair was the opposite, red faintly streaked with gold. The only difference was Lily's hair had been wavy, not so curly. Petunia's hair was the opposite, she was born a red-head with faint gold streaks but now had gold hair faintly streaked with red. Other then that, however, the Evans sisters didn't look much different. Both had the same penatrating emerald eyes, the same smile, and similar mannerisms. Petunia's face, however, was a little more angular and her neck was longer whereas Lily's face was a softer beauty and her neck was average length. The only bits of James Potter Petunia could see in her niece were his nose, his ears, and his slightly higher cheekbones.

"We have to keep her, love. Can we? Can we please?" Petunia begged.

"Of course, love, of course. She will be our daughter in everything but blood." Vernon smiled.

"That's right. I'm so glad you understand, love." Petunia sighed.

"Of course I do, Tuney. I loved Lily and James as well, you know, they were like my own sister and brother and I love Katie very much." he said.

"So do I." Petunia said. "It's just...the way your father was...I was afraid you wouldn't want a witch in your house." Petunia sighed. "Not to offend you, love, it's just...you know."

"I know. Actually, it's quite the opposite. I'd take her in anyway. If anything, I'm spiting my old man." Vernon chuckled. Due to his size and looks one might assume that Vernon Dursley was not the sharpest crayon in the box but that was not so. If anything he was among the sharpest. He was a big, beefy man with thick, blond hair, blue eyes, a mustache, and hardly any neck but looks do not mean anything.

"True that." Petunia chuckled, cradling Katherine close to her. "Welcome to the family, Katherine."

Chapter Two: Over The Years

It was on that day that Petunia realized she did not have to have a child by blood to love and care for one. Adoption was an option she hadn't considered. Thinking back on the war that killed her sister Petunia realized that their must be more magical children then just Katherine without parents. Many of these children might have been left in the Muggle world, not just the magical. And so she and Vernon, from time to time, scouted Muggle orphanages to see if there were any children with special tallents.

Some children that they found were simply by coincidence. Vernon had seen a father maltreating his daughter in the marketplace, shoving her about, calling her all sorts of horrible names though she was only about two years old. He had tipped off child services and then he and Petunia went to the adoption agency and took her home. She was their first adoptive daughter, becoming Hermione Anne Dursley.

Ten years had passed and altogether the Dursleys had twelve children, all magical. There were six boys and six girls. From oldest to youngest there was Oliver, Penelope, Cedric, Lee, Cho, Hermione, Blaise, Draco, Katherine, Luna, Charles, and Rose.


	23. Fantasmas

Fantasmas

An attempt to write a… I don't know what the crap my intent was here… All I know is it involves twin sisters of James Potter somehow kidnapped by the school from the Maximum Ride series and WAY overpowered with things like Twilight-style vampire and werewolf DNA and ghost ectoplasm Danny Phantom style… I think. Yeah, what was wrong with my brain? Feel free to tell me! LOL!

Chapter One: The Train

Stella's Point Of View

My twin sister, Skyla Amanda Caraway, and I flew over England, our hearts filled with excitement. She and I, Stella Alexandra Caraway, were going to the best school for wizards and witches out their, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We had spent our whole lives in America and just wanted to get out. Now we were. It had been almost a year ago that we had escaped from The School, our own prison and personal hell since the day we were born. In fact, we don't even know if we _were_ born or just hatched or were made in test tubes. We don't know who our parents are. All we know is our first and middle names along with the fact that we're twins.

All our lives, we lived in a special ward ran by twisted witches and wizards, the rest of the wards being ran by Muggles. We are every type of human possible, vampire, werewolf, veela. Also, we are top level metamorphmagi, meaning we can change our appearances and voices however we like and even become any animal including magical and use their talents, we can do wandless magic, we're natural occlamenses, we're also telepaths, empaths, seers, and we can use telekinesis. To top it all off, we're also two percent bird and have golden wings which is what we're using right now. The idiots didn't even think to put cameras in the bathrooms, _ha!_ We just turned into rats, opened the drain in the floor, and scurried down into the suers. It was gross, but it was worth it. We morphed ourselves into adults, got jobs, and rented a flat in LA. However, this didn't fool Hogwarts. One morning, two owls showed up on the balcony with two letters inviting us to Hogwarts. We both thank _god_ we didn't get sent to Salem which is where we'd have gone if we were in the School. Salem Institute of Magic is totally corrupt and most of the poor American witches and wizards will probably be experimented on there. Anyway, Hogwarts is the best. We've been in England for a month now and we already went to Diagon Alley to get our school stuff. Even though we can both do wandless magic, we got wands that chose us. Oddly, they're the only wands Olivander made exactly the same, twin wands. Both beechwood and phoenix feather, twelve inches. Olivander was very fascinated by us, and we were very creeped out by him. He was a strange old man. We didn't get any pets because, well, we _are_ our own pets. Now, we're flying from our London hotel to King's Cross Station. Oh, did I forget to mention we can turn invisible? Yeah, that's real convenient so the Muggles can't see us. It's really useful.

My sis and I smiled as we spotted King's Cross. We completely furled up our wings and shot down towards the sidewalk, still invisible. It wasn't as though we can die with the impact. Actually, it was like we were floating, not falling. As soon as we landed, we let our invisibility shields down, took our trunks out of our pockets, enlarged them with wandless magic, and found two trolleys. We headed into the station and went towards platform nine thinking platform nine and three quarters was next. However, all we saw was platform ten.

"Hey, Skyla! Where's the platform?" I asked.

"I don't know!" Skyla admitted. Then, we saw a family in wizard robes. The father had straight black hair and blue eyes. The mother was tall and slender with a head of unruly chestnut hair. Her eyes were a laughing hazel.

"Hey, let's ask them! The boy's got a trunk and an owl and everything." Skyla suggested.

"Okay!" I said back.

"Excuse me!" Skyla said politely as we walked up to the woman. Skyla and I had both decided to look normal today so people would recognize us. We'd start morphing later. She wore her chestnut hair, which was the exact shade as the mother's, up in a high ponytail while I wore mine in two braids.

"Yes, dear?" the woman responded kindly. Then, she turned around and saw us. Her kind smile turned, though briefly, to a state of shock. However, her kind smile returned, though I could sense something was amiss within her.

"We were wondering if you could tell us how to get to platform nine and three quarters?" I asked shyly. I have always been a bit more shy then Skyla. She always calls me the brains behind the operation.

"Of course!" said the father merrily. "It's James's first year, too." He pointed at a boy with his mother's laughing hazel eyes and unruly hair. However, his hair was the color of his father's. He wore round glasses which contrasted wildly with his mischievous grin. Now that I thought about it, and Skyla too by the look of it, we _did_ look rather like the family. Our hair was chestnut, just like the mother's. However, it was straight like the father's. When we hide our "vampire eyes", our eyes are blue which is what our eyes would be had we been human, or at least, not part vampire. Today, we hid our vampire eye coloring to blend in a bit more. However, it was still obvious how fair and cold we were. We still had blood deep beneath which might come up to show a blush once in a while, but that's it. Our eyes were almond shaped like the father's. The man was quite tall as was the woman and even the boy. I couldn't help feeling connected with them somehow.

"Yes, all you have to do is run at the barrier between platforms nine and ten." the mother said kindly. "James can go with if you like."

"Okay!" We chimed.

"Race ya!" James said with a wide grin. "You'll be hard pressed to beat me."

"James Jonathan Potter—com" his mother started.

"It's okay!" I said.

"You're on!" Skyla said, a mad glint in her blue eyes. We both lined up on either side of James. "Three...two...one..." we started. Then, we all took off. Naturally, Skyla and I used Vampire speed leaving James in the metaphorical dust. We arrived at the other side of the barrier to find several people milling about on a platform by a beautiful scarlet steam engine. With my heightened vampire and werewolf senses, it looked even more beautiful then if I could see like a human. By Skyla's awe-struck expression, she felt the same. I could look in her mind if I wanted too. Being both twins and telepaths, it wasn't that hard. However, we had set up a boundary of trust a long time ago to not use that particular power unless we needed too. Also, a part of our mind was always keeping the rest closed. Having an expanded vampire mind and memory was very helpful. James came bounding in a few seconds later, breathing hard.

"Ha! Yeah, I beat them I—com" Then, he saw us. "Werja come from?"

"Been here for...oh...twenty-eight seconds!" I said.

"And we left thirty seconds ago." Skyla said.

"But how...you're just..." James stammered.

"No, we're not just girls." Skyla said.

"We're super freaky bird kids with a bid of vampire and some other stuff thrown in. If you wanna know more, find us on the train." I said. With that, we took our trunks off the trolley and walked off. At that moment, the cloudy sky decided to part showing a brilliant blue sky and bright sun which touched our skin, making it sparkle like millions of diamonds. Many people on the platform stopped and stared. As we made to put our trunks on the train, several guys tried to help us. However, we turned them down and went to find a compartment. We found one in the back of the train that was completely empty.

"Hey Stells!" Skyla said. She only calls me Stells when she wants something.

"Yeah, Sky!" I asked.

"How bout we turn invisible and lure James into this compartment?"

"Okay!" I said. "He seems like a bit of a prankster and I think it would be fun to prank him. You're best at physical magic, so I'll lure him in. When he's here you'll use your telakinesis to open the door, shut it, and lock it while I make him totally freak out. Then, once he's in, we'll run and fly around him at vampire speed and wail stuff like, how dare you enter the haunted compartment of the twins of Gemini. When he's thoroughly scared witless, we'll sit down and let our invisibility shields down." Skyla nodded and giggled.

I then went into a trance like state and thought, _Let James Potter come here. Make him wonder what is within. Lure him here to us._ Within moments, James was at the door. I kept up my mental chant as Skyla opened the door. James's face was priceless as the door opened. Out of curiosity, he stepped in. Skyla mentally shut the door with a slam and mentally clicked the lock loudly. I poured the emotion of being freaked out into the room where James would absorb it. Then, Skyla and I got up and started running around the small compartment, jumping on chairs, shaking the luggage rack while trying not to break it, and making squeaky noises on the windows. We did all of this while wailing in eery, etherial, high-pitched voices,

"How _dare_ you enter the cursed compartment of the twins of Gemini. You shall pay dearly, mere mortal, for your mistake. Did you never learn that curiosity killed the cat? Consider yourself cursed, James Jonathan Potter!" Then, we continued our rampage by opening and closing our trunks over and over again, taking books, dropping them on his head, Littering parchment and quills all over the place, dropping a pair of frilly pink undies on his head, ripping them off again, making the lights flicker off, and finally, making the cieling rain black and silver glitter. During all this, we chanted:

"Tu esta un baco;

Que quiere comer tacos.

Tu esta un pollo;

Que odia repollo.

Tu estas un caballo;

Que quire el mes de Mayo.

Tu estas un oso;

Que es mentiroso y que es el color rosa.

Tu estas un tigre;

Que tiene el gripe.

Tu estas un gato,

Que quire comer patos azules.

Tu estas un insecta;

Que es embarasada.

Tu estas un arbole;

Que es muy sentimiente.

Tu estas un flora;

Que asta cantando un canta estupido ahora.

Tu estas un chico;

Que es muy unico."

Tu estas todos cosas;

Cuando estas en este casa;

El Casa Gemini.

We came back down and landed on the seats by the window. We then started to laugh in the voices before turning visible and laughing in our normal voices. James just stood their in shock. Then, shakily, he sat down next to Skyla.

"Ha-ha-how...how did you...I don't believe—com" he stammered.

"We just thought we'd pull a little prank. I mean, you look like the type of person to appreciate such things." I said.

"Yeah, you're a major prankster, aren't you?" Skyla asked.

"Um...I guess!" James said. He was trembling slightly and I felt bad for pranking so hard on someone. At least we knew what we could do if someone crossed us that was nasty.

"Calm down!" Skyla and I said soothingly, pouring calmness into the room. James relaxed and color returned to his cheeks.

"I'm not _scared._ Anyway, that was brilliant. How did you do that? Do you have an invisability cloak? You _must_ be Metamorphmagi. Those were definitely _not_ your real voices. I'M guessing you guys like to prank?"

"Duh!" Skyla and I chirped.

"You're accents, you're not from England, are you?"

"No. We grew up in America, but we can sound British if we want to." I answered. "Oh! Why didn't you go to Sa—com"

"Don't you _dare_ say Salem!" Skyla roared. "we would _never_ go to that corrupt hellhole!" She was shaking violently and her fair skin suddenly turned dark like the skin of the Native Americans who are natural American Werewolves.

"Skyla...Skyla..._Sky!"_ I snapped. "Don't phase, not in here! He didn't know!" Skyla just sat their. Eventually, the russet skin tone vanished and she was pale again.

"What's up with Salem?" James asked. "And where are your parents?"

"We don't know. We don't even know if we _have_ parents or are just test tube babies or something." I said icily.

"Oh, could you please explain?"

"Wow!" Skyla said psarcastically. "A guy with the emotional range of a tea spoon says please."

"Come on, Skyla. We can at least explain." I said, roling my eyes.

"I have no problem with that, Stella." Skyla said. "We were raised from the day we were born in a lab place called the School. It's mainly ran my Muggles, but their's a special ward ran by witches and wizards, really twisted ones at that. Before we were born, our normal, human DNA was infused with that of a vampire, American Werewolf, European werewolf, and veela. We also have every wizarding talent ever doccumented along with every vampire talent. We can turn invisible, we're top level Metamorphmagi, we can do wandless magic, we're natural occlamenses, we're seers, telapaths, empaths, can talk to any animal, can speak any language, and can use telekinesis."

"Whoa!" James said. "But what were you saying about phasing? Why didn't the sun burn you? Why aren't your eyes red?"

"First of all, genius, we're metamorphmagi so if we wanted to hide our real eye color, we could." Skyla said icily.

"Also, most of the myths you hear about most creatures tied to us are false." I continued.

"Oh. Can you tell me what isn't?" James asked.

"Later, I have the feeling that—com" Skyla started.

"We're about to have some interesting company." I finished. And that was the truth. Three boys would be joining soon. We knew they were coming not because we lured them, but because we sensed them a few minutes ago with our inner eye and could now hear them coming down the corridor. At that moment, the three boys slid open the compartment door. One was tall with shaggy black hair and blue-grey eyes. He had a grin just as mischievous as James did. The second boy had light brown hair and blue eyes which were darker then ours by a shade. He looked a bit more serious, a bit like me. He looked like he could be very useful in a good prank, though. Skyla and I could just tell these things. The third boy was stalky with mousy brown hair, dark brown eyes, and looked a little rat like.

"How did you know?" James whispered.

"Does heightened werewolf and vampire senses—com" I started.

"Ring a bell?" Skyla finished as the boys stepped in.

"Hi!" said the shaggy haired boy with a grin. "I'M Sirius Black."

"I'm Remus Lupin!" said the other boy. "Nice to meet you!"

"I-i-i'm Peter Petigrew, hello!" said the third boy timidly.

"Hi!" Skyla and I trilled.

"Hey there!" James said. "I'm James Potter."

"I'm Stella Caraway. That's not my real last name, but my sis and I liked it, so it stuck."

"And I happen to be that sis. The name's Skyla."

"Mind if we sit here?" Sirius asked.

"Oh, of course we mind! Don't you know that if you sit here you'll be cursed?" Skyla asked.

"Yeah. James here is already cursed." I continued.

"And do you know what—com"

"That curse is?"

"What?" Sirius, Remus, and Peter asked as they sat down. Sirius took the now vacant seat by Skyla because James was standing up and Remus sat by me. James sat on the other side of Sirius and Peter sat on the other side of Remus.

"You get stuck with us!" Skyla and I said together with fake maniacal laughs. Sirius just rolled his eyes.

"They mean it. When I came in here, they became invisible, flew around the room and said that I was cursed for entering the cursed compartment of the twins of Gemini or something like that. Then, they chanted this phrase in something like Latin or Spanish or Italian or something. As a matter of fact, what _were_ you guys saying?"

"Oh!" Skyla said with a laugh. "That was actually Spanish. If it was Latin, we might've _really_ cursed you. Anyway, didn't you know that all verbal magic is spoken with Latin?"

"For example," I continued, "the spell Aguamenti refers to water with the prefix agua."

"Oh!" said the four boys.

"anyway," I said, "what we actually said was:

You are a cow who wants to eat tacos.

You are a chicken that doesn't want cabbage.

You are a horse that wants to be the month of May.

You are a crazy pink bear.

You are a tiger with the flu.

You are a cat who wants to eat blue ducks.

You are a pregnant insect.

You are a sentimental tree.

You are a flower that is singing a stupid song.

You are a unique boy.

You are all of these things when you enter the house of Gemini, the house of Gemini." The boys, along with Skyla and me, howled with laughter.

"That's all you said?" James asked.

"Yeah!" Skyla and I said together.

"Oh look!" I said.

"We're about to have company!" Skyla added.

"How do you..." Sirius asked. But then, The door was pushed open by a greasy ahaired boy with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and coal black eyes. Behind him was a pretty girl with flaming red hair and emerald eyes.

"Mind if we sit here?" the girl asked. "By the way, I'm Lily Evans and this is Severus Snape." Lily then sat down next to James leaving Severus to sit next to Peter.

"I'm Sirius Black."

"I'm James Potter."

"I'm Remus Lupin."

"I'M Skyla Caraway."

"And I'm Stella Caraway, Skyla's twin. We're all in first year here."

"Us too!" Lily piped. I already liked her.

"Good, I'm glad to have such a pretty girl in my classes." James said to Lily.

"Please don't hit on me, James." Lily said a bit cooly.

"Um...so...what house do you all plan to be in?" James asked. "I plan on being in Gryffindor like my good old dad."

"I guess Gryffindor sounds nice. My dad was a Ravenclaw but I don't know about that." Remus said. "I think Gryffindor would be best."

"Ma-my parents were in Hufflepuff." Peter said.

"My whole family's been in Slytherin." Sirius said mournfully. "I want Gryffindor, though. It suits me better. I have two enormously nasty, pure blood crazy cousins. They're in fifth and fourth years. I have another cousin, their sister, who's a Ravenclaw third year. She's the only one in the family that I can stand. I swear if I'm in Slytherin I'll go somewhere else."

"What's wrong with Slytherin? My Mom was in it." Severus said. "And you'd better be too, Lils."

"We'll see." Lily said.

"I want Gryffindor." Skyla and I put in.

"I can't imagine—com"

"Being in a house full of—com"

"Death Eater wannabes and future School employees." we finished together. Snape just frowned and made a scoffing noise.

"What's a matter, Snivilus?" James asked. "Have a problem with freedom of speech? Are you scared of the lions?"

"Shut up, Potter, you arrogant prat!" Lily spat. Though she didn't seem cut out for Slytherin, she did seem to have a temper. "Let's go, Sev." The two then strode out of the compartment, slamming the door behind them.

"What's up with them?" Skyla asked.

"Dunno!" James said with a dreamy look in his eye. "But that Lily sure was something."

"Awe!" I cooed. "I think Jamesey's in _looove!_ Isn't that just _lovely?"_

"Sh'ut up, Stella." James snapped playfully with a fake offended look.

"Anyway, weren't you two going to tell us about yourselves?" Remus asked.

"Right!" I said. "We don't even know if we were born or hatched or made in test tubes or what. Ever since we were born, we've lived in this lab place called the School in California in America. Our whole lives, we've been experimented on like guinney pigs. The ward we were in was ran by some massively twisted witches and wizards while most of the rest were ran by massively twisted Muggles and Squibs. The latter wards were about thirty years behind our own. The Muggles probably won't even _begin_ to succeed with anyone remotely _like_ us for a good twenty years or so, at least, that's what I think."

"We lived their until we were ten." Skyla continued. "We finally came up with an escape plan. We're top level metamorphmagi so we can become animals, say rats for example. Well, one day almost a year ago, we had gained enough trust to go...um...well...to the bathroom. The bathroom is the only place without cameras, a type of Muggle device that can see what's going on some place. Anyway, we opened the floor drain, became rats, and went in!" We went on to tell them how we were just like vampires except we could eat human food, we had control over our thirst, we would probably go through puberty and age normally, and we had blood in us. We also explained that our vampire eyes were gold and not red because we only drank the blood of animals. We were just as beautiful, and graceful as pure vampires and we were impervious to magic. Also, our voices were just as melodious. However, some of that might be due to the Veela thing. We only fed once a month, the night of the half moon. We never were really ashamed of what we were, so we told them. We told them about the American werewolves and how we were like them. The American werewolves could phase into huge wolves at any moment and this could sometimes be brought apon by anger. We also told them about how the people at the school tried to make a European werewolf that didn't lose their minds at the full moon. Sadly, however, they failed and we were just as loony as any other werewolf. We ended by talking about our wizarding and vampire talents and how we could tell what talents other wizards, witches, and vampires had. For example, we could tell that that Severus kid was a natural occlamense.

"Wow!" James said excitedly. "That's so cool!"

"Yeah, we can take pranking to a whole knew level since I gather that you two and James are pranksters."

"YE-YES, that's really interesting!" Peter said. I could tell that he was just going to be a suck up, but I kept my mouth shut as did Skyla. The one thing they didn't perfect as far as our talents was the ability to tell if someone is trustworthy or good. Remus looked quiet and ill at ease.

"Their's something wrong." I said gently to him, not as a question but as a statement.

"Yeah." he gulped. "I have my own secret, but you've gotta swear not to tell!"

"We swear!" the remaining four of us said.

"Well...I'm a werewolf, of the European kind. My dad did something to anger Fenrir Greyback, another werewolf, and he bit me. I was five."

"Oh!" Skyla said.

"I'm sorry, that's unfair. We were born like this so it never really mattered, but to live for five years and then have that happen—com" I said, trailing off. At that moment, the trolley cart came. Skyla and I, never having had any wizard candy, ordered the whole lot. We had infiltrated the School's cash stash and gotten some money when we escaped. By the time we were done, we were abroke. All of us gobbled our candy and chatted.

"We're all friends here, so we should come up with a name for ourselves." James said.

"Yeah!" Skyla piped.

"Hogwarts won't know what hit it, yes, seven years of mischief coming right up!" I said.

"Hmm, how about the Raiders?" Sirius asked.

"Nah, we're pranksters, not thieves." Remus said. I was glad at least that he was on board. He would be some of the brains of the opperation.

"C'mon, Remy, what name do you have better?" Sirius asked. Remus blanched.

"How about the Pranksters?" Peter asked.

"Hell no!" Skyla and I said together. James and Sirius nodded in agreement. We went through names for a while longer including the Invaders, the Vikings, and several others. Then, it came to all of us. As if we were all thinking the same thing, we all said "The Marauders!" at the same time.

"Perfect!" I said.

"Yeah, when we prank, they'll think of us and say, "The Marauders"!" Skyla said with a smile. Just then, a voice came over the intercom.

"We will be ariving in Hogsmeade Station in a half an hour. All students not changed into your robes please do so!" Skyla and I sighed, got our robes, and headed for the bathroom. On our way out, we met with Lily.

"Hey, Lily!" we said together.

"Hey, guys!" Lily said. "Good luck at the sorting!"

"You two!" we said as we walked back to our compartment. The boys were all decked out in their robes.

"Wow, you actually clean up!" I said.

"Yeah, who'd have thought?" Skyla said with a laugh.

"Oh be quiet!" James snapped, trying to tidy his unruly hair. Right then, the train slowed down and finally stopped.

Chapter Two: The sorting

We followed everyone off the train and out onto the platform.

"Firs' years, firs' years over here!" came the voice of a huge man. I knew from the start that he was half giant and it was no surprise. That's another thing we can do, we can tell if their's any magical creature blood in people. Plus, it's kind of obvious with this man. We followed him to the edge of a big lake where their were several boats.

"Only four to a boat!" he said. Me, Skyla, James, and Sirius all got in one boat. Remus and Peter were stuck with Snape along with that poor Lily. She was probably muggle-born because she didn't seem to know a whole lot about magic. The view of the castle was amazing! Hagrid led us up a hill and to big, oak double doors. Hagrid knocked on them once with his giant fist and a strict looking woman in an emerald cloak opened the doors.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I'll take them from here!" she said. Hagrid nodded and went in. After he was in, the woman led us into the beautiful entrance hall. Their was a grand marble staircase leading out of sight to the floors above. She led us into an antechamber.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress and head of Gryffindor house. In just a moment you will be sorted into one of four houses, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." the word "Slytherin" she seemed to say with a bit of distaste. "While you are here, your house will be like your family. Triumphs will gain you points, but any rule breaking will lose you points. I suggest you tidy yourselves up, I will be back for you in a moment." She walked out of the chamber leaving us alone. McGonagall returned within a few minutes.

We folowed her into the Great Hall, and boy was it great. We got a great view of the night's sky from the cieling and their were thousands of candles floating everywhere.

"When I call your name, you will step up and be sorted." McGonagall said as she set out a stool and set an old, tattered hat on it. "Abbot, Charles."

"Hufflepuff!" came a voice from the hat as a rip opened up and became a mouth. The pink faced boy ran to sit with the table second to the left clad in black and yellow.

"Anderson, Elizabeth!" "Ravenclaw!" this girl went to sit at the table second to the right clad in blue and bronze. I knew Sirius was next.

"Black, Sirius!" Sirius walked up nervously and sat on the stool. It took awhile, but the hat eventually boomed out "Gryffindor!" The hall was silent before the Gryffindor table followed by the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables started to clap. The Slytherins looked angry and booed.

"Caraway, Skyla!" Skyla stepped up and put the hat on. It took no time before it yelled "Gryffindor!"

"Caraway, Stella!" I ran up and sat down.

"_Hmmm, you're easy, just like your sister. However, you should know that you have more family in this school and in this world then your sister!"_ the hat said to me. then, it boomed out "Gryffindor!" I smiled and went to sit in between Sirius and Skyla at the Gryffindor table to the far left. At a single eye roll, the two of us stood on the bench and turned our hair red with gold streaks and let our gold eyes show before going normal and sitting down

The sorting was pretty boring until, "Evans, Lily!" Lily walked up nervously and jammed on the hat. "Gryfindor!" Lily went to sit with Sirius, Skyla, and me at the Gryffindor table. The sorting seemed to drag on until "Lupin, Remus." Remus walked up and put the hat on his head. It took a second, but he was declared a Gryffindor as well. After a few more torturous people, it came to "Snape, Severus." The hat was bearly on his greasy head before he was declared a Slytherin, big _shocker_ their.

"Petigrew, Peter." Peter stumbled up to the stool and sat their for what seemed like ages before he became a Gryffindor.

"Potter, James!" James ran up to the stool and the hat only had to touch his hair before calling out "Gryffindor!"

The sorting ended soon after that and Dumbledore got up to speak.

"Another year is here. All students please remember not to go into the Forbidden Forest and to refrain from using magic in the corridors, now _let's_ _eat!"_ A wonderful feast was set out for us and we ate it greedily. It was the best food either of us had ever had. We were eating even more then Sirius was, but we were far neater about doing it.

After the feast, we were led up to Gryfindor tower by Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett, Gryffindor prefects who seemed to be a couple because they were holding hands all the way up.

"Now the password is Lion's Pride!" Molly said as we got to a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress. The portrait opened into a cozy room that was all red and gold. Their was a big fireplace and several squashy armchairs and couches.

"Boys' dorms are up the stairs and to the left and girls' dorms are up the stairs and to the right!" Arthur said.

Skyla and I headed up the stairs and into the room which read First Year Girls on the door. Their were four beds in our room, two for us, one for Lily, and one for Alice Jennings, another girl sorted into Gryffindor. I sighed and plopped down onto my bed. Though neither of us needed to sleep, we decided that we would, at least for tonight.

Chapter Three: Discoveries and the First Day

I woke up bright and early, just as Skyla did. We swiftly got dressed in our robes, brushed our teeth, and combed our hair. Today we would show our eye colors since we had nothing to hide in the wizarding world. We met the other four Marauders downstairs and headed off to breakfast.

"How many times do I have to tell you it's this way!" I said

"No it's _this_ way!" Skyla said. We were totally lost on our way to the Great Hall.

"Why don't you two just become dogs and sniff?" James asked.

"Brilliant!" we said together. The two of us transformed into golden retrievers and sniffed the air before returning to human form. "It's this way!"

"So that's your true eye color?" Sirius asked.

"Yup! The darker they get the thirstier we are, but we don't let them get black, that's when you're _really_ thirsty!" I explained as we sat down to eat.

Alice and Lily joined us a few minutes later.

"What's with the eyes?" Alice asked. "Weren't they blue?"

"That's our human eye color. We're vampire, two types of werewolf, veela, and two percent bird along with being human." Skyla said.

"How?" Lily asked. We spent the next several minutes telling our story to Alice, Lily, and whoever else was listening. They seemed intrigued rather then wierded out.

McGonagall came over half way through breakfast with our time tables.

"_Great!_ Potions with the Slytherins!" James groaned.

"Professor Dumbledore would like both of you Caraways and you, Mr. Potter, to go to his office right away. The password is Chocolate Frogs." McGonagall said. James, Skyla, and I nodded confusedly. We stood up and headed out of the hall.

We were easily able to find our way their and said the password to the gargoyle. We went up the moving staircase and into the office of Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah, have a seat. I have you three here today to discuss heritage. I recieved an owl from your parents, James, saying that their was something odly familiar about Skyla and Stella here. I have you here to see if this is true. Now I would like each of you to drink this potion." he passed out three vials of red liquid. "This is a herritage potion and it will tell you who your immediate family members are and what your birth names are." James, Stella, and I drank the potions and waited for a few minutes. Suddenly words appeared over James's head along with a male voice, James's voice, then over Skyla's head, then over mine.

James Jonathan Potter

Mother: Katherine Elizabeth Belle Potter

Father: Jonathan Henry Potter

Twin Sisters: Amanda Katherine Potter and Alexandra Elizabeth Potter, both younger

Born: March 27, 1960 at 11:58 AM

Amanda Katherine Potter

Mother: Katherine Elizabeth Belle Potter

Father: Jonathan Henry Potter

Twin Siblings: James Jonathan Potter, older, and Alexandra Elizabeth Potter, younger

Born: March 27, 1960 at 12:00 PM

Alexandra Elizabeth Potter

Mother: Katherine Elizabeth Potter

Father: Jonathan Henry Potter

Twin Siblings: James Jonathan Potter and Amanda Katherine Potter, both older

Born: March 27, 1960 at 12:02 PM

I was in shock just as Skyla and James were. I always thought Stella was my real name, not some code name the School gave to me. I couldn't believe I was a Potter. This meant that I was pureblood and I _did_ have a family, so did Skyla...

"So I was right! You three are, in fact, triplets."

"But why were we given away? Why did this happen to us?" I demanded.

"I do not know, but I will alert your parents." Dumbledore said. He stuck his head in the fireplace, threw in some powder, and his head was engulfed in green flames. He pulled his head out a minute later and then two people stepped through, James's parents.

"Oh my god!" said Katherine Potter as she engulfed us in a tight hug. "Those healers of mine said you two had died! I had no idea that those potions and shots they gave me would alter the DNA of two of my children! I was out for the whole birthing procedure and when I woke up, they-they-they said my little Amanda and Alexandra were dead! If I had known—com" our mum trailed off. I never knew what had happened, I always assumed that our parents let this happen willingly. Skyla and I just hugged her tighter and our new dad and brother too when they joined the group.

"Do you want us to call you...erm...mum?" I asked, trying out the British accent on the word Mum.

"Only if you want, and you can keep your names if you like!" she said.

"Hell no!" Skyla said vehemently. "That place gave us those names, From now on, I'm Amanda or Mandy Potter!" She was talking in a British accent. "Also, from now on, I'm _so_ ditching the American accent. Now that I know that this should be my normal voice, it will be!"

"I'm with you, sis! From now on, I'm Alexandra or Alex Potter, a proud Brit!" I said in the accent. Mum hugged us closer and then pulled us back to look at us.

"You're both so thin! What happened to your eyes? They were blue! And how did you change accents so quickly?"

We explained everything to our family and to Dumbledore. Mum and Dad didn't care at all that they had two mutant bird kid, vampire, double werewolf, veela daughters in the family and James was thrilled to death. We even morphed to look like him for a second before going back to normal.

"Perhaps this weekend you can get to know your family better. I give the three of you permition to go home this weekend, now off to class with you and give Professor Slughorn this explanatory note!" Dumbledore said. The three of us nodded and took the note before hugging our parents goodbye.

We walked happily down to the dungeons and right into potions class.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, the Misses Caraway, do you have a good reason for your tardiness?" Professor Slughorn asked. James, Mandy, and I walked up and gave him the note. "I see, take your seats. Mr. Potter, by Miss Evans. Miss Amanda, by Mr. Black, and Miss Alexandra, by Mr. Lupin!" Slughorn said. I smiled and sat down by Remus.

The rest of the class went by quickly enough and was soon over. As the six of us walked out into the hall, Sirius asked, "What did Professor Dumbledore want? Why did Slughorn give you different names?"

"We're triplets!" James, Mandy, and I said together.

"No way! Are you serious?" Remus asked.

"They're not serious, _I'm_ Sirius!" Sirius said.

"We're totally serious. Professor Dumbledore did a herritage potion and everything!" I said.

"Hey, you sound British now!" Peter said.

"We found out that Skyla and Stella weren't even our real names, just coad names, so we've ditched our ties with them completely, including our accents." Mandy said.

"Yup!" I said, popping the p. "Turns out, she's Amanda Katherine Potter and I'm Alexandra Elizabeth Potter, Mandy and Alex. James is the oldest, Mandy's the middle child, and I'm the youngest by two minutes. We're all two minutes apart."

"Wow! Now their's three Potters!" Sirius said.

"Uh-huh—com" I started.

"YOU wouldn't believe—com" Mandy continued.

"What mischief we'll make—com" James continued.

"Together as triplets!" we all finished.

"Nice job, James! You're fitting into the multiple lifestyle nicely!" I said.


	24. From Ugly to Pretty

From Uglie to Pretty: Lily's story

An attempt to write a story in the book series with Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras as book titles… and it all just goes off the rails… Again, what the HECK was I thinking? Feel free to let me know! 😊

Chapter One: Almost Pretty

I sprawled out on my bed and sighed. "Almost pretty, just two more days!" I flicked a bit of my frizzy brown hair out of my ugly grey eyes. Soon, I would be with all of my friends. The only person left that I knew who wasn't turned was Zack, my best friend. We were really close, almost like brother and sister.

"Time for bed!" the wall said. I didn't want to go to sleep, I was restless, so I slipped off my interface ring, slipped into my stealth clothes, grabbed my hoverboard, and jumped out of the window out onto the tree branch by my dorm room window. My room mate had been turned three months ago, the no good snitch, so I had the room to myself. I swiftly climbed down to the ground and got on my hoverboard. It felt good to be on it, grippy shoes and all. Wanting to see all of my old friends and to spy on the new pretties, I flew across the river separating Uglyville from New Prettytown and stashed my board in a thick bush of the Pleasure Garden I had landed in.

I crept swiftly along in the bushes. The sight that I came apon was shocking to say the least. My older New Pretty sister, Soleil, was making out with one of my best guy friends, Ricky, who had just gotten turned last month. Soleil had been turned a year and a half ago. They were both so beautiful. Soleil had wavy caramel hair and captivating blue eyes now unlike her dirt brown eyes and blondish brown hair that was even frizzier then mine. Ricky's thin dark brown hair was now a suave black color and fell handsomely into his beautiful golden brown eyes. From far away, I could hear a "_YAHOOOOOOO!"_ from a party spire. Having enough of New Pretty Town and of Soleil and Ricky making out, I decided to go to bed now. After all, I just had to endure tomorrow in Uglyville, then I'd be ready to be pretty.

Chapter Two: The Operation

The next day went by slower then one of those snails they had back in the Rusty times. The next night I went to the old Rusty Ruins and rode my board through the old roller coaster before going back home.

Finally, it was the day, April 1st. I stood outside with the few Ugly possessions I wanted to take, a family picture and a stuffed bear, I was quite boardWhen would the hovercar be here to pick me up? Did they decide that I was too ugly to become pretty? What was up? Just as I was getting really worried, I saw the hovercar flying towards me. It stopped and the door opened. "Lily Petalflower?" asked a nice middle pretty behind the wheel.

"Yes!" I said, almost jumping up and down with excitement as I hopped in the car.

"Excited, kid?" he asked.

"Yeah! I can't believe I'm getting turned today, it's so exciting!"

"Yeah! It's great! Got anyone to wait for you?"

"Yeah! Their's my parents Lydia and Perry, my older sister Soleil, my best girl friend Veronica, one of my closest guy friends Ricky and Cirina, another friend."

"Oh! I've got a kid turning twelve this year, her name's Tympany. Oh, here we go, come on!" We were at the New Prettytown Hospital, it was almost time. I quickly followed the Middle Pretty inside. "You be okay?" he asked as I sat in a chair in the waiting room.

"Yeah!" I said. The man left, probably to pick someone else up.

I didn't have to wait long before a nurse came out. "Lily Petalflower?"

"That's me!" I said as I stood up and headed towards the nurse.

"Very good! You'll be in this room!" said the nurse as we went down the hall with me trailing behind. She stopped at the door to a room with a lot of doctor's gadgets. I lie down on the bed and waited.

After about an hour, a few doctors and the nurse came in. She was holding a mask and she put it up to my face.

"Just count backwards from five!" she said soothingly. I did what she said and was out before I could reach three.

I woke up some hours later with the feeling of a major sunburn. "Ugh!" I groaned groggily. "Hurts, so...pain-making."

"I see you're up!" said a deep voice of a Middle Pretty doctor.

"Ummm hmmm!" I said.

"I think you'll want to look at yourself!" said the doctor. "Go on, get up and look." I slowly got out of bed, wincing at my tender Pretty skin. Their was a mirror in a corner of the room. I went to it and looked. I was _so_ pretty! My frizzy brown hair was a neatly curling red. My ugly, squinty grey eyes were now big and green. My nose was beautiful, my face was full just like my pretty pink lips, my teeth were perfect, my figure was _beautiful._ Now, my new Pretty life would begin.

Chapter Three: New Prettytown

I was released a few hours later and welcomed into Pretty society by Lydia, Perry, Soleil, Ricky, Veronica, and Cirina.

"Ooooh!" Cirina said. "You're hair and eyes are so pretty-making!"

"Yeah, totally!" I said.

"She's right, Lily!" Lydia said. "Totally bubbly!"

"Yeah! And you know what's bublier?" Perry asked.

"What? What?" I asked, excited.

"I'm going to have a baby, totally bubly, huh? I'm totally excited, but it's totally hunggry-making. I want some foooood, Perry-wa!"

"No problem, Lydie-la! We're going back to Middle Prettytown, bye-bye!" with that, Lydia and Perry were off.

"So, guess what?" Soleil asked.

"What, tell me!" I said.

"You're in Spiro Mansion with me and Cirina and Ricky and Soleil! It's, like, the _bes_ party mansion _ever,_ except maybe Valentino!"

"Oh yay! That's like so bubbly and, like, happy-making. What good parties are their tonight?"

"We've got an awesome black tie going on tonight!" Ricky said in his pretty, deep voice. But their's hot airing and jumping and lots of stuff. Spiro's got the highest party spires in New Prettytown, so it's, like, the best for jumping. They also built this new ice rink above this place where their's all these fireworks going off under you while you ice skate and this new thing that, like, totally spins you way fast and chucks you off of Spiro's north party spire."

"Ooooh, so it's totally dizzy-making?" I asked.

"Yeah, we're even thinking about making a new clique, the Spinners!" Soleil said.

"Fun! Show me to my room!"

They all took me to Spyro. It turns out that I was in the beach room. The walls were light blue and the floor was white wood. Soleil said that this room was the best for the newest New Pretties. She said that she had been their and the whole in the wall had a great sense of style. I said goodbye to my friends and got ready for my first party.

"Hole, give me the, like, most pretty-making black tie dance dress! Don't disappoint!" Right at that moment a dress shot out of the whole along with a matching pair of shoes. The dress was all black and sparkly and the shoes were high heeled and so great!

"_Oooooh!_ So _pretty-making!"_ I thought to myself. I brushed back my red hair into a ponytail with a diamond clip, put on a diamond neclace I had found from Lydia and Perry, and headed out of my room.

"Ohmigod, Lily-wa! You're, like, so pretty-making in that dress. Most New Pretties are, like, so fashion-missing!" Soleil said as I met her at the foot of Spyro's north party spire. She was wearing a red dress with matching shoes and ruby jewelry. She even had rubies in her eyes.

"Ooh, thanks, Soleil-la! You're, like, totally pretty-making too, seriously! I love the new serge! So where's Ronni-wa and Ricky-la and Rina-la?" I asked. Just then, Ricky ran over.

"Lily-wa!" Ricky shouted. "Hey! Ronni and Rina ditched us for a Valentino party, so it's just us. I, like, think they found some pretty-making guy or something!"

"Ooooh, that's so sad-making! So let's go on that spinny thingy! I can't wait for, like, the most dizzy-making experience!" I squealed, but their was a part of my mind that said, "Why are you acting like that?"

We took the elevator all the way to the top to find the spinny deal their.

"This is, like, the opening night for this, so it's good that today's your birthday!" Soleil said. "Oh, and how about some whine? It, like, makes things way more fun."

"Okay!" I said as I took a glass and downed it. "Gimme more gimme more! This is, like, the bubbliest thing I ever drank." After a few glasses of whine, I pulled on Ricky's arm.

"C'mon, Ricky-la! Let's go!"

"We, like, need bungy jackets!" Ricky said with a laugh.

"Oh, okay!" I said, breaking into gales of laughter. After we had them on, Ricky, Soleil, and I got on the spinner.

"Make it, like, the most dizzy-making speed ever!" we all shouted. Hearing our command, the spinner started to twirl us around way fast.

"This is so bubbly!" I shouted. Just as I thought I might puke, the machine gave a big learch and we flew off of the top of the spire.

"Ricky-la!" I shouted.

"Lily-wa!" he shouted back.

"This is _so_ dizzy-making!" the three of us shouted as we plunged towards earth. At about half way down, Ricky and I got tangled together and when our jackets activated, the two of us landed in a heap with Soleil a few feet away.

"Ooooh! That was _so_ fun, seriously! I said. But I liked falling with you, Ricky. It was, like, so blissful-making!"

"Yeah:" Ricky said. "So, how about we take some wine and go to the Pleasure Gardens?"

"Okay!" I said happily. Out of the building came a bottle with two cups. "See you later, Soleil-la! We really should make the Spinners!" I said before I left with Ricky, still wondering why I was acting like such a bubblehead.

Chapter Four: Pretty Bubbles

"Ugh!" I groaned as I sat up in my bed. My interface ring red three o'clock. "That was so blissful-making, but this hangover is totally pain-making." I said to myself. "Why did I just say that? I think the Pretty serge does something to our brains! Oh God, I know you might be just a Rusty belief, but if you're their, help, please?" I had no idea why I was such an airhead yesterday. I still felt like being one and it was hard not to be.

"That's it!" I said out loud. "I have a feeling that something's up and I'm gonna find out what. Ricky, Soleil, Ronni, Rina, they're not the same! I think their's something wrong and I'm am _going_ to find out what." I sighed and got up. I had such a hangover. Apparently, in Rusty times, people might be as old as twenty-one before they drank alcohol, now I knew why.

"Wall, please give me some jeans, a sweater, and tennis shoes." I said. I knew they were supposed to be Ugly clothes, but I didn't care. I brushed my red hair and almost wished for my brown hair back, I was too perfect and I didn't want to be.

"Soleil, Ricky!" I said.

"What's up, Lily-wa!" they both asked as I joined them in the garden by our mansion.

"Don't talk like that. Don't you wonder why we want to act like such airheads? Why we're so different? It's like we're not the same people. Think about us before we turned "pretty". Soleil, you loved pranks. Ricky, you loved to run around and play sports. Think about it all and the bubble will pop. I, like...oh no, I can't talk like that. I mean, You've got to think your way out of this. Somehow I think their's something wrong here. Soleil, do you even remember how to trick your hoverboard?"

"C'mon, Lily-wa, I—com" her eyes lit up like they did in the old days. "I can't believe I forgot. What's happened? And did I actually make out with you a week ago Ricky...ewww!"

"What's the matter, Soleil-la...yuck! I _did_ make out with you? What was _wrong_ with me!" Ricky said, his old gleam coming back. "I can't believe I forgot about the Rusty sports and hoverboarding and all of that!"

"We need to get Ronni and Rina on the same page!" I said. "It's some sort of mind reign that only some can fight. I bet they thought it was impossible to think yourself out of being pretty. It's still hard to not think Pretty."

We found Ronni and Rina hanging out on the other side of the garden.

"Hey Lily-wa, Ricky-la, Soleil-la!" they both hollered.

"Don't talk like that!" the three of us shouted.

"Don't you remember what it was like before you turned pretty?" I demanded.

"Don't you remember _not_ being such an airhead?" Soleil asked.

"Don't be...oh-my-god!" Ronni said. "I can't believe it. I used to help with your tricks, Soleil, and-and-and...eeeeeewwwwww! Three months in New Prettytown and I've already lost my virginity to a Valentino airhead guy."

"So what?" Rina asked. "That's totally..._gross!_ I can't believe it! But you're not as bad as me! I lost it to Carl Azusi of Garbo Mansion my first week!"

"I-I-I lost it last night!" I said, the reality of Ricky and my excursion to the Pleasure Gardens sinking in. "Come on, I don't care what we do, but we've got to do something. First, their's our parents. I think they should be rid of the Pretty Bubble, that's what I'll call it. Then, their's the whole city. I think we should transmit a message through everyone's interface rings that tells them to stop acting pretty or whatever. It will tell them to act how they did before they turned sixteen. You know the Specials? I bet this will work too. I don't know if they exist, but who else would be in charge? I wonder if we could transmit it to every interface ring in the world if we had help."

"Yeah, but from who?" Ricky asked.

"Zack!" I said. "I say tonight we go to Uglyvill. Once the Pretty Bubble is gone, maybe they can all restore us back to the way we were before, we were never ugly, just normal and their was never anything wrong with that." The four of them nodded in agreement.

At about nine, we all slipped out with new Pretty hoverboards and no interface rings. Soleil even undid the ruby serge that she had had done yesterday. Since this was Sunday, it counted as a new week so she could do that. Also, Ronni and Rina had their emeralds and sapphires taken out of their eyes and the jewels out of their hair. It felt _so_ good to be on my board with my grippy shoes. We flew right across the river, it felt like the old days when we'd spy on the New Pretties, now it was almost the other way around. We eventually got to Zack's third story window and knocked on it. When he came to it, his mouth fell open.

"Who are you?" he asked as we slipped in.

"Silly, you don't even remember us?" I asked jokingly. "That's so...oh no! I almost talked Pretty again."

"What do you mean? Is that you, Lily?"

"Yeah. I think they do things to our brains in the surgery to make us airheads. It almost worked for me, but I woke up normal. I was ten times more of an airhead then anyone. I'm still disgusted that I lost my...um...you know, in one knight. We need your help. You're a freaking tech genius, Zack. We want a message to be spread through all of the interface rings in the world in every language telling people to act like they did before they turned sixteen. Can you do that?" I asked.

"Whoa, yeah, I think so. I can even make it so that it doesn't stop until they do do it. For Uglies—com"

"Don't say that. People without the surgery aren't ugly, they're normal. We're the freaky and conformed ones." I snapped.

"Yeah, anyway, for everyone who hasn't turned, it won't go off. If they do turn while the message is still going on, it will activate. I can do that easily. Expect normal people by tomorrow."

"You're the best!" We all said. All of us, minus Zack, got on our hoverboards and flew back to New Prettytown. Half way across, I heard a ping that started to play itself.

"Break the bubble, let it break. Act like you did before. Break the bubble you were held in, come on come on!" After one time, mine shut off.

"I think we should check on Lydi...I mean, our parents, Soleil. I think we should call them Mom and Dad just like the Rusties did."

"Yeah, you three head back. Lils and I are going to Middle Prettytown." Soleil said.

We got to our parents' house around ten o'clock. We got off the hoverboards and knocked on the board.

"Soleil-la, Lily-wa!" Mom shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"We came to say hi, Mom!" I said.

"Yeah, where's dad." Soleil asked.

"Mom? Dad? Isn't that, like, a totally bogus Rusty thing?" Mom asked.

"It's not "bogus"." Soleil and I shouted as we made our way into the house. As we did, we heard two _ping_ sounds coming from Mom and Dad's interface rings. Dad was on the couch and Mom joined him while Soleil and I took the armchairs. Just then, the message started to play on both of their's, getting louder and louder until...

"This is totally bo...what? Why am I talking like an airhead, Lily? Soleil?" Mom asked.

"What's up, Lidi..._oh!"_ Dad said with a start. "I haven't felt so good since before I was sixteen. What happened?"

"Your Pretty Bubbles broke." I said.

"What?" both parents asked.

"Your Pretty bubbles." Soleil said.

"It's the way we were all forced to think when we became pretty, but we're not pretty. We're all almost the same, no variation, we were never ugly. I just want to be back to normal!" I said. Then, with a pop, I felt myself change back in an instant. My not-so-bad brown hair fell into my storm grey eyes, I wasn't ugly, just different from everyone else. Then, with a pop, Soleil became blonde and brown eyed again. She really wasn't as "ugly" as everyone made her out to be, neither of us were. With another _pop,_ Mom was brown eyed and brown haired and Dad had the same stormy grey eyes as me and the same blonde hair as Soleil. We actually looked like a family. Then, it was like everything was changing, my interface ring vanished and the house became more homey. The whole in the wall vanished and a whole bunch of things came back from Rusty times, but I felt like I knew how to use them. I ran over to look out of the window and found that each house had it's own unique quirks. The party spires of New Prettytown were no more, but their were some metal skyscrapers in the distance. Then, it hit me that this city was named Charlottesville Virginia. We were on our 100th president and the year was 2500. Their were hovercars in the street, but they were all different. No Pretties in sight. Then, I remembered that all of our friends lived across the street.

"Oh my god!" I said. "God _does_ exist, by what we did, we reversed what happened and made it like it never did."

"You guys had better go to bed!" Mom said. "You've got school tomorrow and you don't want to be late." This was so nice, I felt so happy, and I finally felt at home.

Epilogue

It's like the thing we did to make people forget the Pretty thing worked in more ways then one. I looked at the history books, yes, books were never destroyed, and found that they had stopped the oil thing from happening. Our president was President Analice Cable, one of the best yet. She was a kind looking woman with a sweet disposition and was determined to keep the world peaceful but open to new ideas and new things. I never would've known that President Cable was actually the head Special, Dr. Cable, if Tally Youngblood hadn't told me. Those who were against the Pretty way of life could remember some things about how it might've been. Mom had her babies a few months later, yes, they were triplets, two boys and a girl. If it had been Pretty society, the two prettiest would be illiminated, but that didn't happen. They were named Rose Lily Cirina, Ronald Sal, and Richard Zachary. Adults were good parents again and things were great.

Ricky and Soleil, big shocker their, got married a few years later in a real Christian church which wouldn't have happened in Pretty Society for their was no God in everyone's oppinion then. They wound up having three kids each born two years apart. Joseph William, Leila Jane, and Joshua Avery. Ronni and Rina actually married the "airheads; mentioned earlier, but they weren't really airheads anymore. Ronni had one little boy, Tyler, while Rina had a boy and a girl, Luke and Jennifer (Jen).

I eventually became a doctor and Zack an employee at Nanosoft, formerly known as Microsoft, making new pieces of technology and improving old ones like the antique computers from the dot com age (late 1900s and early 2000s). We fell deeper in love and eventually married and had more kids then anyone we knew, six. Funny thing was, they were two sets of perfectly identical triplets. Danielle, Isabel, and Alexa, and Ryan, Jacob, and Zachary. I loved my little family and my life and everything was all right, I knew it. The scary, Pretty society was gone and it wasn't coming back.


	25. Ghost Girl

Amy

An attempt to write a story in which a female Harry becomes half-ghost and meets up with Danny and company…

Chapter One: Accident

Damn prophecy, damn Dumbledore, damn Sirius, dam, _dam,_ _DAM!_ Those were the thoughts running through my mind as I trudged through the streets of Little Whinging long after the street lights were on, not wanting to go to my so-called family's home at Privet Drive, to go to sleep, to return to my nightmares. Who am I, you ask? I am Alice-Marie Lilymie Potter...ugh! Everyone calls me Alice, Allie, Al, or Potter, _NEVER_ Alice-Marie. I didn't really pay attention to where I was and I really didn't care. Vaguely, a half-block or so ahead, I saw the old chem lab that hadn't been used since the seventies but still had things lying about. From behind me I heard boisterous laughter and slurred comments. Luck wasn't on my side, apparently, for their was my cousin Dudley's gang in all its drunken, doped-up, idiocy. They seemed extremely drunk and/or stoned tonight and extremely happy. Either Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't care what their "ickle dudleykins" was doing or they were more stupid than I thought, taking his dim-witted excuses "I'm spending the night at so-and-so's house" seriously. I began to pick up my pace just as the five goons spotted me.

"Oy loo' a' tha', bi' D! In't tha' yar freak o' a cous?" slurred Peers Polkis.

"Gd'eye, Polkis, yeah, tha's the freak ight 'ere." Dudley slurred back. As the gang began to close in on me I scowled and turned to Dudley.

"Gee, Big D, you sure are a coward. Not only are you facing a girl pissed out of your mind but you're facing her five pissed-out, stoned guys to one sober, clean girl." I said scathingly.

"How dare ya freak talkin' t'me like tha'? Oh ya gonna ge' wha's comin' to ya, ya freak!" Dudley slurred, winding up his fist. Their I go again, me and my big mouth getting me into an even worse situation. I wouldn't be surprised if Dudley let his gang play their favorite game with me, Potter Pounding. With a sigh I ducked under Dudley's speeding fist and pushed through a gap in the gang. Then, the chase was on. I might not look it because I'm small and really thin but I'm wicked fast if I may say so myself. I ran from them and kept running. I cursed, however, because this road was a col-de-sac that just lead into the abandoned chemistry lab. Calculating the risks for just a second I decided to do what could have been the stupidest thing I ever did, I began to climb the chain-link wall. Halfway down the other side, however, my feet stumbled on a broken link. Before I could stop myself, before anything could be done, I went careening through the air and the last thing I saw was a barrel of green goo before I was filled with searing pain and I fell unconscious.

I woke up just as the sun was rising, I was sprawled out on the cracked concrete of the courtyard of the lab in a pile of green goo. With a groan I picked myself up and stretched. What the bloody hell happened? As I stretched I could have sworn I saw black sleeves and silver-gloved hands on myself but when I looked again all was normal. My skin, well-freckled from working in my aunt's garden, and my sleeves, ragged because the shirt used to belong to Dudley, were their like normal. I shrugged and, with a final stretch, began climbing over the wall again. I made it "home" before anyone was up and slipped into my bedroom. The rest of the day passed in normal fashion but I still wondered about what that was all about throughout the day. Dudley, much to my pleasure, seemed in a very foul mood because of my escape that could have killed me. He must have thought I would die when I went into the green goo. I was still wondering about what I had seen as I brushed my teeth that night. I looked into the mirror, I looked the same to me. My round face, my nose with a slight upturn, my full lips and high cheekbones, my almond-shaped emerald green eyes, and my wavy red hair. Everyone says that I look just like my mum, their's hardly any of my dad in me except in personality. I do have more of the Potter body build, apparently, what with the nobby knees and such. In the middle of my forehead was a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt, my trademark as the girl-who-just-wouldn't-bloody-die. I sighed, it must have been my emagination. I felt so hopeless then, like nothing would ever go right for me. The prophecy made itself known in my mind again, I gritted my teeth. The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him...born as the seventh month dies...and the dark lord shall mark them as his equal...and they will have the power the dark lord knows not...either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches.

"Well what the bloody fucking hell _is_ this power?" I grumbled irritably to myself, banging the bathroom counter. Suddenly, however, their was a flash of silver at my waste. It separated into two silver rings, one going up my body and one going down it, finally disappearing, leaving someone I didn't recognize. My hair, once dark red, was now a shade of purest snow white no longer cascading down my back as it was earlier but in a ponytail. My eyes stayed green but they seemed to glow with some ethereal light. My skin was much tanner than it was before. I took a good look at my outfit then, it was not my old hand-me-downs from today or even last night. My hands were covered by silver gloves, my feet by silver shoes. Around my waste was a silver belt and the shirt had a slightly dipped neck and was trimmed in silver. The seems of the entire outfit seemed silver as well. The shirt and pants I wore, however, were black and on my chest in silver was a lightning-bolt, again with the trademarks. On my arm was a black wand holster that I didn't have normally and, thanks to God, in it was my wand but it just wasn't the same. My wand, in this form, had even changed, perhaps since it was with me when I fell and might have intigrated some of the green goo into the very core. It was now the deepest black with swirls of gleaming silver and emerald running through it. The scar on my forehead, sad to say, was still their, damn.

"What the _HELL?"_ I asked myself aloud. "I look like...like...like some sort of spector...but the only sorts of ghosts are magical, transparent, and colorless, aren't they?" I sighed and banged my fist on the counter, frustrated. Only when it hit the counter it phased right through.

"What the hell am I?" I asked myself. The next time I tried to touch the counter my hand touched it like normal. Before I could experiment more, however, their was a pounding on the door.

"What's taking you so long, girl?" my aunt barked from the other side. Bugger! Go human, go human, go human, _PLEASE_ be normal again! Just as I thought that, the same rings passed up and down me and I was normal again.

"Erm, sorry, Aunt Petunia." I appologized as I left. Aunt Petunia merely sniffed, brushed past me into the bathroom, and shut the door. I sighed and crept back to my room, mind spinning at this new development. What was this all about? What happened to me? Was it that crap I fell into the night before? Making sure my door was shut tight I looked in the mirror. Was I just imagining things again? Giving myself false hope?

"C'mon, go all spectery!" I said out loud and then scouled when it didn't work. . "Be ghostly...become a ghost...spector up...go ghost!" on the last one the rings started at my waste and separated like they did before.

"Hell yeah!" I piped. "Now what can I do? Never normal am I? Half-dead?" I sighed. To prove I really was some sort of spector I took a deep breath and rushed through the dresser. I stopped and gasped, I was nose-to-nose with the cracked mirror, sticking out of the dresser.

"Bloody brilliant!" I murmured. "I can phase through things...what else can I do?" with that question My body sort of spasmed and I suddenly couldn't see myself. No more need for dad's cloak then? What's next, flying? Becoming visible again I decided to give it a shot. Going to the middle of the room and kicking from the carpet I suddenly went whizzing up through the roof, out into the sky.

"Brilliant!" I exclaimed. "I can't believe this! Now just how fast can I go?" Grinning like a maniac I got in what I thought would be the best flying position and zoomed off. After awhile I grew confident and started doing loop-de-loops and other sorts of tricks. Something caught me off guard, however, in the form of a little silver vaper slipping out of my mouth and a slight hiccup that I also gave off. I turned around to see another specter...um...thing behind me.

"What the hell?" I questioned.

Danny's POV:

We were in England for the summer. Jazz had been accepted at a university here and she was really excited. We were helping to move her in and everything. Mom and Dad, of course, had to bring a portable ghost-portal with them, something that I was shocked made it through customs, so my ghost problems continued in the town we were staying in, Little Whinging. Thankfully, though, Tucker and Sam came with and were a great help. One night in mid-July, I was taking an evening fly. It was twilight, the sun had barely set. Just as I was relaxing, however, my ghost sense went off. In the distance I saw two figures, ghosts, the both of them. One looked like my sort of ghost, dressed in black, white hair, and the other one was glowing green, some sort of vicious creature. I flew closer to view the first figure. It was a girl, perhaps about thirteen or fourteen, if she was older I couldn't tell because she was quite small and petite. She wore an outfit a lot like mine with silver gloves, shoes, and belt. The collar swooped in a little more and was trimmed in silver, the seems of the entire outfit throughout seemed to be made of silver making stripes in a few places. However, their was a black thing holding a stick of some sort that was also black swirled with silver and emerald. The girl had tan skin like me, I noticed first. When I got a good view of her chest I saw a silver lightning-bolt on it. I wondered what that was all about until I looked up into her face. It was round and kind-looking but looked to have a hidden edge to it. Her eyes were emerald green, boardering on glowing like ectoplasm, just like my ghost eyes were. Her hair was snow white blowing behind her in a long, wavy ponytail that would go down to her waste. In the center of her forehead was a scar, a scar like a bolt of lightning.

"What the hell?" she questioned, wirling around. Her accent gave her away as a Brit straight away.

"Descendant of the destroyer of my mistress...I shall have you...rip you...tear you...ghost-witch!" the creature hissed in the same accent before launching something at the girl. She frowned and dodged aside.

"What in bloody hell?" she snapped. "I've got an evil dark lord after me and now I've got some insane specter thingy? Un-be-fucking-lievable!" rage surfaced in those emerald pools that were her eyes and suddenly her right hand lit up in green energy. She made to punch the creature but instead the green hurled from her hand and hit the ghost.

"You shall have to try better than that, ghost-witch." the creature cackled. Ghost-witch? What was the ghost talking about?

"I dunno what you want with me but why don't you crazy specter...thing just _LEAVE_ _ME_ _ALONE?"_ she yelled angrily. The creature was shoved backwards at each eccentuated word but its red eyes glinted maliciously at her.

"Now that you are half like us, ghost-witch, my mistress and her faithful servants, such as myself, shall not rest until you are disposed of! I shall leave for now but _KEEP_ _THAT_ _IN_ _MIND!"_ then, in a green poof, the ghost simply disappeared.

"Are you okay?" I couldn't help but ask as I flew over to her.

Alice-Marie's POV:

"Are you okay?" I couldn't help but stare at the boy specter that floated before me. He wore an outfit much like mine save for the fact he had no wand holster and, on his chest, their was a silver DP. Also, their were no silver seems and the neck of his shirt was all silver, going up a bit of the neck itself. His face was rather kind but sharp-looking, he had glowing green eyes, and snow white hair kept short and slightly messy.

"Oh Merlin's beard, not another one of you specter thingies!" I couldn't help but groan.

"Erm, the propper term is ghost. Haven't you been to the Ghost Zone yet? You really ought to know what we are seeing as you are one." the boy said, his voice carrying a Yankee accent, though I was unsure of what region in America he was from.

"Well excuse the hell out of me! The only ghosts I've ever seen are transparent, echos of witches and wizards who have lived before, not wanting to cross to the other side, not these eerie green things and people with colors!" I exclaimed. The boy's eyebrow arched in surprise.

"Witches and wizards?" he asked inquiringly.

"But of course, the only ghosts that exist are witches and wizards aren't they? Nearly Headless Nick...poor fellow...never allowed to join the Headless Hunt...told me so. He told me what things Muggles see as ghosts don't really exist, that only magical people can see and become them. And what is this Ghost Zone thing you're talking about?" I asked, the thought that this mysterious ghost boy wasn't a wizard not even crossing my mind.

"Witches and wizards? Are you...well...okay?" the specter...no...the ghost boy asked.

"Oh yeah. I'm totally...totally..." but my vision went fuzzy and I sank into darkness.

Danny's POV:

"Oh yeah. I'm totally...totally..." but suddenly the mysterious girl blacked out, swayed in the air, and started tumbling towards the ground. She was a ghost...was this supposed to happen? I rushed down and caught her in my arms, slowly flying to the ground. I landed just in time to see two silver rings appear around her middle and separate leaving not a ghost girl but a human one. I leaned her up against the wall of a nearby building and took a good look at her. Her face shone pale in the rising moon, just the same as her ghost face but more fair and with the addition of a smattering of freckles on her cheeks and nose. On her forehead the strange scar still existed, like a red lightning-bolt arcing across her otherwise flawless skin. Hanging down in a loose curtain of waves all the way down to her waste was beautiful dark red hair, rich, almost like blood, so unlike my mom and Jasmine's orangish-red hair. Her frame was very small, very thin, and she wore clothes that were much too big for her. How did this girl...this very strange girl...become a halfa like me? Gently I shook her, wishing that she would wake. Her ghost powers must still be unstable, settling in. She had obviously gotten them very, very, very recently. Eventually she groaned and blinked open her eyes, eyes that were just as much a startling emerald as they were in her ghost form except, perhaps, without the ectoplasmic glow but some power glowed in their none-the-less.

Alice-Marie's POV:

"Eh?" I muttered as the world came back into focus.

"You way overdid it." the ghost boy from earlier chided. "Imagine my shock when I carry you down here only to see you turn human!" Oh god! What would happen now? Would he tell my secret? What was going to happen to me? As if reading my mind the ghost boy chuckled.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. You see, I'm a half-ghost too." Then, to prove my point, silver rings encircled him and sepearated showing a different boy. He wore a pair of sneakers, blue jeans, and a white T-shirt with a red oval in the middle and red trimmed sleeves and collar. His skin was much more fair, his somewhat messy hair was now black, and his eyes were the most stunning crystal blue I'd ever seen. I couldn't help but gape.

"How...wha...bloody...impossible...Merlin's balls...I can't believe..." I trailed off.

"Merlin's balls?" he questioned, quirking an eyebrow. "You people are wierd."

"Hmph, so are you. What brings you this side of the pond?" I couldn't help but ask.

"My sister, Jasmine. She got accepted to a college here and we're helping her settle in. I'm Daniel Fenton by the way, most just call me Danny. In my ghost form the "Fenton" is traded for "Phantom," though." the boy, now known as Danny, said.

"Oh. I'm Alice-Marie Potter but if you call me "Alice-Marie" you...will...die! Most people just call me Alice, Allie, Al, or Potter. I dunno what name I'd use as a ghost, I only just found myself like that today. How'd you become like this? How old are you?" I asked.

"Oh, a lab accident when I was fourteen." Danny shrugged. "My parents hunt ghosts for a living and they had just finished a portal. My friends, Sam and Tucker, and I wanted to go explore it so I got all suited up and thought I should be the first one in, they agreed since it was my parents' portal. Well Tucker, he's sort of a techno-geek, plugged it up but nothing happened. My parents accidentally put the on button on the inside so I tripped inside, pressed the on button, and _zap,_ half-ghost. I just turned sixteen on the first, what about you? How did you become half-ghost? How old are you? Thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Well I haven't been sleeping that well lately so I left the house for a walk. My cousin and his gang are sort of a nasty bunch and they like to pound on me a bit. They were a bit drunk and kinda stoned but I was able to duck away from them. About half a block away from the confrontation their was an old chemicals lab that hasn't been used for decades. I decided that the only way I could get away from those losers was to scale the fence since it was a dead end so I did. Unfortunately for me, my foot caught on the way down and I fell into this barrel of glowing green crud and passed out. I woke up around sunrise this morning and snuck back home before anybody could notice I was gone. And I'll _HAVE_ _YOU_ _KNOW_ that i'm fifteen, I'll be sixteen on the thirty-first."

Danny's POV:

"Wow, that's...um...interesting. It must suck to have a cousin like that, especially in the same town. I don't have any cousins, just an aunt in Arkansas and she's divorced with no kids. So Alice, what do your parents do? They must be something more interesting than mine." I said, Alice-Marie's face clowded with anger. Was I a bit tactless?

"What do my parents do, Danny, what do my parents _DO?_ Other than dying they do nothing, thank you." Alice-Marie said sharply, I winced. "I just-so-happen to _live_ with my aunt, uncle, and my oh-so-lovely cousin."

"Uh, sorry?" I ventured.

Alice-Marie's POV:

"Not your fault, it's all right. I'm just...touchy. I was their when they died. I was just fifteen months old so I barely remember them but sometimes I have nightmares about what happened that Halloween night...the man who killed them tried to kill me too, thus the scar. My aunt and uncle said it was a car crash but I learned the truth when I was eleven. Before I go on with my story I need you to tell me one thing, are you a wizard? Do you know about magic?" it had hit me then just how careless I had been with this boy. By the sounds of it he lived in a perfectly Muggle family and their I was earlier praddling on about witches and wizards like they really were, not that the Muggles knew that, of course. Danny's face clouded in confusion.

"Erm, sorry?" he asked. "Witches and wizards? I s'pose they could exist since someone like me does but what does this have to do with you?" boys, sweet boys, sometimes I thank God for just how thick they can be.

"Oh bugger! Look...I'm really sorry...but if you don't know than I can't tell, all right? I'd rather like too but I'd be breaking laws." I said. "And the only reason I haven't obliviated you is because I'm under-age. It was really nice meating you, Daniel Fenton." with that, I ran off, jumped into the air, went ghost, and flew away back home.

Chapter Two: Magical Me

Danny's POV:

That was really wierd. I sighed and watched the strange girl fly away until she was just a black speck in the purple night's sky.

"It was nice meeting you, Alice-Marie Potter." I whispered as I turned away, went ghost, and flew back to the house we had rented for the summer.

The next morning Sam and Tucker seemed to realize something was up with me so they pulled me aside right after breakfast to question me.

"What's up, Danny?" Tucker asked.

"Yeah, you're acting really strangely." Sam admited.

"I met another one." I said simply as I sank onto the couch.

"_WHAT?"_ they both exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah, another halfa." I said.

"Are you sure they weren't created or aren't employed by Plasmius?" Sam asked, I shook my head.

"No, I'm sure. She's British...that's pretty obvious...but when I found her she didn't even know what she was."

"_REALLY?"_ they both questioned.

"Yeah. Some creature tried to attack her and went off about her being the descendant of the one who killed her mistress and how it would have its revenge. She was all like WTF and vented about already having some dark lord after her and now being faced with some weird spector thingy. After that she ghost-zapped the creature. It taunted how she'd have to do better than that and now she was half like them it and its mistress wouldn't rest until she was disposed of. The oddest thing of all was it kept calling her ghost-witch like ghosts call me ghost-boy and ghost-child. The ghost disappeared and we formally met each other. She started rambling about ghosts and witches and wizards and how could spectors have colors and how could she be one and other stuff. I mentioned the ghost zone and she didn't have a clue about that. When she started talking about witches and wizards I asked if she was all right. She almost said she was but she passed out, I caught her, and she turned human. Once she was awake again I showed her my human side to keep things even. I know for sure this time that she's no clone because she doesn't look a thing like me. She's got red hair and emerald green eyes as well as this really weird lightning scar on her forehead. She said she was being chased by her cousin the night before and climbed the fence to a chemicals lab. She tripped on a link and fell into what she said was green goo, I bet it was ectoplasm. aShe's going to be sixteen on the 31st, her name's Alice-Marie, and she's orphaned. She then asked me if I was a wizard. When I said an obvious no she cursed and said something about not being able to tell me and how she might have tried obliviating me if she was of age. I don't know what she was playing at, how could witches and wizards exist?" I finished with the big question. Tucker looked just as lost as I did but Sam looked rather uncomfortable.

"Do you know anything, Sam?" Tucker asked, spotting her look.

"Nothing you guys need to know...or can know." she whispered this last part to herself.


	26. Green Lake Girl

Green Lake Girl

An attempt to write… ugh… a female insert in the Holes book/movieverse, assigned to Camp Greenlake for something she didn't do, even though it seems to be an all-boys camp… blah blah blah… (cringe!)

Chapter One: Welcome to Camp Green Lake

I sat on an old bus that had no air conditioning whatsoever. My hands, cuffed behind me, drummed uselessly on the seat back. All that I saw going past the windows outside was desert sand, desert sand and wholes.

Damn my no good dirty rotten pig stealing great great great uncle and his sister, my no good dirty rotten pig stealing great great grandmother. And may my evil twin sister rot in Hell. Yeah, I was just a bundle of sunshine, wasn't I? I was here for something I didn't do, but the judge believed my sister over me, and so did my parents. It was the family curse. Ever since my no good dirty rotten twin ancestors stole that pig and never helped that old lady up the hill too, we've been cursed. Twins were always born to my family, perfectly identical twins, just like me. A good one and an evil. It was her fault I was here. I sighed and attempted to brush some of my curly red hair out of my face without my hands. "Gha!" I squeaked as the bus hit another speed bump. The bus driver, a hairy old fart, looked back at me and smiled a nasty smile with his broken teeth as if to say, "You deserve this, kid."

After several more minutes of hot, sweaty, sticky torture, the bus came to a jerking stop with me slamming into the seat in front of me.

"Come on, girl, get up and follow me!" the driver-guard said gruffly. I slowly got up from my sticky seat and tried to gather up my bag from the seat to my left.

"Guess I'd better undo those!" the man said with a sneer. He walked over, roughly grabbed my arms, and undid the cuffs.

"Thanks!" I said with a shy smile. He almost smiled back before he realized I was a "delinquent". I flexed my wrists, grabbed my old Jamsport bag and my guitar case, and followed the guard off the bus. I stepped off to see desert ground and several tents. The guard led me over towards a small cabin. He opened the door and we stepped inside. Their was actually air! Thank _god_ for the dude that invented AC, they should be made a saint. Yes, Saint AC Man. Oh, their's me and my sarcasm again.

"I've got the new girl." the guard said, giving me a slight shove forward.

"Ah yes!" said a man in his late forties, maybe early fifties, while noisily chomping on sunflower seeds. "Alexandria Lilith Tomlinson. Born October 13: 1991. You're sixteen and your crime is of being caught on camera in a mall stealing several high end items in the middle of the night. Your sentence is eighteen months. Well." The man then went to a mini fridge in the back and pulled out two sodas. He took one for himself and handed the other to the driver who thanked him and left.

"Let me see your bag." the man said. I handed him my bags and he started to rifle through my backpack before opening up my guitar case to find my Gibson inside. . "My name is Mr. Sir. When you talk to me, you will address me as such, do you understand, girly?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Sir!" I said with a roll of my eyes and a mock salute.

"You better watch your mouth, missy! Here's your bags, now come with me!" Mr. Sir said. I followed him out onto the sand and toward another cabin. "Do you see any guard towers here? Any armed guards?"

"No, Mr. Sir. All I see is holes for me to fall in." I said.

"Watch it, girl. Their ain't no towers cause their ain't no place to run too. You try and run and them buzzards will pick ya clean before three days have gone." he said. Then, he pulled a gun out. "Stand back!" I jumped back and he shot. Not at me, but at some critter in the sand.

"Wha-what the _hell?"_ I demanded.

"That was a yellow spotted lizard, missy. I wouldn't use this on you, I've got better things to do." We went in to the cabin to find rows of ugly black boots and racks of orange jump suits. Mr. Sir looked me over as if sizing me up. I was five ten and slim. I had some muscle from being on the basketball and track teams and I had calluses from playing my Gibson so much.

"Yes, these will do!" Mr. Sir said, throwing me two sets of the orange jump suits. "Whát size shoe you wear, girly?"

"Twelve womens, ten mens!" Mr. Sir found a pair of the boots and tossed them to me. Luckily I was a good catch. As we came outside, we came upon a man who looked slightly younger then Mr. Sir. He looked extremely dumb in his cowboy hat and his ears were folded down under it like he didn't know how to wear the hat otherwise.

"Alexandria Tomlinson, I know you've done some bad things but that doesn't mean you're a bad person. You'll be in the D tent and I'll be your counselor. The D stands for diligence. My name is Dr. Penndanski, pronounced Pen-dans-kee!" he said in a Southern voice.

"Hello Dr. Pendanski!" I said in fake politeness as I walked away with him towards my new tent. "So, what was your major in college? Was it adolescent psychology or was it something else?" Dr. P turned red in the face.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's relevant! Now here's D tent!" we had come upon a grubby little tent with the letter D on the flap. He then shouted, "Hey boys! Come on out here and meet your new tent mate!" Boys? Did he just say boys? That stupid ass judge didn't say anything about boys! I thought this was a coed camp! _God_ oh _GOD!_ Several boys in orange filtered out of the tent. When they saw me, they just stared. Yes, I was tall and considered pretty, but the boys always went for stupid Adriana.

"This is Alexandria Tomlinson! Alexandria, meet Alan, Theodore, Jose, Rex, Jeff, Stanley, and Zero. Say hi!"

"Hi!" the boys said hesitantly. I was never good with guys and now I'd be in a whole tent full of them.

"Remember dinner is in a half hour and you meet me for counseling after that!" Dr. P said. "Alexandria, I suggest you change into your uniform." With that, he was gone. I and the other boys went back into the tent.

"Where's my...um...cot?" I asked, looking at the boys with nervous hazel eyes.

"You're the last one to the right!" said the boy named Stanley.

"Thanks, Stanley." I said shyly. I wasn't the shy type, but I felt like that all of the sudden.

"Excuse Dr. P out their!" said the boy with filthy glasses named Rex. "I'm X-Ray, he's Armpit, he's Magnet, he's Squid, he's Zigzag, he's Caveman, and he's Zero." He pointed to himself, Theodore, Jose, Alan, Jeff, Stanley, and...that other boy.

"Well, I'm Alex, just Alex. ALEXANDRIA is muy full name, but just call me alex. And X-Ray? If you really can use X-Ray, I'm warning you now, don't look where you shouldn't. Armpit, do you have bad B O? Glad my cot isn't next to yours. Magnet, you in here for stealing? Zigzag, drunk driving? Squid, did you try to drown someone? Caveman, did you set something on fire or something? What about you, Zero? What did you do?" All of the boys just started to laugh. "Seriously! Now get out of here! I have to change!" The boys stayed put.

"Nah!" Armpit said.

"Eww, pervert, get the hell _out_ or I might knock you out with my guitar!" I said.

"I'd like to see you try!" Armpit said teasingly. All of the boys were sniggering except for Caveman and Zero. Getting really pissed, I stocked over their and gave Armpit a hard kick where the sun doesn't shine. He yelped and doubled over in pain.

"Yowowowowowowowowowow! Wa-wha the fuuuuck!" he whined.

"That was for pissing me off and trying to get a good look up my pants, so I got a good kick up yours. Anyone else wanna try?" all of the boys backed away. Then, they dragged Armpit out of the tent along with them. I quickly got changed and grabbed my guitar to do some playing for a while. It always helped. I went to the flap and sat down. I then began to play a new country song that I liked.

I run from hate

I run from prejudice

I run from pessimists

But I run too late

I run my life

Or is it running me

Run from my past

I run too fast

Or too slow it seems

When lies become the truth

That's when I run to you

This world keeps spinning faster

To a new disaster, so I run to you

I run to you, baby

When it all starts coming undone

Baby, you're the only one I run too

I run to you

We run on fumes

your life and mine

like the sands of time

Slippin' right on through

Our love's the only truth

That's when I run to you

This world keeps spinning faster

To a new disaster, so I run to you

I run to you, baby

When it all starts coming undone

Baby, you're the only one I run too

I run to you

Oh oh, oh I run to you

This world keeps spinning faster

To a new disaster, so I run to you

I run to you, baby

When it all starts coming undone

Baby, you're the only one I run too

I run to you, I run to you

Oh oh, oh

Oooh I run to you.

As I finished the song, I noticed all of the D tent boys circled around me.

"You play?" X-Ray, obviously the leader, asked.

"Yeah, have been since I was a kid. I chose the guitar while my oh so perfect identical twin sister Adriana chose the piano so that made her _so_ much better. Me and my ex-boyfriend used to sing that, but that was before the trial. Like everyone else, he believed her and hee dumped me to be with her. I thought he loved me, but he was only a fairweather friend. Things are always stormy for me so I really have no friends, but everything is sunny in the life of Adriana Dia Tomlinson so she's surrounded by them." I said with a hint of bitterness. "So, how bout we go to the reckroom before dinner? We've still got a half hour!"

"Okay!" all of the boys except Armpit said.

"I think I'll stay back here and...um...heal for a while!" he said.

"I hope I didn't hurt you too badly, Armpit. I have a very bad temper and you don't want to piss me off." I said.

"I'm cool, but I would like the comfort of my cot for a few." he said.

"Okay!" I said as I headed off with the rest of the boys.

The reckroom was dirty and disgusting. The couches were wripped and tattered and the pool table had the signatures of tons of guys. Yup, I was the only girl here. Then, I saw the TV. It was cheap and small, but it was okay. Then, I saw the old N64 with four controlers.

"Up for a game, anyone?" I asked.

"No offense, but I don't want you getting beat too bad!" Zigzag said.

"Don't worry about me. You ever heard of that girl who's the Michigan gaming champ?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Magnet said. "She's totally hot...that curly red hair...those captivating hazel eyes...that figure...those playing skills! Totally—com"

"That's me, fudge-for-brains!" I snapped. "You, me, zigzag, and...Caveman, racing, _now!"_

"You're on!" the boys all said. We turned on the TV and the gaming system and began to play. I got myself an awesome red car while Magnet chose blue, Zigzag chose white, and Caveman chose black. THREE, TWO, ONE, _GO!_ we were off racing the terrain. I was way ahead. When one of the boys got close, I'd side swipe them into a wall or off the cliff. I was the one who won that game and all of the games after that. Then, before we knew it...

"Shit!" Squid exploded from his viewpoint. Their were a lot of guys around watching the new girl kick everyone's sorry asses. "It's seven, we've got counseling and we missed dinner!" We hurried and turned off everything before running back to the tend where we joined the rest of the boys on the floor.

"We are here to talk about feelings and to get to know each other. I'm Dr. Pendanski, but you can call me Mom!" Dr. P said.

"_Mom?_ I don't think that suits you, Dr. P." I said with a roll of the eyes and a snort, trying to hold back laughter. "Not unless you ever were or ever will be a woman. I think _Dad_ would be better. I think it's kinda messed up to have a guy mom, I mean...ha ha hahaha!" At that point, I lost myself in a fit of laughter, the other boys joining in with me.

"Enough! Fine, Dad then. But it isn't really appropriate to say such things!" Dad said. "So, why are you all here?"

"Oh nothing except my no good dirty rotten pig stealing great great great uncle Elya Yelnats and his sister my no good pig stealing great great grandmother Olga Yelnats Barlow! Oh yeah, then their's my evil twin, Adriana Dia Tomlinson." I said with venom in my voice. "Always perfect Adri and unacceptable Alex! That's how it's always been!"

"No, Alexandria, you got here because of what you did. Now why don't we all say something about ourselves? Let's start with you, Rex."

"Well, I like football and I've got a little sister named Rosy."

"I like animals a lot, that's why I'm here. One _thousand_ dollars for a sweet little puppy! I would've gotten away if my pocket hadn't started barking. It's criminal the way they keep the little guys caged." Magnet said.

"No, what _you_ did was criminal, Jose." Dad said.

"I'm Squid and I like water, wish that this place would get some!" said the blonde across from me.

"Yeah, I'm Armpit and I like my friends and you don't want to mess with me!" Thank _Got_ he didn't make some comment towards me that I would've had to kick him for.

"I'm zigzag and I hate school."

"I'm Stan...Caveman and did you say Yelnats earlier? Elya Yelnats was my great great grandfather!"

"Seriously? I didn't realize he had kids. Does the twin curse run in your family?"

"No bu—com"

"Later, Stanley, Alexandria!" Dad said.

"M'Zero!" the small black boy muttered.

"Hi, Zero. Anyway, I'm Alexandria but I want to be called Alex. So far, I hate this place! It's worse then Hell ever was!" Some of the more dense looking boys, mainly Armpit, looked shocked and a little scared.

"You-you're from Hell?" he asked a bit timmidly.

"Yeah, Hell Michigan!" I said, trying but failing to hold back my laughter.

the counseling with Dad ended soon after that and it was almost time for bed.

"Hey, Alex, know any good stuff? Rock? Metal?" X-Ray asked.

"Um, I think so. How about Wwe Will Rock You by Queen? It's classic." I said as I got my guitar out.

"What kind is that?" Magnet asked.

"It's a Gibson twelve string and don't you _dare_ take it, sticky fingers!" The boys just laughed. "All right, I'll do queen, but I'll do my own rendition." All of the boys nodded in acceptance as I started to play. "you can join in at any time.

"_THAT_ _WAS_ _AWESOME!"_ all of the D tent boys shouted as I finnished with an extremely hard and awesome chord.

"Thanks, now I'm a bit sleepy so I think I'll go to bed!" I said. As I settled on my hard cot, I realized just how much it smelt like rotten eggs and that I'd have to sleep in this thing for 548 days.

In the middle of the night, I woke with a start and had to pee really bad so I got up, slipped my boots on, and went outside. As I was on my way behind the tent so I could squat, someone jumped out at me.

"Hey, gorgeous? What's a pretty lil thang doin' out here? Why don't ya come back to my tent an' I'll make ya nice an' comfy?" it was a deep, menacing, Southern voice. He probably thought I was some defenseless chick who couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag. I didn't play basketball, baseball, tennis, volleyball, fence, or hold a black belt in Karate for nothing.

"No, now lay off and lope your sleezy self back to your own tent!" I said.

"Can't do that, precious!" he said. Then, he ran up and grabbed me around the middle to try and lift me up. Using my toaned legs, I gave him the biggest kick in the balls I possibly could. "Oof! Why you little—com" He charged after me, trying to get a punch in. It hit me in my head which snapped back allowing me to see a whole field of stars, but that didn't stop me. I darted to the right and took his right arm and twisted it around. Only a kick in my left knee made me let go, but that wasn't it. Before he knew what hit him, I attacked him from the back and pinned him to the ground while kneeing him from time to time in his sensative spot to keep him from getting up. Then, when I was certain my attacker was unable to do anything, I screamed, it was the only thing I could do.

All of the boys from D tent came out first to see what was going on, then C tent then B tent then A tent and finally E tent. All of the Green Lake boys were their, taking in the sight of me pinning down one of the toughest and meanest looking guys at camp.

"What is going on?" Dad demanded as he rushed up with Mr. Sir.

"Fucking bastard tried to have his way with me when I came out here to pee." I snarled. "I said I wouldn't go with him so he grabbed me round the middle and I wouldn't stand for that so I kicked him hard you-know-where. He started to charge at me and he did a punch right at my head, I didn't know their were so many stars! Before he could do anything else, I grabbed his right arm and twisted it, but then he kicked me in the knee. Before he could do anything more, I pinned him and kneed him in his spot to make sure he couldn't get up. If I was some defenseless girl, he might've raped me by now. He was all _hey,_ precious, and _come_ back to my cabin and you'll be _alll_ comfy! He said it in this menacing voice." By the end of my tale, I was breathing hard.

"Get the truck, Pendanski! They need to see the warden!" Mr. Sir growled.

About five minutes later, Pendanski was back with the truck. He and Mr. Sir loaded the unconscious bastard into the truck and I got in beside him. Mr. Sir drove us across the hole-filled desert and stopped at a cabin. He got out and demanded I help with the guy I knocked out. Mr. Sir knocked on the door only to have a tired looking woman answer it.

"What happened?" she asked as we went inside. "I'm Louise Walker by the way, Miss Tomlinson." Walker? Oh! She was my mom's cousin. Mom always said that if I ever met her then I could just call her Aunt Lou.

"Aunt Lou! Mom thought you ran a camp with "lake" in it's name!" I squealed, running up and hugging her.

"_Alexandria?_ Your parents said how good of a girl you were! I bet it was that twin curse thing on your side of the family, but now's not the time for hugs. If you finish early with your work tomorrow, you can come visit!"

"Okay!" I said.

"Hem-hem!" Mr Sir said.

"All right, go on!" Aunt Lou said. Mr. Sir told about my scream and what he had saw coming out and I told her what happened when I went out to pee. As soon as I was done with my story, the attempted rap_ist_ stirred.

"Uh-uh-uuuuuuuugh!" he moaned, then saw me. "Tha-that fu-fucking li-little bi-bitch!" He then jumped up, "I'm gonna—com" Before he could say anymore, the warden slapped him upside the head and threw a pair of manacles on him so fast it made my head spin.

"I'm sorry about that, Alex. And why don't you use my bathroom?" the warden asked. "As for you, Raymond Forshay, you will be sent directly to the orange county jail in California tomorrow where you will not have the opportunity to have your way with any young lady, _especially_ not my little cousin." Aunt Lou wasn't so bad, I thought as I had myself a well-deserved pee, but that was before I knew what we had to do.

chapter Two: Kix

I got back to D tent a half hour later to a myriad of questions being thrown at me. "What did Forshay do?" Caveman asked.

"What happened?" Squid asked.

"Give him your kicks?" Armpit wanted to know.

"Are you all right?" this last question came from the last person I expected, Zero.

"Ooooh!" all of the guys except Caveman and Zero sniggered. "Zero like the pretty girl? Try to not act so...'_ow!"_ The boys were so huddled that one kick in their general direction did the trick.

"You shut up and leave him alone! Maybe he's just a bit too smart to talk to lowlife jerks like _you,_ except you, Stanley. You don't seem like them. _ anyway,_ you mess with Z one more time and you'll get _more_ then a kick!"

"Whoa whoa okay!" X-Ray said timidly. "Don't kill us, Kix...hey that's what we'll call you, _Kix!"_

"Yeah!" Magnet said. "K-I-X!"

"It fits!" Armpit said.

"Yeah, and she also _kicked_ my ass in videogames!" Zigzag said.

"Okay, I like it! I guess the whole nickname thing was inevitable!" I said.

"What's with you and those big words?" Armpit asked.

"I was an Honors student before this. I was on a one way trip to an ivy league college before this, maybe Princeton or Yale. Now that's all down the tubes because of my evil twin, goodnight." With that, I crawled into my cot and fell asleep.

What seemed like five minutes later, their was a horn blaring outside the tent. It startled me so much that I fell out of my bed and on the floor.

"C'mon, Kix!" Magnet said.

"Shuddup, Magnet or I might call you _Maggot!"_ I grumbled as I got up and slid my boots on.

I filed out with the boys, it was still pitch black out. Dad led us out and we eventually stopped at a small shed where we were handed pieces of bread with honey, probably left over from the dinner I never ate. I ate quickly and was done before anyone. After everyone was done, we went into the shed and took shovels off hooks.

"So, Caveman, what exactly do you guys do? Just dig holes?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah. Five feet deep, five feet around. I see you've got one of the short shovels, that's good. We mainly measure with our shovels so the shorter your shovel the shorter you're done."

"Oh!" I said. I followed the D tent boys out onto the sand. Before I could catch myself, I fell into a deep hole face first.

"Pft pft!" I spat. "That was sure fun." Then, for added effect I shouted, "No yellow spotted lizards here, guys!"

"Get on out of their, this ain't no girl scout camp, even if you were one!" Mr. Sir barked from above. Before any of the boys could offer to help me, I pulled myself up and out of the hole. We walked to a bare patch and Mr. Sir said, "You dig here!" All of us went to different spots. I was second from the end between Stanley and Zero. Just like everyone else, I started to dig.

Thankfully, my muscles made it pretty easy, but I was still getting sore after about an hour and my hands felt like complete shit.

"So your great great grandfather was Elya Yelnats? What curse was brought apon your side of the family?" I asked.

"We're always in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm Stanley Yelnats the fourth. Stanley Yelnats the first got lucky and had a lot of money, but he was robbed by someone called Kissing Kate Barlow!"

"Oh my god! Katherine Barlow? She's my great great aunt. Her twin sister, Katrina or Kat Barlow, got married to my great grandfather Joseph Kempler. I can't believe she'd rob her own cousin. Great grandma Kat actually used to be an outlaw but she went good when she met my great grandfather. She's still alive, actually. Apparently, Kate fell in love with a black man and they kissed. They were going to hang him and so he tried to escape from across the lake. This whole place actually used to be a lake, but the day Sam tried to escape, they shot him and it hasn't rained here since. Kate used to be known as Miss Katherine Barlow, sweet school teacher." I explained.

"Wow! I had no idea that Kate Barlow was related to me." Stanley said. "My family will be interested to here about this! Hey! You're almost done, Alex!"

"Yeah, guess I am, and the lunch truck isn't even here yet. Also, I get my red hair from the Walker family. The warden's father's brother married Kat Barlow Kempler's oldest twin daughter Christine. Cassandra, her younger twin, was exicuted for something she never did. So my grandparents are the walkers making my mom and her twin sister, who always seemed to be the bad child even though Mom admits it was her, are the warden's cousins so the warden is my cousin. When I heard that the warden's name was Louise Walker, I knew it was her because Mom always talked about her cousin Lou who ran a camp for delinquents. That's why I chose to come here, because I was pretty sure Aunt Lou ran it and I would rather not be in jail. Now I know that it was Aunt Lou. Plus, we have the same hair, except mine is curlier. I'm gonna visit her after I'm done!"

"You _are_ done!" Stanley said, amazed.

"Oh! So I am!" I said.


	27. Harmony: Pure Song

Harmony: Pure Song

An attempt to write a story with a female Harry who never shows up to Hogwarts, instead becoming a famous singer under an alias… Oh dear…

Chapter One: Lillian Song

"Severus? Severus are you all right?" a woman's stern face, lined with worry, swam in and out of focus in his hazy vision.

"Give him this, Min. Fool ought to know that he shouldn't be drinking in times like this." came another female voice. The woman, called Min, with a stern black bun and hard jade eyes, was passed a vial with a shocking electric blue liquid which she immediately poured into his mouth. With a gag and a sputter Severus Snape was brought back into the land of sobriity once more.

"What...what...what the hell, woman?" he stuttered out.

"This is no time to get drunk, Severus Snape, and you know it." Min said.

"Can't even give me a night to wallow, can you, Min? Poppy?" he grumbled. That's what everyone wanted to do, wallow. Ever since the girl-who-lived, Harmony Potter, had not been found when she was eleven and of proper age to start Hogwarts things had been pandimonium. The june after Potter was to start Hogwarts, Lord Voldemort, possessing the defence professor, had stolen the Philosopher's Stone and regained a corporeal form. After that, he had been waging a war just as horrible as the last. The Ministry was holding on but barely. This should have been Harmony Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts and yet she still had not shown up. Many feared she was dead, the blood fanatics feared she was a "filthy Squib," and still others feared the worst thing of all, that she knew and just didn't care.

"No." said the other woman, Poppy, entering his field of vision. She was a short, gentle-featured woman but with graying blonde hair, sharp blue eyes, and a disposition that screamed "listen to me or _ELSE!"_

"Severus, this war has been hard on all of us. I'll tell you what, why don't you come out with Poppy and I? We go to Muggle concerts every Friday and—com"

"No." Severus said.

"I beg your pardon?" Poppy, who was at least a decade older than Severus, demanded.

"I said no. Think about it, me at a Muggle concert? I was revealed as a traitor! If I so much as step—com"

"We'll disguise you! You're going, young man, and that's that." they snapped, Severus sighed.

"Remind me how I let you talk me into this?" Severus grumbled the next Friday evening, all dressed up in Muggle clothes and glamoured as an older man with salt-and-pepper hair and grey eyes. The two woman, glamoured to look like his daughters with blonde hair and grey eyes, simply tittered. Severus took his seat between the two and looked up on stage.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, _LILLIAN_ _SONG!"_ the anouncer boomed. Stepping out onto the stage was a girl that seemed to have come directly from Severus's memories of twenty years ago.

"Severus? What's wrong?" Poppy asked him.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Minerva interjected.

"Lily." he muttered, pointing at the stage. Standing there was a girl. She was short and petite, about sixteen. She had a mass of thick, dark red hair tumbling to her waste in very well-organized curls. Her skin was fair and smooth, her eyes were bright and emerald. Also, as her bangs swept to either side just for a moment, they saw the tale-tell lightning scar. They had found Harmony Potter at last.

"Hello, everyone. I trust you're all enjoying yourselves?" the crowd roared in the affirmative. "Great! Then let's get this party _STARTED!_ First, I'm going to sing one of my all-time favourites and if you haven't heard it yet I'm sure you'll like it. This song is called Wildcard." The band started up a beat, Harmony started dancing, and then, after a few measures, she began to sing.

"Love is like a wildcard, in an uno deck,

You never know, just what you're gonna get,

Into! Who ya gonna love? Who's gonna love you?

Who's gonna up and leave? Who's gonna stay true?

I guess you never know because,

Love is like a wildcard, you have no clue what you will find,

Love is like a wildcard, just boggling your mind.

Love is like a wildcard, sometimes good or bad,

Love is like a wildcard, makes you happy or sad.

So sit back and enjoy the ride,

And you will have the time of your life,

Because.

Love is so mysterious, oh what a mystery,

You never know just who will stay, who will be history,

Do you? Who ya gonna hold? Who's gonna hold you?

Who's gonna quick get old? Who'll always be like new?

Love is like a wildcard, you have no clue what you will find,

Love is like a wildcard, just boggling your mind.

Love is like a wildcard, sometimes good or bad,

Love is like a wildcard, makes you happy or sad.

So sit back and enjoy the ride,

And you will have the time of your life,

Because.

No matter how you shuffle it, you can't control it.

So if you do not get your way, please just don't get in a snit,

Or please do? Love is like a wildcard, you have no clue what you will find,

Love is like a wildcard, just boggling your mind.

Love is like a wildcard, sometimes good or bad,

Love is like a wildcard, makes you happy or sad.

So sit back and enjoy the ride,

And you will have the time of your life,

Because.

Love is like a wildcard in an uno deck,

You never know just what you're gonna get,

Into!"

The crowd burst into applause. The girl simply smiled and bowed.

"All right. I'm going to get a bit sombre here. Life isn't all hearts and candies, you know. I dedicate this song to all those kids who were just like me." she said. Severus's eyebrow shot up towards his hairline. What did she mean? Before he could think more on it, a beat was started and she began to sing.

"Uncle sucks the bottle, Auntie pops the pill,

Tell my cousin things will be all right but they never will.

No-o, they never will.

My cousin is a bully, my cousin is a boor,

Don't know if I can live this life anymore.

No-oh, not anymore.

But I guess I, just have to push on, just have to survive!

And then maybe, someday I'll be loved, someday I will thrive.

No no, ain't lost all my hope yet,

And outa this place I'll someday jet,

Free-ee as a bir-ird!

La la la la la la la, la la la la la la, la la, la la la, laaa-la-laaa!

They love to call me names and knock me to the ground,

Thoughts and questions of why keep swimmmin' round and round.

Oh-oh, round and round.

They say I can't be loved, that I don't deserve it,

I wanna cry and scream I can, wanna throw a fit.

Oh-oh, throw a fit.

But I guess I, just have to suck it in, have to keep my chin up,

And then maybe, someday I'll be saved, someday I'll be loved.

No no, ain't lost all my hope yet,

And outa this place I'll someday jet,

Free-ee as a bir-ird!

La la la la la la la, la la la la la la, la la, la la la, laaa-la-laaa!

Ten years down the road, I stand here on this stage,

The crowd going wild at the songs I play.

My prayers were answered and maybe yours will too,

God's not just a myth, he's here and he is true.

Never lose hope, never lose love,

Never lose faith in God above.

Oh I guess you, just have to push on, just have to survive!

And then I know, someday you'll be loved, someday you will thrive.

No no, don't lose all your hope yet,

And outa this place you'll someday jet,

Free-ee as a bir-ird!

La la la la la la la, la la la la la la, la la, la la la, laaa-la-laaa!

You're gonna jet!

Outa there you'll get!

Don't be upset!

Oh ready set!

Free as a bird.

Severus's mouth was agape, open as far as it would go as the song finished and the people applauded.

"Never lose hope, you lot. Anyway, I think I've had my share of sombre for the night, let's get _GOING!"_ the singer cheered.


	28. Harry's Secret Twin

Harry's Secret Twin

An attempt to write… something… I gave Harry a "secret" twin somehow adopted to another couple who are Dursley mean and move to Privet Drive and… well… I can't justify this lunacy…

Chapter One: Meet Clarie

I sighed as I looked out at the window as we drove out of London in our rental car. A new house, new school, new friends, new town...new life. Father had gotten transferred to the Little Whinging branch of this company called Grunnings Drills. I only call him Father because he makes me, he's not my real father. He's my adoptive father, the Stepps are my adoptive parents. They're all nice to you when they get you but when the adoption goes through _WHAM,_ mean as wet hornets, Clark and Calliope Stepp. I have twelve other adoptive siblings. Their's me, Clarice, and I'm fifteen or sixteen, I'm not sure which. I don't know my birthday or my parents or even my real name; Clarice is the name the Stepps gave to me when I was adopted by them when I was seven. Before that, at the London orphanage where I grew up, I was "thirteen" for the room I lived in. I'm off-topic, though. None of the kids the Stepps have adopted know their names or birthdays so everyone was given a name and we all share a joint birthday on July first. Candice and Carl are around seventeen, they're twins. After that their's Christopher and Christina, they're twins who are about sixteen. Claus is about my age and he's Candice and Carl's little brother. Calliya and Conner are about fourteen, another set of twins. Caspian and Cassianne are about thirteen, they're twins. Coleton and Camila are around twelve, yet another set of twins. Lastly, their's Cameron, he's somewhere around eleven and he's Caspian and Cassianne's little brother. I'm the only one who either doesn't have a twin or doesn't have a brother or sister. We're really not attached to each other, we barely get along. We soon pulled into a boring neighborhood full of boring houses and boring lawns and, most likely, boring people. We turned onto Privet Drive and we pulled up to the largest house on the street, Number six.

"Out with all of you." Clark snapped.

"And Six, go get the suitcases out and bring them inside." Calliope added, using the number I was, I'm the sixth adopted kid..

"Yes, Mother." I said as I squeezed out of the van. I opened the door and first grabbed Calliope's six suitcases. I hauled them up to the front door where I accidentally dropped one, making Calliope screech at me.

"Giiirl! If I find _ANYTHING_ is out of place in their you'll find yourself without a meal for a week!" she hissed. I nodded, opened the door, and put all of the suitcases inside before going out to get second, third, and fourth loads. By the time I was out again, Calliope was near the front door.

"What took you so long? Why didn't you use your _FREAKY_ little powers to get them inside?" she demanded.

"Their are other people around." I protested.

"Freak." she spat before walking away. It's sort of true, really, I can do tons of weird stuff if I want too and I don't know why. Also, I have weird dreams about green light a lot and nightmares that have to do with some snake man and a boy...a boy called Harry. Clark and Calliope were now talking to a fat, ugly, whale of a man and a bony horse-faced woman.

"_CHILDREN!"_ Calliope barked. "This is Vernon and Petunia Dursley. I want you to align yourself in sibling pairs and introduce yourself. Name, age, no more and no less, got that?"

"Yes, mother." we all chimed.

"And girl." Clark added.

"You can go last!" Calliope finished.

"Yes, Mother." I said as everyone lined up. In the first line their was Candice, Carl, and Clause. The second row held Christopher and Christina. In the third row their was Calliya and Conner. Fourth their was Caspian, Cassianne, and Cameron, and fifth was Coleton and Camila. I got in line behind them.

"Candice Kristyanne, seventeen." Candice said, tossing some strawberry blonde hair out of her blue eyes. Candice, Carl, and Clause all have strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Carl Kent, seventeen, Candice's twin."

"Clause Kelvin, fifteen, their little brother."

"Christopher Kevin, sixteen." Chris said. Both Christopher and Christina have brown hair and eyes.

"Christina Kailee, sixteen, Christopher's twin."

"Calliya Kagome, fourteen." Calliya said with a sigh. Both she and conner are Asian with dark brown eyes and black hair.

"Conner Krosby, fourteen, Calliya's twin."

"Caspian Kirk, thirteen." Caspian said. Caspian, Cassianne, and Cameron all have platinum hair and grey eyes.

"Cassianne Kara, thirteen, Caspian's twin."

"Cameron Kurt, eleven, their little brother."

"Coleton Kaigle, twelve." both Coleton and Camila have mahogany hair and dark violet eyes.

"Camila Klara, twelve." Camila said. Lastly, their was me.

"Erm, I'm Clarice Katerina and I'm fifteen...I think." I said. Just as the bony woman saw me she screamed.

"Aaaaah! Dead...supposed to be dead...but different eyes...my sister...aaaaah!" she screamed again.

"What's this about a sister?" Calliope asked with a smirk.

"My sister was murdered almost fifteen years ago now. This girl looks just like her but her eyes are hazel, not emerald green like Lily's. I remember now, Lily and her good-for-nothing, hazel-eyed husband had twins. The girl's name was Lilyanna, a combination between Lily's name and her best friend's name, Alice. Lilyanna Jamie Potter."

"Girl, show her that freaky picture of your parents!" Calliope ordered. I sighed, took out my heart-shaped golden locket with lilies engraved onto it, and opened it. Petunia gasped.

"My sister and her husband." she said. "And the girl has the same freak scar as her twin, Harry."

"Harry...my dreams! I've been having dreams with him all my life...I feel his pain, sometimes I see what he sees." I gasped out, looking at the two babies in one of the pictures, one with emerald eyes and unruly black hair before I closed the locket.

"Good, then you can take the freak." Calliope said.

"She doesn't go to a freak school does she?" Petunia asked.

"No she does not, she'll be going to Stonewall High but she's always done freakish things like her visions of that boy and such." Calliope said.

"We'll get some sense into the girl." Vernon assured.

"Come on then, _LILYANNA!_ get your suitcase and move in to your new aunt and uncle's house now. We'll find another place to live." Calliope sneered. I sighed and shook my head. I went in, grabbed up the bag with all my worldly possessions, and came out. I was led to Number Four where I was ordered to go inside and put everything away.

"Come weed the garden with the other freak." Petunia ordered. I nodded and went to the back where I saw the very boy I had had visions of ever since I could remember.

"You're the boy!" I said.

"You're the girl!" he said back. Suddenly, we found ourselves hugging and information of each other's lives was swapped through some sort of connection as well as a clear memory of what happened that night.

"Hi, Harry, hi!" I squeaked tearily as we hugged.

"Hello, Lilyanna." Harry said back.

"I'm so glad to know you!" we said together.

"So...you're a wizard?" I whispered.

"Yeah. I guess since you've never got a letter you're a...a...a Squib." Harry said.

"Yeah, I s'pose I must be. But I've done plenty of strange things before, you know?"

"You have?"

"Sure I have. And I must be magical if I can participate in this mind link. I've seen every major event of your life, I've felt your pain, I've felt your sorrow, and I've felt your guilt. Your godfather, Sirius was it? It's the fault of that bitch of a cousin, Harry, not your fault." I said.

"And your best friend, Trinny? It wasn't your fault either." Harry said. He was referring to the time where my best friend and I were kidnapped and I was forced to watch her die. I had done some sort of magic to get myself out but it was too late for Trinidad.


	29. Hidden Rose

Hidden Rose

An attempt to write… another character who's NOT needed! A woman from America happens to move to Privet Drive and become Harry's teacher… and happens to be Lily's twin switched at birth or some crap like that… I have no excuse other than I was younger and kind of dumb when I wrote this…

Chapter One: Little Whinging, Surrey

I sighed as I looked out of the plain window; I was leaving my old life behind.

"Farewell, USA." I said as the plane hit a cloud and I could see no more of the country that I was raised in, the United States of America. Now I was flying to a new country, England. Nothing seemed right in the US anymore...everywhere I looked I saw my aunt, my dead aunt. My parents died on one of their travelling expeditions when I was two which left me in the care of my father's older brother, Roderick, who treated me abominably. A closet room, almost no food, and whipped raw on my back every night. When I was seven, my Great-Aunt Sophie Gardner, my mom's aunt, was able to track me down and get custody of me. An insane cult of some sort had broken into her house in the middle of the night and killed her. The two of us were very close. That had been five years ago now in the early autumn of 1991. It's 1996 now. I had gone away to my senior year of college already, their was nothing I could have done but I couldn't help but feel that their was. I had come across the cult several times, they had spouted nonsense of me not getting away from them and how they could track me down and how their dark lord would prevail and how I couldn't keep thwarting them. As soon as they would begin to brandish these odd stick things at me something odd would rise up in me and something would happen to them. One odd thing was that these people were almost all British or from some European country or another. The oddest thing of all was how they would call me Evans...or Lily...Lily Evans. The attacks stopped suddenly in late autumn of 1991. Over the last five years I grew restless, felt trapped, and was unhappy. I had no social life, I just threw myself into my work as a first-grade teacher. Eventually I went back to school and took the courses so that my license could be internationally accredited. I had just finished those last June. Now I could teach in not only the USA but Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Now I was going to England, the country I felt most drawn to. I was born there, after all. It was just a fluke, really, my parents were travelling and Mom went into labour and had me on January 27, 1970; that's two months earlier than I was to be born.

I eventually found myself drifting off to sleep and was jolted awake as I felt the plane descending.

"We will be arriving in Heathrow International Airport in twenty minutes. All passengers please fasten your seat belts and prepare for landing. In London it is currently drizzling and 76 degrees F. This is your captain saying I hope you enjoyed your flight and enjoy your stay here in England." came a voice over the plane's intercom. I stretched out in my seat and did just as the captain said before pulling up the shade of my window to look out on the city of London.

"Welcome home." I said to myself as the plane's wheels hit the runway. After a short wait the plane rolled up to the gate and the passengers were allowed to disembark. I adjusted my purse on my shoulders, took my small black duffle from the over-head compartment, and was the first to leave the plane, my first-class seat was in the front row. I knew, with the size of the plane, that the little hallway to the terminal would be swamped in a matter of moments with the passengers from the first and second floors of the international plane so I walked briskly out before I could be caught in the crowd. The terminal was currently empty, this was the last flight of the night, I supposed. The flight had been more than twelve hours, my sense of time was really thrown off-kilter. I looked at a large clock overhead and sighed, it was 12:02 AM on July 23.

"Now where in heck is baggage claim?" I asked myself aloud. I walked down the corridor and eventually found a train that would take me where I needed to go. I got on it to find that save a young couple with a baby, I was alone. I sat next to them and smiled tentatively.

"Cute baby." I commented.

"Oh, thank you. Her name's Elizabeth and she's six months old." the woman said, accent giving her away as being a native of England, cradling her child lovingly.

"How sweet. Perhaps I'll teach her some day." I said, smiling.

"Teach?" asked the man, his accent American like mine.

"I am a teacher and have my license for elementary school as well as secondary English and history. I've come here to teach. I was born here when my parents were travelling; I felt compelled to come back." I explained.

"Oh. My name is Sarah Jones and this is my husband, David." the woman said.

"Oh, I'm Stella, Stella James. Most people call me Rose or Rosie, though; Rose is my middle name." I said, running a hand through my long, thick, dark red hair.

"Nice to meet you, Rosie." David said. I smiled at the couple, little Elizabeth cooed happily from her mother's arms. I had always wanted a child, always. I had never found the right man, however, and things had just been too stressful for me. Perhaps now in this new country? The train stopped then and I got up.

"My stop." I said, adjusting my purse and duffle.

"It was a pleasure." Sarah said.

"Yes, yes it was." I agreed as I stepped out into the corridor and the doors shut behind me. I sighed wistfully as I headed off, following the signs for baggage claim. Just as I reached the correct carousel I saw my two bags tumble down onto it. After a moment the bags neared me and I grabbed them up. They only held the essentials; some clothes, shoes, and toiletries in one, sentimental items that were small and that I didn't trust to be shipped in another. Adjusting my rather large load I headed off back towards the corridor. According to the signs the rental car area was one floor below. I reached the area eventually and went to the Enterprise desk.

"How can I help you?" the man asked.

"I've reserved a car...I'm Stella James." I said. The man flipped through papers until he came to me.

"Right-o, through to the garage and you'll be set up." he said, handing me a pass. I nodded and went through the doors pointed out.

Twenty minutes later I sat behind the wheel of a Toyota Cambry. As I drove out onto the street I had to remind myself to go to the left, not the right. I had already purchased a house in a town called Little Whinging and was given a position as first-grade teacher. I had flown over several times over the past year to deal with everything. I had plenty of time to come up with my lesson plans.

I finally reached Little Whinging, Surrey around 3:00 in the morning. My internal clock told me it was only 10:00 but I knew that was wrong. I pulled down Privet Drive and looked for my house. It was the third on the street to the left. The houses on the street looked rather dull and like dull people lived in them but I took the house so I could be in close proximity to the children that I teach, so they'll know I existed outside the hallowed halls of Surrey Elementary...um...Primary. At least my house was rather bigger and less dull then the other houses on the street, I could make this work. I pulled into the drive and shut off the car. Yawning, I got out and took up my bags from the front passenger seat and the trunk. As I reached the door I fished in my purse and pulled out the key. I unlocked and opened the door to a dark house.

"Welcome home." I said to myself again as I plonked my bags onto the entry floor. My furniture had been delivered last week, I knew this. I entered into the family room and saw, thankfully, that my big, comfy, cream leather sectional was their. Smiling I pulled a blanket out of my duffle as well as pajamas. I quickly changed, hopped onto the couch, wrapped the blanket around me, and fell right asleep before my head hit the cushions.

"Who could be moving into number six, Vernon?" Petunia Dursley asked her husband on July 16.

"I don't know, Pet. Hopefully they'll be better than those last people." Vernon gruffed.

"Oh I know, love! Honestly, I can't believe he ran off with that tramp and poor Bitina had to go back to her mother's!" Petunia gushed. All through the day Petunia stole covert glances at the house to see just what was being unloaded. Much to Petunia's envy number six was the largest house on the block with the largest yard and a three-car garage as opposed to the Dursleys' two-car garage. It was the only house on the street that was...different from the others and that unsettled the Dursley family greatly. Petunia grew more and more envious as she saw the many boxes being moved in and the nice furniture including a large, luxurious cream sectional large enough to seat a good few people.

"Whoever it is they seem respectable enough." she concluded to her husband at the end of the day. Vernon couldn't help but nod and agree.

For the next week it seemed like a ghost house, nobody ever came, nobody moved in. On July 23, however, everything changed. The Dursley family woke up to see a rather worn-looking Toyota in the driveway.

"They're driving _THAT?"_ Vernon scoffed. "Perhaps they're not so respectable after all."

"Perhaps not but we ought to introduce ourselves to them." Petunia said. "We can at least show them what they're facing."

"A very good idea. We can even invite them for dinner." Vernon said. It was settled, they would invite the new tenants of number six over to their lovely home. They never even thought about the consequences of waking a jet-lagged woman not quite over being hunted down by a cult of white-masked weirdos. By 8:30 they were all dressed up. Petunia wore an ugly floral silk dress, her bottle-blonde hair was curled, her murky blue-green eyes covered by blue contacts, and her face caked in makeup. Vernon wore a pair of black slacks and a shirt, jacket, and tie. His mustache was tweeked to perfection, his blond hair slicked back, his beady blue eyes glistening. Dudley was out with his little friends and the freak was cleaning the house. The two of them strode with purpose out of the front door and over to the neighbor's house. They then mounted the porch steps and went up to the front door. Vernon knocked loudly while Petunia pressed the doorbell. Their was a bang from inside and light, running feet before the door was thrown open by a disheveled-looking woman with long, thick, dark red hair and frantic emerald eyes.

"_LILY!"_ Petunia screamed before promptly falling into her husband's arms.

"Who are you? What do you want? Why wont you people leave me alone? I'm not your freaking Lily Evans so why don't you _REVEAL_ who you _REALLY_ _ARE!"_ the woman snapped. Suddenly, the makeup vanished from Petunia's face, her hair un-died itself, and her contacts dissolved. In place of blonde hair and blue eyes she had murky blue-green eyes and frizzy ginger-blonde hair. Her face grew pasty-white at the name "Lily Evans" for it was the name of her dead freak of a sister.

"What the _HELL_ have you done to my wife you...you...you _FREAK?"_ Vernon demanded of the woman. The fact that the twat was American was not helping his mood...Vernon Dursley _HATED_ Americans. Her face suddenly seemed to clear up and she blushed embarrassedly.

"Aw crud, I'm sorry 'bout that! Nothing good ever comes of people calling me Lily...God help the real Lily who those crazies were after...I sort of flipped out on you. I don't know how these...things happen to me but I might could reverse it...aha! Anyhow, I'm sorry. You guys probably think I'm some sort of wackjob. Please excuse my appearance; I got into London on roughly a twelve-hour flight at midnight last night and didn't get here 'til three this morning. Please...uh...come on in." I said, voice still a bit shaky. At least the woman looked like she did before. The ugly, pompous-looking couple nodded stiffly and walked in, I shut the door behind them. I motioned them into the family room and onto my sectional. I took a spot a bit away from them, clasped my hands neatly in my lap, and sighed. What a good impression to make on the neighbors; these seem like the gossip-sniffing, dirt-dishing, snobby sort of type that I hated but, due to how old I thought they were, they might have children I would have to deal with. Just what I wanted to do, convince everyone on Privet Drive that I was a few floors short a skyscraper.

"How rude of me, I never introduced myself, did I? I'm Stella James but most people call me Rose or Rosie, Rose is my middle name." I introduced.

"Vernon Dursley." said the heavyset man importantly, puffing out his chest.

"Pe-Petunia Ev...I mean Dursley...Petunia Dursley." the woman said rather meekly, hands also folded on her lap as she sat rigidly on the couch.

"Right then, nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley...or do you prefer Petunia and Vernon? So where 'round these parts do you folks live?" I asked.

"We live next door in number four. I'm a production manager over at Grunnings while my lovely wife here mans the fort. We've a son as well, quite a fine boy, he is. His name's Dudley and he'll be in first grade." Mr. Dursley said.

"Oh...that's nice." I said, internally grimacing.

"And we also took in Petunia's sister's son as well back when he was a year old; his parents died in a drunken car crash. He's our Dudder's age as well but not nearly as fine a boy." Mr. Dursley explained, I frowned.

"That's right, always causing trouble and such. What about you, what's your story?" Mrs. Dursley asked bluntly. This time I wasn't so sure that the grimace was totally internal. Yup, a class A gossip.

"Well I'm American, I think my accent gives that info away pretty easily. I came here because I was born here and felt I ought to return. My parents were Americans who loved to travel and England was just one of their stops. America holds bad memories as well. When I was two my parents died in a plain crash and I was raised by my great-aunt Sophie. In 1991 these...these locos broke into her house one night and...and they killed her without any mark or anything but they were able to produce some skull cloud over the place when it was all done. I guess she was poisoned somehow. I was off at college then. Well...anyway...I wanted a change and to start fresh and this seems the place to do it." I said. I didn't even bother mentioning my so-called "Uncle" Roderick. The woman, Petunia, paled at my proclaimation but I paid her no mind.

"A fine place you've chosen to settle down in. Have you any family? A husband or children?" Mrs. Dursley asked.

"I'm single and I have no children. Just haven't found the right man, I guess." I shrugged.

"Would you care to join us for dinner tonight?" Mr. Dursley asked. I sighed. It would be rude to turn them down and yet I really didn't want to go. At least I'd get some home-cooked food; hopefully Mrs. Petunia Dursley was a decent cook.

"Very well." I said simply. "Expect me at 6:00, then."

"That sounds lovely. We'll see you then." Mrs. Dursley said as they stood up and exited the house. Once I heard the front door shut behind them I sighed in relief, thank God they were gone.

For the rest of the day I worked on unpacking my possessions and making the house look a bit more like a home. The house was quite large, larger then I myself would really need, but I was used to large old houses, having grown up in an old Plantation house in North Carolina with just my aunt for company. On the first floor of the house there was the entry way with the open staircase curving up to the second floor, a large family room with a sliding glass door that led out onto the patio, a formal parlor at the front of the house, a dining room right behind that, a kitchen to the right of the dining room and to the left of the family room, and a smaller study in front of the family room. There was a small half-bath as well that half-separated the family room and the study. Also, in the large family room a door led into a small laundry and mud room which in turn led into the three-car garage. On the second floor there were two smaller bedrooms above the parlor and dining room which did not have their own bathrooms but their was a full bathroom separating them. At the back of the house above the kitchen was a room of about the same size, also without a bathroom. Above the family room there was a large master bedroom with a small work nook etched in where the laundry room was on the floor below. Where the half-bath was on the floor below there were two larger bathrooms, a master bathroom attached to the master bedroom and a slightly smaller bathroom attached to the slightly smaller bedroom at the front of the house. The formal parlor in front I would make into a comfortable spot to invite parents into to talk about their children or just to talk, period. The dining room would be left as just that, a dining room; the same went for the kitchen. The family room was going to be made into a kid-friendly hang-out spot with the sectional, my aunt's black baby-grand piano, a big-screen TV, a large stereo, and even a game system hooked up to the TV. The study I made for my use only, like in the living room there was a fireplace. In front of the fireplace a couch would go and beneath the windows I would put my desk, facing the wall to the left of the door with a leather chair behind it. I'm even going to buy a computer soon and a printer, go Windows 95. Upstairs the room above the parlor I'm making into a music room. I'm a generally musical person so I have an acoustic and an electric guitar, a violin, a flute, a trumpet and trombone, a set of drums, and a smaller Werlitzer piano. In the room above the dining room I began setting up my art things; a sowing machine, an easle, a work table for other projects, and half a wal-worth of shelves for paint, brushes, and other things. The back room above the kitchen would be made into a play room. I had many toys from my childhood that would be set up in their as well as a comfortable couch and a table where the children could play board games. Also, I would go out and buy some more modern educational toys. The second-largest bedroom I would make into a spare bedroom with a bed, nightstands, desk, and dresser. The largest bedroom became mine with a king-sized bed, nightstands, a large dresser, and a comfortable couch put right below the built-in book shelves.

By the end of the day a lot of things were still in boxes but I had a general idea of what I was going to do and it felt a lot more like home. At least my own room was set up for that night.

By 5:55 I was dressed and ready. I wore a simple black skirt with an emerald green, somewhat low-backed, top and black sandals. My red hair was put up into a ponytail with a few loose strands framing my face. Taking a deep breath I walked out of the house and over to number four. Standing on the front porch I took a deep, steadying breath before ringing the doorbell.

"_BOY!_ Get the _DOOR!"_ came a voice from inside the house, Mr. Dursley's voice. I heard a bang and a little boy snickering.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get off the floor and greet our guest, boy." came Mrs. Dursley's voice. I heard the light pattering of feet before the door opened. I looked down to see a little boy who looked no older then four in a dress shirt and dress pants much too big for him. He had an unruly mop of jet black hair, a peculiar lightning shaped scar on his forehead, and bright, emerald green eyes...eyes just like mine.

"Good evening, madam. Would you care to come inside?" he asked in a small voice.

"Sure. Thank you, sweetie." I said softly, smiling at him. The child blushed and ducked his head, holding open the heavy door for me. I took it from him, shaking my head. "No, dear, I've got the door. Go on back to your family and I'll be right there."

"Are...are...are you sure?" he asked shyly as I shut the door and kicked off my shoes.

"Of course, honey. You've been quite the little gentleman, they ought to be proud of you. My name is Stella James but I'll tell ya what, you can call me Rosie. What's your name, bud?" I asked him as we walked slowly through the small entry hall.

"Ha-Ha-Harry Potter." he stammered. This must be the nephew. The poor dear, he was much too small and thin. I would have to think on this later. For now, I simply gave him a reassuring smile.

"Well it's very nice to meet you, Harry dear, now let's go in and get some dinner." I smiled. The little boy nodded mutely and showed me into the ostentatious Dursley dining room.

"Took you long enough, boy!" Mr. Dursley rumbled.

"You had better not have left her outside for too long, boy." Mrs. Dursley sniffed.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Petunia. It won't happen again, Aunt Petunia." he stammered nervously.

"It had better not." I could hear Mr. Dursley mutter.

"Please, erm Stella, sit down." Mrs. Dursley said politely. So she wanted to be on a first name basis, did she? I grimaced.

"Thank you, Petunia." I said, taking a seat across from the adults. It didn't escape my notice that while an extremely fat boy, presumably Dudley, sat on one side of the table there was no chair next to him or on the other side for Harry. Instead, there was a chair in the corner of the dining room.

"Go get the food, boy, and don't drop anything." Mr. Dursley ordered. The small child nodded meekly and scampered off into the connected kitchen. I internally scowled as it seemed the epithet "boy" seemed to be capitalised, almost like a name of its own, when being used on Harry. Externally, however, I kept a vaguely polite look affixed to my visage, hoping I didn't slip. Officially, I couldn't do anything, say anything, or report anything until the children were within my jurisdiction, namely my classroom or the school itself. Oh sure, I could say something but legally it would be just coming across as me being a concerned neighbor, my qualifications wouldn't help. For now I would grin, bear it, and collect evidence.

The small child returned balancing a much-too-large platter with a heavy-looking roast on it. As he went around the table to the empty side, I saw The fat boy's foot strike out, tripping little Harry. The child stumbled forward and teetered precariously. Jumping up, I took the platter from his arms before he could dump everything. Gently, I sat it in the center of the table.

"I think you're a little small for that, kiddo. Maybe you can balance things like that when you're a bit bigger, huh? C'mon, sweetie, I'll help you with the rest." I said. The Dursleys suppressed angry looks as I took the child's far-too-small hand and let him lead me to the kitchen. With a smile, I grabbed up the platters of green-beans and mashed potatoes.

"Would you like to get the water jug? I think you're a big enough boy for that. And if you spill it, don't worry; it's just water. I'd let you take the fruit punch but I wouldn't want you to spill it...as much as I think that ugly carpet needs an excuse to be removed." I said. The little boy giggled faintly and shot me a shy smile.

"S'not any problem, really. Auntie Tunia and Uncle Vernon have me do this all the time. Why're you being so nice? They say I'm too bad to be nice to." he said, bowing his head, emerald eyes dull with sadness.

"Well you seem to be a perfectly good boy to me, Harry." I said, internally fuming at the way he was being treated. The child blushed again. Walking back into the dining room, I set everything down on the table and Harry put the water jug on it. As he went to go get the rest of what was in the kitchen, I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Little boys need to sit and eat, not serve the people who feed him." I whispered and then added aloud, "You can sit here." Before the child could say anything, I had lifted him into my chair and gone into the kitchen, grabbing the fruit punch, presumably for Dudley, and the bottle of wine. Returning to the dining room, I took the wobbly chair from the corner and put it next to Harry's. The child was fidgeting uncomfortably as though he would be kicked off any moment. I noticed that Mrs. Dursley was serving her son a healthy portion so I decided to do the same for Harry. Seeing how small he was, I piled lots of meat, beans, and potatoes onto his plate. He looked at me in awe as I further helped him by cutting his meat up.

"But...but..." he tried to protest.

"Little boys need to eat a lot so that they can become big and strong, Harry." I said simply, pouring him a glass of fruit punch and serving myself.

Dinner passed on awkwardly. Mr. Dursley bragged about his work, Mrs. Dursley bragged about her son, and the fat boy bragged about his friends. Harry stayed silent, eating like a little hummingbird. I kept shooting him reasuring smiles and, eventually, he was eating at a good, measured pace. Finally, dessert was brought out and I served myself a slice of the cheesecake.

"Stella, may I interest you in a glass of wine?" Mr. Dursley asked.

"I'm afraid I don't drink, sir." I said.

"Nothing? Not at dinners? Not at parties? No nightcaps? _NONE?"_ the fat man asked incredulously. Hmph, he must be testing me on whether or not I'm a red-neck alcoholic.

"Filthy habbit, truly; drinking and smoking and drugs." I said, "accidentally" dropping my fork onto the carpet. Bending down, I let my ponytail sweep to the side, revealing just a small fraction of the scars on my back. Sitting up, I smiled at the look on the elder Dursleys' faces.

"The boy's parents partook in all three such habbits; horrid, really." Mrs. Dursley sniffed.

"I don't despise the people who do the habbits, just the habbits themselves. Even those directly effected by poor choices shouldn't despise their loved ones for it. An addiction is an addiction and those are hard to break. By the way, I think it's abominable, talking poorly about a child's parents as if he isn't in the room. If you want to denigrate your dead sister and her husband, don't do it with their son here. He ought to have never heard such a thing. I speak from experience." I said.

"And what _SORT_ of experience?" Mr. Dursley demanded.

"You saw the marks, sir. From ages two to seven I lived with my father's brother, Roderick. The question of when he was clean and sober would be easier to ask then when he was drunk or high." I said, the Dursleys shifted uncomfortably.


	30. HillwoodChapter 30

Hillwood

An attempt to write a Harry Potter and Hey Arnold crossover where a female Harry and the Dursley family move to Hillwood when she's 9 and stuff happens…

Chapter One: New Beginnings

I woke up on Monday in a really nasty mood. It was Monday so what reason did I have to be in a good one? Slowly I got out of my bed, made it, and got ready for the day.

"Miriam, is their _anything_ for breakfast?" I asked huffily as I went downstairs. My only answer was a muffled snore from the couch. Criminy, the way my mother hibernates you'd think she'd have starved to death by now. No matter, I suppose. I sighed and went to the kitchen. Maybe, just _MAYBE_ Miriam remembered to get groceries. Alas when I went in their I couldn't find anything new. Settling for an apple and a glass of milk I sat myself at the table and began to eat. Soon enough I was done eating and I put my glass in the sink and the core of the apple in the overflowing trash. Jeez, couldn't Miriam take it out for once or would I have to do it again? Just as huffily I swung my backpack on and left the house.

"Up, girl, _GET_ _UP!_ It's nearly time for school and you haven't made Duddy his breakfast yet!" came the first harsh sounds of the day. I groaned and rolled over right off the tiny crib mattress I called my bed and onto the hard floor of the upstairs hall closet where I now slept. My uncle got a job transfer to Grunnings America just a week ago and we moved in, or rather _I_ moved all their junk in, yesterday afternoon. Now I was to be starting at yet another school where I would be made fun of because of my small size, geeky glasses, and castoff clothing from my cousin Dudley who's a year older than me, a _boy,_ and going into fifth grade. It's also a pain because we're in the middle of the second half of the school year and now we have to change schools. I just hope I'm able to make some friends. I want to make a fresh start at PS118 and Dudley won't stop me this time. I got myself up off the floor and began to dig around for something to wear. I eventually chose my best pair of shoes, (a pair of trainers with only one hole in them but a hole bunch of scuffs,) my best jeans, (which are only _three_ sizes too big and have only one patch,) and my best shirt, (Which doesn't look like some sort of dress, more like a mini-dress.) The jeans are dark blue and the shirt is gray. Like I said I'm small, really small for my age and skinny too. I've got a somewhat round face that people might call kind-looking, a smallish nose that's slightly upturned, messy dark red hair that goes down the middle of my back and goes all over the place, bright emerald eyes behind geeky, round, many-times-taped black glasses, and a lightning bolt scar in the middle of my forehead that my aunt and uncle say came from the car crash when my parents died. I went into the bathroom across the hall and did my morning duties including brushing my teeth and trying to rip a brush through my pain-in-the-neck hair. Finally I was able to get the main to look somewhat presentable and I left the bathroom and went downstairs.

"What took you so long, girl?" Aunt Petunia %barked.

"I was trying to comb through my hair, thanks." I said as I put the bacon on and started toast. Soon enough Dudley came thundering down the stairs and I served him his breakfast. As usual, I was only allowed the most burnt bits and the stuff Dudley didn't eat which wasn't much.

"Now get to school, girl. I'll be driving Dudley but you can take the bus." I nodded and left the kitchen. I swung Dudley's old backpack over my shoulder and left the house. Their was a bus stop on the courner of my street and I went over to it. On the bench already were two boys about my age. One of them wore dark jeans, sneakers, and a red shirt with a number on it. He was tall and black with kinky black hair that stuck up far off his head in a cylindrical doo. His friend was a bit shorter with fair skin, blonde hair, and blue-green eyes. His hair was blond and stuck up in two equal tufts on either side of a teeny, tiny little blue hat. Their was a sprinkling of freckles right around his nose and cheeks. He wore sneakers, blue pants, a blue shirt, and a kilt sort of thing with the outfit. The oddest thing about him was his head which was shaped like a horizontal football. God help his mother if she didn't have a C section. A bit self-conciously I went and sat between them.

"Hello." said the blond boy.

"Do we know you?" his friend asked.

"I should think not, we only just moved in last night and I was rather busy setting up house for my relatives...I mean...I was busy _helping_ them set up the house." I said. The boys gave me an odd look.

"You don't sound like you're from around here, or from America, where are you from?" the black boy answered.

"Oh...I'm from England. My uncle got a job transfer and so we live here now. I want to make a fresh start here, you know? It'll be hard, though, with Dudley breathing down my neck, wearing these old clothes that were never in fashion in the first place, and these geeky glasses that are taped because all the times he punched me in the nose."

"Who's Dudley?" the black boy asked as his friend gave him a withering look.

"Are you sure you're a boy, tower-hair, because you're horribly nosy." I said with a shrug.

"Ah, sorry about him. He's a bit too curious for his own good sometimes. He's Gerald Johanson, I'm Arnold." the football-headed boy said. He seemed pretty nice.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Helena Potter." I said just as the bus pulled up. The three of us got on and I looked around for a spot to sit. Arnold and Gerald pointed to the seat behind them and I took it.

"Hey, this spot of the bus is only for the _popular_ croud, what are _you_ doing here?" asked a somewhat snobbish brown-haired girl dressed in a red shirt and black pants.

"Ronda, I thought we've been over this before—com" Arnold started.

"It's all right, I've got it." I whispered to him.

"Okay." he said back uncertainly.

"I'm sitting here, what does it look like I'm doing? And excuse me if I don't know what is and is not a social faux-pas at an urban American school won't you? Excuse me for being the puny, geeky little girl in too-big clothing with the taped glasses, stereotypical geek, right? Oh yeah, nice sweater, it's angora isn't it?" I asked. The girl goggled at me for a moment.

"We'll talk later." she said and then, as much to mine as to everyone else's shock, she sat next to me.

"So you're British, right?" she asked.

"Got it in one, fashionista." I said with a smirk.

"What's with the clothes? You seem to have way better taste than you let on." she said.

"They're all that I have and I guess reading through all of the trashy magazines sitting around my house is good for something. Plus, I've always had good taste, I think. These clothes are all they have but the very _day_ I can buy something better these are going in the fire." I said.

"You show promise, new girl. So I'll put you to a test and if you can answer me a few questions right you can be part of the crew, untouchable." Ronda said.

"You got a deal, princess, shoot." I said.

"First off, yes my sweater is angora but can you tell what brand it is?" Ronda asked.

"Hmmm, I'd have to say Viracelli." I said, squinting at the style of her shirt.

"And my boots?"

"Caprini, duh." I said.

"Very good. So what is your observations on Arnold and Gerald? Chic or geek?"

"Neither, they're sort of in between. Arnold seems to be a bit of a do-gooder and Gerald is pretty tactless but nice all the same, you know? Oh, and I've been terribly rude by not introducing myself, I'm Helena Potter." Ronda's eyes, for some reason, bugged out wide.

"Wait...you can't mean...the Helena Potter? Girl-who-lived? Surviver of the killing curse?" Ronda breathed under her breath very quickly.

"Hmmm? Killing curse? Whatever that is you've got the wrong girl."

"What are your parents' names?"

"Lily and James." I said. "And my middle name is Lily too."

"Oh...my...god...nobody ever told you?" Ronda breathed.

"Erm, no? Told me what?" I asked.

"Later, we're here." Ronda said.

"Riiight then, whatever." I said with a shrug. I got off the bus with the rest of the kids and headed towards the entrance.

"Oy, outa my way, freak!" Dudley demanded, barging past me and through the front doors, lovely.

"Who was that?" Ronda asked me.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." I mumbled. I then split off from the group and went to the office to get my class and locker assignment. Once I had that I headed for the locker I was assigned to which was, apparently, near some of my classmates. I opened it up with the combination I was given and dumped most of the contents of my backpack into it. I then picked out the books I would need for the morning and shut my locker. Books in hand, not really looking where I was going, I walked down the hallway. Not looking where I was going was a big mistake because soon enough I had plowed right into someone else carrying just as many books.

"Watch it!" we both snapped, bending down to pick up what was dropped. The stereo speach continued like this. "Watch what? You're the one who needs to watch it! No I don't! Who are you to tell me what to do? Who are you to tell _ME_ what to do? I'm Helena Potter/Helga Petaki! So what? Stop doing that! Stop doing what? Talking the same time as me!"

"Don't tell me what to do, small-and-skinny." the girl, Helga, snapped. She wasn't exactly pretty but not horribly ugly either. Her blonde hair was put up into three pigtails, their was a bow on the top of her head, and above her brown eyes their was a thick black una-brow, poor girl. She wore a pink dress over a white shirt that had a bow at the waste as well as tennis shoes.

"Well than don't tell me what I'm to do, flamingo girl." I hissed venomously. By this point we had gathered quite the crowd around us.

Everyone saw it when the new girl that was dressed poorly that Ronda seemed to like bumped into Helga Petaki. Oh boy, this couldn't be good. Helga was very tempremental and this girl barely looked like a second-grader. What they soon discovered, however, was that this British girl had just as much whit and bite as Helga did.

"Flamingo girl? Well at least _I_ don't wear _eliphant_ skin." Helga shot back.

"You should really look at yourself in the mirror, Petaki, or did you dress in the dark?" Helena asked bitingly.

"Well you obviously brushed your hair in the dark, is one of your parents a lion or what?" Helga snapped back.

"No. Say, Petaki, what do you call him?" Helena asked, green eyes wide and curious, giving off the perfect I'm-so-innocent look.

"Call who, Potter?"

"Your caterpillar. If I were you I'd be calling him Mr. Fuzzles; girl, you need a _wax!"_ Helena said, smirking.

"Well _you_ need a haircut, maybe someone could shave you bald." Helga said.

"Already been done before, it always grows back. Can I assume the same for Mr. Fuzzles?" Helena asked.

"Why you little...little...little—com" but Helga trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Little what? Can't even think of a good insult, monkey-face? Broomstic-head? Blondo? Pinky? Big-foot?" Helena shot off.

"Why you little scar-faced brat, you're about to meet Old Betsy!" Helga said, holding out her fist. It was true, everyone could see the strange lightning bolt on the girl's forehead.

"Well _you're_ about to meet my Marauder Smackdown! Meet Tigerlily, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and _PRONGS."_ Helena raged, holding up her own fist and flexing each finger in turn. Suddenly, though, the bell for class rang out.

"This isn't over." Helga said.

"Whatever, Pinky." Helena snapped.

"The brainless." Helga shot back as the girls went down the hallway and the group broke up.

Oh the _audacity_ of that new girl, that little British twit! How _dare_ she talk to me that way? And she had to be what, seven? Maybe eight years old? Much to my dismay, however, a minute after everyone was sat down she entered the room.

"Is their something you need?" Mr. Simmons asked.

"Yes, this is my class." the girl said.

"Are you mistaken? This is a fourth-grade class." he said as she walked up to the desk.

"No, sir, I am not. This is my propper class." the brat said oh-so-politely.

"Skipped ahead?" Mr. Simmons asked with genuine interest and delight.

"No, sir." Potter said, getting impatient. "I'll be ten in July, thanks." and with that, she sat down in the only remaining seat which was next to Arnold, _MY_ _ARNOLD!_ Not only that but throughout the morning she was able to get all the answers right even before Phoebe had a chance to answer. What was up with this girl?

"Something has _got_ to be done about Potter, Phebes." I said as we walked to lunch.

"Helga, I don't think that's such a good idea. Plus, you remember what happened with Lila?" Phoebe asked.

"But this is different. This girl dresses terribly so she must live in a dump and we have no reason to feel bad, okay? It's just one little prank." I said.

"Well...okay...but the other girls won't be happy." she said.

"Which is why we'll ask the boys." I said with a smirk.

"You were really good in class." Ronda complemented as we walked to lunch.

"Thanks. Like I said, new start. Dudley, the fat boy who pushed me, always sort of held me back before at our old school which was smaller than this one and if you didn't want Dudley wailing on you you'd stay away from the "freak" and make fun of her too. That little row I had with the Petaki girl isn't the first of the sort, I'm not the type of girl to take something lying down." I said as we reached the lunch room. Ronda got in line but I stepped aside.

"Aren't you going to get any lunch?" she asked.

"No...I'm fine...had a big breakfast...I'm not hungry." I said with a shrug. My stomach betrayed me a second later as it growled quite loudly, I blushed.

"You are hungry, I can tell. Why won't you get lunch? What's wrong?" she asked, I sighed.

"I wasn't given any bloody money, that's what. I'm never given any money but it's nothing to worry about, I'll eat at home." I said with an annoyed scowl on my face.

"And their's my beautiful angel!" said a boy with black pants and a yellow T-shirt with glasses and a bowl cut coming up to Ronda.

"Ugh, Curly, get lost!" Ronda groaned.

"Oooh, does Ronda have a boyfriend?" I teased.

"No, he's not my boyfriend! He's just a pest."

"A pest who will do anything for my love! So what will it be? Carry your books? buy your lunch?" he asked just as my stomach growled again.

"Hmmm, here's what you could do, buy my friend lunch." Ronda said.

"But Ronda...that's not right...I'm fine." I said as my stomach growled again and I blushed crimson.

"Get her lunch, Curly, and make it good." Ronda said. Curly nodded and sped off. I smiled in thanks and sat down with Ronda and her friends at the table.

"We're going to pair up and do a history project, won't that be fun?" Mr. Simmons asked the entire class. Everyone groaned. In the end, I got paired with Arnold. It wasn't hard to miss the jealous look on Petaki's face.

"So do you want to start the report at your house or at mine?" Arnold asked.

"Erm...mine isn't such a good idea...but I'd better check in with them...tell them I can't cook...I mean come home...for dinner." I stammered out. We were on the bus and almost to our stop. Arnold shrugged as we got off. I started down the sidewalk not even noticing that he was trailing behind me. I eventually came to the yellow house that I was forced to call home and opened the door.

"What took you so long getting home, girl?" came a man's voice as Helena stepped into the yellow house. I peered through the window to see a perfectly neat living room, too neat.

"I took the school bus. I'm only just checking up with you because I've been assigned a partner for a history project and we'll be working at his house and I won't be able to cook dinner, most likely." Helena said in a small voice I didn't think she was capeable of.

"Well you can tell the boy that you can't come and he'll have to do the ruddy work himself now won't you?" growled the man who was very large and very fat, he almost looked like another Bob Petaki but but with blonde hair, blue eyes, a huge mustache, and two eyebrows.

"No! This is to be a team project and I already promised I'd help. Think of it this way...the more time I spend away from this house is the more time you get to not be around me." she said, shrinking from the man, her father, perhaps?

"Fine, girl, but don't expect food from us when you come home. We take you in, raise you, and you're the most ungrateful brat I ever met! I still stand to my word that you should have died with your parents when you were a baby!" the man, not her father then, roared, giving her a shove towards the door. My god, what sort of monsters did she live with? I didn't have time to move nor do anything as she came out of the house.

"You saw all of that?" she moaned. "Great, another reason to be laughed at. I can face down a girl with a una-brow but I can't even face down my own bloody uncle."

"I'm not going to laugh." I said as we walked down the street.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I have a few warnings about my own family. They're not nasty like yours but they're...a bit eccentric."

"oh, are your parents hippies or something?" she asked, I shook my head. She gasped at the expression that must have been etched onto my face.

"Oh god...I'm so sorry...I didn't realize...your parents, they're dead like mine?" she asked.

"Yes. They were never found...but I assume so. How did yours...um...die?"

"Car crash, at least that's what my aunt and uncle say. My aunt Petunia is my mum's older sister, I think, or at least she's her sister. That hulking brute you saw was her husband, my uncle Vernon, and the littler brute you saw at the beginning of the day that called me "freak" was their son, Dudley. I dunno if they've been honest about my parents and the car crash, though, because I remember a lot of green light and I can't see how that happened unless a trafic light fell on me or something and how could two adults have died when I, a baby, lived with only this scar?" she pulled up her fringe of bangs, exposing the cut.

"I don't know. I live with my grandma and grandpa. It's a boarding house, you see, so their's a lot of people there that are like family too but they're not really my family, you know? My grandpa's pretty sane but my grandma goes through phases...you'll see when we get there." I said.

"Here we are." Arnold said to me a few minutes later. We were in front of a red brick house. As soon as Arnold opened the door several dogs and cats ran outside as well as a little pink pig.

"Cute pig, I wish I could turn my cousin into one; then maybe he'd be easier to handle...or I could just make him into bacon...hmmm." Arnold laughed as we went inside and shut the door.

"Howdy, Tex! You come home to help me round up the cattle?" asked an old woman in cowgirl garb. "And who's your friend?"

"Grandma, this is Helena Potter. Helena, this is my grandma, Gerty." Arnold said.

"Wel heya, cowgirl! Nice to meecha. You should get yer folks over here and we could have a big ol' hootenanny like nothin' ever seen before." the old woman said, I smiled.

"Gee, I certainly would, ma'am, but my parents are in the great beyond and I can't communicate with them. Who knows, 'haps I could get 'em to haunt us durin' a good ol-fashion ghost story?" I ask, smiling sadly.

"Awe, well that's a shame! haps you could invite whoever it is you live with then?"

"Nah, they're sticks-in-the-mud, party poopers, no fun at all and they'd be eatin all the good fixins." I said, laughing at how pathetic I sounded, a British girl trying to do an American Southern accent.

"Your accent's not bad." Arnold said as we walked up the stairs.

"Oh please!" I laughed. "A British girl doing an American accent...a Southern one at that...that's just commical."

"I suppose it is, but only a bit." he conceded.

"Hey, short-man, who's your friend?" asked an old man as we continued through the house.

"Hi, Grandpa. This is a classmate from school, she's new. Her name's Helena Potter." Arnold said.

"Well nice to meet you, Helena." the old man said. I grinned and reached out my hand, shaking his gnarled old one.

"It's nice to meet you as well, sir." I said respectfully.

"Oh, a little British girl hmmm? What brings you and your family across the pond?"

"My uncle got a job transfer. I daresay my aunt isn't quite so happy to be here, however, but I saw my cousin roaming the halls with a new group of thugs." I shrugged.

"Aunt? Uncle? Cousin?" Arnold's grandpa asked.

"Arnold and I have more in common than we realized, sir. I am orphaned as well. I can't honestly say that I remember my parents at all since I was fifteen months to the day the night that they died. My aunt and uncle say that they died in a car crash and that they were horrid drunks but I don't believe them, at least, not about the drunks part. All I can remember when I think back is love and warmth and a feeling of safety. I still wonder if the car crash really happened. Their was a bright flash of green light and I only got left with this scar on my forehead. How could I, a baby, be left like that when my parents died? And I don't see how their could have been so much green light unless a trafic light fell on me. Anyway, my aunt is my mum's sister, older I think, and I live with them now. Oh...I'm terribly sorry...I've been babbling haven't I?"

"You're all right. Now why don't you kids go on upstairs?" Arnold's grandpa asked, we nodded.


	31. A New Huntsgirl

A New Huntsgirl

An attempt to write ayet ANOTHER unneeded character… this time in the American Dragon: Jake Long universe… This time, it's JAKE's long-missing twin taken in by the Huntsclan, becoming the huntsgirl after Rose, blah blah blah… Wow, I sure knew how to churn out the crapola in these days…

Chapter One: The Academy

"Numbers 100, 101, up and at 'em, _NOW!"_ my hall supervisor shouted. I groaned and put a pillow over my face.

"Get up, 101, we must stand at attention in five minutes." said my roommate, 100.

"Yes, 100, I understand." I said as I got up and made my bed with a flourish. the next thing I did was quickly dress in my uniform, the tight black shirt, pants, and boots. I then braided my black hair, streaked with brown, into a tight, long braid and made sure their was no sleep in my chocolate brown eyes. Once my teeth were brushed, I put on the partial mask of a cadet worthy of it as well as my soft leather gloves.

"Some day, 101, you might be worthy of a finer uniform." Huntsmaster had once said to me. A finer uniform meant full slaying gear, full mask, gloves, and a special name. 100 didn't even have a mask yet. Her clothes were not as nice either; just a baggy top, pants, and used boots. She was a new recruit, she had only been in the Academy for a year whereas I had been here since I could remember. 100 and I headed out to the hall and headed for the gymnasium for morning calisthenics. As soon as we were all lined up by number, Master Roth, the fitness instructor, began to bark out orders.

"Windmill, give me one hundred!" and "fifty push-ups! We ain't in the girl-scouts, y'all!" Soon enough, he was at his final command.

"Mile run! Go go go!" Everyone lined up and set off around the large gymnasium. Only four times around it made a mile but it was easy to me; I could have easily ran five without tiring. My stamina is good that way, I don't tire easily. By the second lap, many of the cadets were lagging behind and panting heavily.

"Come on you slackers, you know the rules! You don't finish and you get no breakfast, half as much for lunch and dinner, no dessert, and no shower tokens!" I hollered. One of the perks of being one of the favored cadets is that I get to boss the new recruits around. Soon enough, I was done, the first one, too.

"Nice job, 101, you may take double shower tokens for today, that's five minutes. Also, I shall alert the kitchen staff that you are to have the good stuff today, double portions, and double dessert." Master Roth said, handing me the five tokens.

"Thank you, master." I said, curtseying as I left the room. I smiled and wiped the sweat off my brow with my right hand. The red dragon birth mark gleamed innocently from it's spot wrapped around my naturally tan wrist. I always wondered if I had oriental ancestry. I finally found the canteen and got in line. I was pleased to receive four syrup-drenched, whip-cream-covered waffles and several links of sausage and strips of bacon. I was also allowed to take my pick of beverages, I got a strong cup of coffee as I had done every day since my thirteenth birthday more than a year ago. I sat down with the meltingpots, the clique who are interested in more than one thing.

"Got the good haul, 101?" asked the girl across from me.

"Sure did, 106." I said, taking a swig of my coffee and munching a link of sausage. Most of the people around me simply had a dry pancake with a little syrup and old bacon.

"Dragon Slaying class is first. I do wonder why they haven't taught us how to get dragon blood out of blouses, though." 103, another girl, said.

"I have no idea. We don't want to anger the huntsmaster so we should get going, I am." I said after a few minutes of cleaning my plate. With that, I was off. As I usually do, I sat down in the very front row in the middle. Class went as usual, talking about the strengths and weaknesses of dragons. If I had a chance, I would slay all the dragons in the world. When I was little the huntsmaster told me of how my parents had been killed, killed by a ferocious dragon bent on destroying normal people. This is the mission of the Huntsclan, to destroy all magical creatures and their associates so that normal people can live, well, normally.

"101, I want to see you in my office right now!" Huntsmaster said as class let out. I nodded my head in understanding and went down the hall to his office.

"What is it that you need, sir?" I asked.

"101, this is the day." he said.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"The day when you are worthy of being more than just a cadet. You really have done well and shown all the spirit and determination that we need. After the traitorous acts of the previous huntsgirl, we need another spy to find out just who the American Dragon _REALLY_ is. Your name at birth is Jasmine, you know that. Your last name at birth was Long so that is what you shall be known as, Jasmine Long. As you can tell, you have graduated from being known as simply a number. You are now the new Huntsgirl, may you slay as many dragons as you wish."

"Thank you, thank you so much!" I said, smiling.

"If their is anyone who deserves this it is you; I should have chosen you before I chose that Rose girl. She shall go in the hall of dishonor and will never be spoken of again."

"It is good, making friends with dragons! What sort of a disgrace was she? I shall do a better job than she did." I vowed.

"I know. Today you shall have the rest of the day to pack. Tomorrow, we move to New York and you will start eighth grade at Millard Fillmore middle school, understand?"

"Yes, Huntsmaster." I said.

"Very good. you are dismissed, Huntsgirl." Huntsmaster said. I curtseyed and left the office.

"When I got to my room, 100 was waiting for me.

"So what did Huntsmaster want, 101?" she asked.

"I'm not 101, not anymore." I said.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm Huntsgirl now. The name I will be going by outside the huntsclan is Jasmine, it is the name my parents gave me. I finally have the chance to slay the American Dragon. I shall succeed where Huntsgirl failed." I said.

"Omigod! So when do you leave?" she asked.

"Tomorrow morning. I must pack whatever I want to take, not that their is much. I shall be getting new uniforms and ordinary clothes for school. I'll actually be going to a non-Huntsclan school for once where I'll learn things like math and science and English and gym class will be easy." I gushed.

"I'm happy for you, one...I mean...Jasmine." 100 said, smiling.

"Thanks, Maria." I said, using her actual name.

Chapter Two: NYC

At exactly 6:00, I awoke to get ready for the day. Much to my surprise, their was a new outfit at the end of my bed. I pulled it up to feel that it was a tight, silky black suit made of stretchy material. The gloves were the softest, most flexible leather, most likely made out of the hide of a slain dragon, and the boots were as well. My full mask was of the same material as my suit. I approved. I slipped the new black bra, underwear, and socks on and then slipped the outfit itself on save for the gloves and mask. I went over to the sink in our bedroom, brushed my teeth, combed my wavy hair, and carefully braided it into the tidiest braid I could make. Once that was done, I threaded it through my mask and slipped it on. Lara was already gone so I picked up my small bag, stuffed my toiletries into it, and left. To my surprise, Huntsmaster was waiting for me.

"Are you ready, Huntsgirl?" he asked.

"I couldn't be more ready." I answered.

"Good. We will be going now, we can go out for breakfast." he said.

"Very well." I said.

"I do have one thing to present you with, however." he handed me a large staff, a slaying staff.

"Thank you, Huntsmaster." I said, taking it from him.

"You deserve it, Huntsgirl, you deserve it." he said as we walked down the hall.

A few hours later we were in New York and in our new house.

"Now here is your story. You are transferring from another school in Long Island and you are living with your older brother because your parents were murdered. The age you shall state me as, if you must state it at all, is twenty, understand?" Huntsmaster asked as we ate a light lunch.

"Yes, Huntsmaster." I said. "I understand."

"Very good. All of your things are upstairs including school clothes, good toiletries, school things, and a computer linked to the Huntsclan database. School starts tomorrow, I suggest you take your mask off lest the neighbors see. We do not wish to arise suspicion." he said. "Go up and, what is it children do, oh yes, relax." I smiled and did just that. My room was really quite nice with cream carpet and white walls. The bed was a full two, that was a plus. On one wall was a dresser next to a closet door, their was also a large desk with a laptop computer on it. I pealed off my full mask and flung it on the hook on the back of my door. I noticed then that their was a stereo on the table with the computer so I turned it on. The first station I came to was a country one.

"I got friends in low places where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away, and I'll be okay!" the singer drawled in a southern voice.

"Note to self, country equals _ICK!"_ I said to myself. I flipped through the dial once more to find something in Spanish. I understood some but it wasn't exactly my style. Third time's a charm, right? with that thought in mind, I turned the dial again to here a more upbeat song that was just reaching it's chorus.

"You must not know 'bout me, you must not know 'bout me! I can have another you in a minute, matter fact he'll be here in a minute, _BABY!_ You must not know 'bout me, you must not know 'bout me! I can have another you by tomorrow! Don't you ever for a second get to thinking you're _IRREPLACEABLE!"_ Yeah, now that was better.

The next day I woke up early to the sound of my alarm clock blaring. I always hated getting up early and now that their weren't any huge consequences for not getting up I wanted to stay in the cozy cocoon that was my new bed. I knew that I had to get up for this thing called middle school, however, so I reluctantly got out of my cozy bed and made it with a flourish. I then went into the connected bathroom and took a shower, a long, hot shower that I needed no tokens for. Once I was out, I brushed through my wet hair and actually used a hair dryer. When my hair was dry, I took a red hair band and put it up in a somewhat messy bun on top of my head. Red was definitely my new favorite color. Huntsmaster had bought me a skateboard so that I could "blend with the crowd" even though I had never been on one before. I smiled at the very image, brushed my teeth, put deodorant on, and went into my bedroom. I opened the closet to decide on what to wear. I eventually chose a jersey-like red shirt with gold stripes on the sleeves as well as a pair of dark blue jeans and sneakers. Once I was dressed, I went over to where my red backpack lay and made sure everything was in it. Books, check. Pencils and pens, check. Looseleaf paper, check. Notebooks, check. New cell phone, check. I smiled, I was ready to go. I hoisted my bag onto my back and went downstairs.

"Good morning, Huntsmaster." I said as I went over to the coffee pot to serve myself some coffee.

"Hello, Huntsgirl. You remember your story, do you not?" Huntsmaster said.

"Yes, Huntsmaster, I remember." I said as I sat down and took a long gulp of coffee.

"I am glad. You had better go to school, it never bodes well to be late on your first day. Your board and helmet are by the door." he said as I slurped down my cup of coffee.

"Thank you." I said as I rinsed my cup in the sink and headed for the door. My board was red, my favorite color, with gold flames licking at it's edges. My helmet was also red with gold running through it. I smiled, settled my bun in the helmet, fastened it, picked up my board, and headed outside.

Third Person POV:

"Hey, Jake!" Spud shouted as he and Trixy skated down the sidewalk. Their was a red blob with dark jeans and hair in the distance on a red and gold skateboard with a red helmet and shirt. The blob was skating like a pro, like Jake. The blob made no show of answering. The two of them followed the blob and Trixy finally broke the silence.

"Hey Jakie, what's up with you?" she called.

"Nothin', Trix, I'm right behind you!" came a voice making both of them jump and almost fall off their boards.

"Jake?" they both asked.

"Yeah, who else?"

"But if you're Jake—com" Trixy started.

"Than who is that?" Spud finished. Jake peered at the blob and frowned.

"I have no idea." he said.

"You din't make a double did you?" Trixy asked.

"No I didn't." Jake said. "Let's just see where the person goes." They followed the blob all the way to their middle school. The person stopped, kicked the board up, and caught it.

"Who are you?" Spud asked as they approached. The person faced them and took their helmet off to reveal a bun on top of their head, it was clearly a girl. She then took a red hair band out of her hair, letting it fall in chocolate-streaked midnight black waves to her waste.

Jasmine's POV:

"Oh, I'm Jasmine Long. ,if you're all for nicknames you can call me Jazz or Jazzy or something." I said with a smile. Their mouths dropped open.

"Long?" they asked.

"Yes, it's not that unusual a name is it?" I asked.

"I'm Jake Long." said a boy in an outfit that was somewhat similar to mine. He looked a little like me too, come to think of it, with chocolate brown eyes and midnight hair streaked with chocolate brown.

"Common name then, right. Anyway, nice to meet you; I'm new here."

"Where are you from?" a girl with kinky black hair in two poofy buns on the sides of her head said.

"Long Island. I've just moved here with my older brother; my parents are dead." I said.

"Oh." they said together.

"I've got to get to the office and get my schedule." I said, going up the stairs to the front doors.

"Wait, we can show you to your classes once you have it." Jake said.

"Totally." piped a boy with brown hair sticking out of a baseball cap.

"Thanks." I said as I opened the doors and entered the school. The office was right down the hall and I entered to see a secretary behind a desk.

"Um, I've come to get my schedule. I'm Jasmine Lily Long, my older brother should have registered me." I said.

"Ah yes, your first class is Mythology." she said, handing me a paper.

"Hans Rotwood?" I asked Jake and his friends.

"Yeah, don't pay attention to what he says, it's basically mad ramblings." he said. I shrugged.

"Oh, I've got locker 13, lucky me." I said.

"I have locker 14, let me show you where they are." Jake said.

A few minutes later most of my stuff was in my locker and I was sitting with Jake and his friends who had introduced themselves as Trixy Carter and Arthur Spudinski. Right then, a teacher with graying brown hair entered the classroom.

"Good morning, class. Today ve vill be continuing our discussion of dragons." he said, I zoned out.

Chapter Three: Dragon _UP!_

The rest of the day passed quite smoothly and I became just like one of the group with Trix, Spud, and Jake.

"Hey, you wanna come over to my house?" Jake asked as school let out.

"No, um, my brother will be wanting me home. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I asked.

"Okay." Jake said. I didn't even bother to put my hair in the bun, I just set my helmet over it. Knowing Huntsmaster, I would have a mission before the day was out. Sure enough, halfway home my cell phone began to ring. Dee-dee-dee, dee-de-dee, dee-dee-dee-dee-dee! Dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee-dee-dee! Dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee, dee-dee-dee-dee-deeeee! I whipped it out then and answered it, it was Huntsmaster.

"Yes Huntsmaster?" I asked.

"Their is a herd of pixies in central park, I want you to catch them, Huntsgirl." he said.

"_PIXIES?_ You have _GOT_ to be _Kidding_ me!" I said.

"I am not, Huntsgirl, do not try my patience. If you are their the American Dragon will most likely be their as well and you might have your chance."

"Yes, Huntsmaster, I will be their." I said as I reached the front door of our home. I rushed inside and quickly got on my outfit before speeding off to the park, setting my staff on "catch." Just as I was sucking up the little buggers their was a flash of red and the American Dragon was in front of me.

"No catching magical creatures while the Am-Drag is around!" he said in a voice that was much like Jake's.

"And who are you to say otherwise, _DRAGON?"_ I spat through my mask.

"The American Dragon! Who are you?" he demanded.

"The new Huntsgirl!" I said. I saw his eyes go misty so I used it to my advantage, kicking him in the stomach. He stumbled back and into a fountain. I myself lost balance and went in right after him. It was a basic kick-and-brawl as I fought with the dragon. Then, with his claws, he ripped the mask off my face.

Jake's POV:

"Jazz?" I asked, gobsmacked. Their, no mistaking, was the new girl that I had just met and befriended earlier this morning.

"I don't know who you are but my name is of no importance to you!" she snarled before kicking me hard and going on a tangent.

"_THIS_ is for your kind murdering my _PARENTS!_ _THIS_ is for your kind disrupting all kinds of _NORMALCY!_ _THIS_ is for your kind even _EXISTING!_ and _THIS_ is for being a disgrace to the name of _HUMAN!"_ she kicked me each time she emphasized a word.

"Hey...we are what we are!" I stammered.

"If I ever get the chance _I_ _WILL_ _SLAY_ _EVERY_ _Dragon!"_ she yelled. Then, something amazing happened. In a swirl of flames, she went dragon.

Jazz's POV:

Suddenly, as I said Dragon, I felt myself change, a reddish gold fire surrounded me. I found that I was the same height as the dragon. When I looked at my reflection in the water, I screamed. My eyes were the same but I had a red, scaly body with a gold stomach. My head was red with gold on my throat. I lifted up my right arm or whatever a dragon's limb is to see that my dragon mark was now gold. On my head, my hair blew behind me in the breeze. How could I be a...a...a dragon?

"Nooooo! How can this be happening!" I wailed. The dragon, I realized, looked a lot like my new form except he didn't have the mark and the hair stuff on the top of his head was in spikes just like...just like Jake's hair.

"A dragon murdered your parents, hmm?" the dragon...Jake...said. "Looks like your parents _are_ dragons." he said.

"But how...I mean...they told me my parents were murdered by a dragon...so I thought it was true." I stammered. "You, you're Jake Long aren't you?"

"Yeah I am. Look, I'm sure that you aren't happy about this but we need to figure it out. Meet me at my gramps's electronic's shop, Lao-Shi's Electronics, okay? Maybe your parents are still alive, Jazz." he said.

"Don't think this fight is over, dragon, it could be some sort of a curse the dragon who killed my parents put on me." I snapped before turning back to normal, grabbing up my mask, putting it on, and rushing away.

Jake's POV:

As soon as she was gone, I dragoned down and headed for Gramps's shop. Surely he would know what to do, right? As soon as I was their he looked at me worriedly.

"What is wrong, young dragon?"

"Their's a new huntsgirl." I said, he looked worried. "She said that a dragon murdered her parents; she has the dragon mark. You know that girl I told you about when I came in after school? Jasmine? She's the new huntsgirl. Then, suddenly when we were fighting, she just turned into a dragon like _THAT!_ And she looks a lot like me too, in dragon and human form. Her full name is Jasmine Lily Long." Gramps looked surprised. It was then that Jazz came in wearing the clothes she wore earlier.

Jazz's POV:

"I'm here, I'm here. I brought my laptop too, it has the Huntsclan database; I've never had access to it before." I said, coming into the little shop.

"Very good, put it on the table." said a little old man in blue. I nodded and did so. Fu dog has made a lineage potion as well so you can see exactly who your parents are after you are done with the database."

"All right, just let me log on." I sat down and opened it up. After a few minutes of setting the computer up with my user name and password I was finally on the desktop. I clicked on the Huntsclan icon and pulled up the database.

Which database would you like to enter?

Members

Hunted Creatures

"Members"

What would you like to do?

Type in name

Search alphabetically

"Type in name"

Last name?

"Long"

First name?

"Jasmine"

Middle name?

"Lily"

Date of birth?

"October 17, 1993"

Current code name?

"Huntsgirl"

Results:

1\. Jasmine Lily Long. Born October 17, 1993. Promoted to Huntsgirl March 1, 2008

"Click"

"Here goes!" I said as I pulled up my page. "Let's read it.

Name: Jasmine Lily Long

Code Name: Huntsgirl

Date of Birth: October 17, 1993

Age: Fourteen

Race: Asian-American

Current height: 5 feet, 5 inches

Current weight: 125 lb

Mother: Susan Elizabeth Long, dormant dragon

Father: Jonathan Andrew Long, human

Siblings: Jacob Luke Long (older twin,) currently unknown, Haley Jane Long (age eight,) currently unknown

Child was liberated of her magical family at birth. A Huntsclan member working as a nurse at a New York City hospital saw the mark of a hunts member and took the child away. It is unknown if the child's siblings are dragons or not. As well as dragon blood, both parents have magician and oracle ancestors. Hopefully all abilities are blocked due to a special formula that was fed to her. Currently, she has no abilities.

"Aaaaahhhhh! I'm going to kill all the Huntsclan if it's the _LAST_ _THING_ _I_ _DO!"_ I yelled, slamming the computer shut. Jake and his...no...my grandfather were gaping at the screen.

"Just take the potion, kid, and we'll confirm it." said a fat old dog, holding out a red bottle of something. I frowned and gulped it. Before we knew it, everyone in the room was sucked into a memory.

Third Person POV:

"Aren't they the most precious things you ever saw?" asked a man with brown hair and glasses to his wife who had black hair and lay on a bed, two babies cradled to her breast.

"They are, aren't they?" she asked as she looked down. "A little boy, a little girl, now I feel complete."

"Hey Jake-a-roo, Jazzy-poo, I'm your daddy!" said the man as he tickled one and then the other. "Hey look, dear, she's got a mark like a dragon on her wrist."

"A dragon?" the woman stammered. A little old man gasped softly and came over.

"Let me see that." he said, grasping the baby girl's wrist.

"But why? Isn't it neat?" the young man asked.

"_NO_ _IT_ _IS_ _NOT!"_ the old man yelled.

"But why?" the young man asked.

"Old superstition right, dad?" the woman asked, giving the old man a meaningful look.

"Oh yes, yes. Superstition." the old man said, looking worried. It was then that a nurse came in.

"I need to see the girl, our last tests didn't come back right." she said. The mother reluctantly let the nurse take her daughter and leave the room, though not without scanning the nurse's arm first.

Jazz's POV:

"Now I'm _REALLY_ going to kill them!" I growled. "Keeping me away from my family! Feeding me lies! Raising me to hate magical people, people like _ME!_ Raising me to want to _SLAY_ _MY_ _OWN_ _BROTHER!"_ I yelled. Jake and Gramps looked pale. "I'm not going to be a member of the Huntsclan another _NIGHT!_ Jake, can I come home with you?"

"Why didn't they tell me?" he muttered. "Why didn't they tell me I had a sister? Why didn't they tell me she was kidnapped? And why didn't _YOU_ tell me she was probably a member of the _HUNTSCLAN?"_ his voice was raised by this point.

"Jake, we didn't know if she was even alive. Most babies kidnapped do not last more than a few years in the Huntsclan like any new recruit. Many of them die." Gramps explained.

"But you could have told me! You could have explained everything!" he protested.

"Bro, it's not his fault. Talking about that thing just might open up old wounds. I could tell that when I called myself Huntsgirl it opened up old wounds for you." I said.

"Well...okay. You'll have to get your stuff from your house though, why don't you do that first?"

"I will. But how? I wonder...am I a sorceress? Can I magic them here? And why didn't that awaken in you?" I asked.

"I do not know. All that I know is that it must be tested. Try a spell, just make one up." Gramps said.

"Okay...um...here goes. I'm really sick of my old life, pack all of my things real tight, and then please bring them to my side!" I said. Suddenly, many boxes appeared.

"Oh wow!" Jake said. "Let me try! Although I know it's gettin' late, bring me my board so I can skate!" suddenly, Jake's skateboard was in his hand.

"I was not anticipating this, we must test young Haley tomorrow. In the meantime, let me take you home and explain everything to your parents." Gramps said.


	32. I Know

I Know

An attempt to write a (way OP) seer female Harry who uses her visions to her advantage to make herself a better life in the Dursley household, also picking up a ton of foreknowledge about the magical world on the way…

Chapter One: The Early Years

Hayleigh Potter was a very strange child. Ever since she was young her relatives called her a freak and she had displayed many "freaky" tendencies. She almost always seemed vacant from the world sometimes like she was looking at other things. Her relatives one day told her when she was four that her parents died drunk in a car crash but she found out the truth later that night. It was Halloween, the day her parents had been killed and she had had dreams of green light every Halloween since but this dream was much more vivid. She relived the entire night all from her baby self's prospective in her dreams. For months after that she relived every memory of her life with her parents in her dreams and she knew that she was loved, that she deserved to be happy. Mixed in with those nights were dreams of what seemed to be the future. She dreamed of getting a letter from a magic school called Hogwarts, of being escorted to shopping by this huge man. She saw several different futures but she could see no more than seven years ahead of her at one time. She could also see into the past and learned everything of her parents' lives from the time they were young to the time they died. She felt as though even if she didn't know them at least she knew what they were like. She did not know what exactly this strange ability was but she was grateful for it even if she did seem like a freak.

One night, the June before her sixth birthday while she slept her dreams shifted. If her uncle went out at exactly 7:00 the morning after next he would be caught in a horrible car crash on the corner of Wisteria Walk and Chrysanthemum Court. Every small, inconsequential decision made a difference and a ripple effect, the butterfly effect as it is known. If he died, Aunt Petunia would be so in grief she would kill herself. The morning after Vernon's death Hayleigh would find her aunt hanging by a knot of panties from the ceiling fan in the bedroom. Child services would put Dudley with his aunt Marge and put her in an orphanage where she would be treated no better than at the Dursleys. She decided then that she would help her so-called family out. It wasn't just for them but for her. If he chose to listen than they'd still hate her but they'd be too scared to go against her wishes in the thought that she might know how to make events play out where they would die. With this amazing sight it would be hard to tell what she would do next. If she could play her cards right, the next five years of her life could be lived in comfort. A very Slytherin way of thinking of things, she realized, but that was how she worked, she was very Slytherin in deed.

"Uncle Vernon." Hayleigh said, looking up at him as he sat down for his TV time the night before the crash.

"what do you want, girl?" he barked.

"To warn you." she said. Hayleigh's eyes slid unfocused, her head cocked to one side, and she remembered all of the details of her vision.

"What's that supposed to mean, girl?" he barked.

"Don't leave the house at 7:00 tomorrow morning like you always do."

"And why the hell not?" he demanded, yanking her closer.

"Cause if you do you'll die." Hayleigh said.

"Is that a threat, you little bitch, _IS_ _THAT_ _A_ _THREAT?"_ he demanded, his face going purple as he backhanded her in the face.

"No. At exactly 7:03 tomorrow morning their will be a crash at the intersection of Wisteria Walk and Chrysanthemum Court. If you leave at 7:00 it will take you three minutes to get to that intersection and you will be part of a three car pile-up. If you are in the pile-up you will die of a snapped neck. If you die, Aunt Petunia ends her own life. If she ends her own life Dudley gets sent off to Marge's. I suggest you not leave late either for the accident will make you late to work and you'll get demoted. If you leave early you'll be at work when the accident happens and you might get a raise and maybe something more but that's a surprise." she said calmly.

"Prove it!" he barked.

"Fine then." she sighed. "Give me your newspaper, please." Vernon was almost intrigued by the freaky amount of intelligence and audacity of this little freak. Not even thinking, he handed it over. Hayleigh went to the roll-top desk in the living room and found a pen and paper. She first looked through the sports section and marked down all the scores to Vernon's favorite games and then wrote who would win the horse race for the next month. She wrote what stocks her uncle owned would make a high profit and which ones he should invest in and when he should sell them. She mapped out courses of action for the next three months, not even looking down at what she wrote, just seemingly looking into space for the answers. At the very bottom, just to convince him, she stared off into space and got the lottery numbers for the next drawing; the jackpot was one mil.

"Happy?" she asked as she handed her uncle the paper, all of her observations written in flowing, elegant script not befitting of an almost six-year-old child. Then again, neither was her intelligence or vocabulary.

"What is all this?" her uncle asked.

"Their's all your sports scores for the next month. Also, I've got the horse races all set up for the next six weeks. Lastly, I've outlined your stocks for the next three months. You've invested in Cunningham Motor Corp haven't you?"

"Yes." her uncle ground out.

"I suggest that you quit them while you're ahead, uncle. If you don't you'll lose money and they'll go bankrupt before you can even break even again. Next Tuesday will be their highest stock day so sell them then. Then, I suggest you invest in Tonka Toys, you know, where a lot of Dudley's things come from. Their's going to be a huge retail spike in the next six months and you can sell your shares for more than triple what you paid for them. Then, if only to convince you, I wrote down the numbers drawing for next, the jackpot is a million pounds and I know you love your money." Hayleigh said sweetly, her large, almond-shaped emerald orbs piercing her uncle's watery blue ones.

"Cupboard...now...go...freak." he managed as he stared at the paper.

"Fine." Hayleigh said simply before slinking away to her cupboard.

The next morning her uncle left at 6:50 and got to work at 7:00 on the dot instead of his usual 7:15, his boss was quite pleased.

"Dursley, you've been a fantastic employee since the start. I'd like to offer you a raise and a promotion to Production manager. You've shown a high amount of dedication and we award such things here at Grunnings." his boss said. Vernon could hardly help the dollar signs that popped up in his eyes, metaphorically, of course. Maybe the freak was more than just a freeloader after all.

"I'm home!" he cheered as he walked through the door. The freak was making dinner, Dudley was watching cartoons, and Petunia was reading one of her gossip rags.

"Oh love I was so worried!" she said, jumping up and kissing him.

"Did you here about that horrid accident? Mr. Combs is in critical condition and Mrs. Smithe isn't much better! Oh Vernon, that could have been you!"

"Well, Pet, it almost was." he said, taking his boots off.

"What do you mean, love?" she asked as she took his coat.

"The freak came to me yesterday saying that if I went out at 7:00 the accident would happen at 7:03 and I'd die. If I died you would die and Pet I couldn't let that happen. At first I was about ready to beat the brat but then, you know what she does? She gives me all the sports and racing scores I want as well as _STOCK_ _ADVICE._ Then, to top it off, she writes down the numbers she says are for the next lottery draw. I figured it couldn't hurt and so I left early. Then, their's the accident. Petunia, if the freak didn't warn us I might have died. I don't know what sort of freakishness she uses but we can't stomp it out...I know we can't and she could play with the future to where we did die."

"That's riiight!" Hayleigh said angelically from the kitchen door. "Think of it, Aunt Petunia. For instance, I know that the Colossaloaster at the amusement park is going to malfunction Saturday and twenty-three people will die. I could easily make it twenty-six. Every little decision has a butterfly effect and I know most of the cards. Now do what I said with your finances and get back to me in three months. Then I'll give you my specifications. Oh yeah, and dinner's ready."

The next three months were probably some of Vernon's happiest. First, the freak is right about the sports scores. Then, he bets at the horse races and makes pounds upon pounds. Then, he sells his stocks for a profit and buys up Tonka shares. To top it off, early in everything, they won the lottery. Hayleigh couldn't help but feel like gloating, sticking her tongue out, and saying, "I toldya so I toldya so I toldya so, hahahahaha!" like the child she really was. Her life with the Dursleys and her visions of such things as war and fights that she might participate in and that her parents participated in had made her mature quite fast but she still just wanted to be a little girl sometimes.

"Three months are up!" she said happily in mid September. "I think it prudent that we have a family meeting."

"And who are you to dictate such a thing, girl?" her aunt sniffed.

"The one who sees things, the one who's been right about everything." Hayleigh said. She had been correct about the roller-coaster accident so they were even more wary of her. "Anyhow let's sit down shall we?" the Dursleys all reluctantly sat down at the table.

"What do you want, girl?" her uncle demanded.

"Oh, a few things. First, I want free reign to do however I want in school without any consequences." she walked up to Dudley then. "Duds, I'm _way_ smarter than you. It's not my fault that you keep failing but I will hide my intelligence no longer. I've been just barely slipping through and I am _SICK_ of it!"

"Shut up!" Dudley barked.

"Make me!" Hayleigh snapped. "Make me not continue. I've spared your lives more than you know. I'm the reason your father wasn't in that car accident last June, don't you know that? I'm the reason you're rolling around in new toys, the reason for all good fortune but I can cause bad fortune too, you know. Anyway, that's not all I want."

"What else?" Petunia asked her niece fearfully.

"No more cupboard. I am sick and tired of sleeping in it and I want my own bedroom. I either want Dudley's second bedroom or the unused bedroom, is that clear? Also, I want clothes of my own, girl clothes that will fit me, that sort of thing. I want my own toys, my own books, my own privileges. I won't be your slave any longer."

"Now you see here, you little—com"

"_BE_ _QUIET!"_ Hayleigh ordered. "I have taken your treatment for _TOO_ _LONG_ and I will _NOT_ stand for it! I know that I'm a witch! I know that my parents were murdered! I know _EVERYTHING_ _YOU_ _HAVE_ _BEEN_ _KEEPING_ _FROM_ _ME!"_ Petunia turned sheet-white at this proclamation.

"Ve-ve-Vernon, listen to the gi-girl." she stammered.

"I will _NOT_ do any such a thing unless she's got something to offer _ME!"_ he roared.

"Fine then." Hayleigh smirked. She took out several pieces of paper from her pocket. "You wonder what I've been doing all summer? I've been setting you up for the next six months. Just go by the papers and you'll be set. If you don't listen to me, I'll take them away and reverse your fortune, call me Lady Luck!" Vernon's eyes grew wide.

"Fine...fine...fine then. Petunia, take the girl shopping tomorrow." he said faintly, his greed getting the best of him.

"All right. Girl, sort through your things and decide what you want to keep and what you want to trash."

"Will do, Aunt Petunia." Hayleigh said. With an angelic smile on her face, she left the Dursleys to do whatever they pleased.

Chapter Two: Of Letters and Goblins

Soon enough, it had been five years since that September and much had changed. Hayleigh had gotten all that she wished for and was often avoided by the Dursleys which was much better than being verbally abused by her aunt, uncle, and cousin, worked like a house-elf, beaten by her uncle if it wasn't done on time or correctly, and chased by her cousin and his goons. She was solitary by nature and didn't feel safe making any Muggle friends so she kept to her studies. When she was in second grade, they bumped her up to fourth and soon after that fifth. Eventually, she had to be transferred to a private school, Surrey Academy for the Gifted. She excelled their and it could be said that she lived a decent life despite the fact that she was haunted by the miriad of possible futures as well as the unraveling mysteries of her past in her sleep.

I woke up on the day of my eleventh birthday just knowing that my letter for Hogwarts would come. I had foreseen many different ways this day could pan out. Their was the very first day I had seen this, I was four years old. I had gotten the letter, I was much more subdued and beaten down in these visions because I had not made the decision to profit from my seer's talent. That's what I'm called, a seer. I remember a dream-vision I had of the past. I was newborn and my parents were talking about my strange behavior and the nightmares I kept having. Apparently, many people in Dad's family had been seers but only minor ones, those who just get slight premonitions and gut feelings. Nobody had been so powerful as me, however, as far as I could tell from Dad's descriptions. They couldn't tell how powerful a seer I was because I was still too young. Anyway, I still lived in my old cupboard. Let's just say we wound up in some old shack and a half-giant came to get me. Now, it would be different. I smiled and got out of my bed, making it neatly. I walked over to my wardrobe and opened it, what should I wear? Sure I didn't have the nicest clothes but they were _WAAAAY_ better than Dudley's old cast-offs I used to have to wear. I eventually chose a simple yellow dress and white sandals. I went to the bathroom, brushed through my unruly red-streaked black hair that was so much like my dad's, and brushed my teeth. Going back into my room, I slipped on my somewhat ugly round, thick black glasses, glasses which still didn't quite match my eye prescription, and tied my hair back into a high ponytail with a yellow holder. As soon as I made my way into the kitchen, I started to help Aunt Petunia make breakfast. My birthday is never really recognized but that's okay, it will be.

"Scores for the day, girl! Today's Saturday and I want to go to the tracks." my uncle said. I sighed and went out to the desk in the living room, picking up a pen and paper. I sat down at the dining room table and did my seer's thing. To most it looks like I'm zoning out, my head cocks and my face and eyes look vacant, so I am told, but I know what I'm doing. I poised the pen to the paper. In my mind's eye I saw a dappled mare rushing past a finish line and a name flashed through my head, Speckles. Then, I saw a pure black stallion named Grimstalker. I wrote all of them down and passed them to my uncle. That fateful day when I was five I had just began to control my daily premonitions and I could mainly only see trivial things. Now, I have perfect control and if something important is coming I can feel it and prepare myself. I cannot, however, stop my dreams. I have never, ever, _EVER_ had a dreamless night of sleep as far as I can remember. I got myself a plate of food and handed the sheet of paper to my uncle.

"Here you go. Everyone thinks that that little stallion, Greystar, is going to finish last on every race but other than the first two he's going to win so I suggest you cash in while you can. He's small and speedy, kind of like me. Oh yeah, and I'll need some money to get myself to London, my Hogwarts letter will be here about...now." I smiled as I heard the gentle thud of letters going through the mail slot. My aunt paled and my uncle sputtered angrily but I paid them no mind as I rushed out of the dining room and to the front door. Bill...bill...bill...letter from Marge...Aunt Tuney's gossip rag...hmmm, _Aha!_ Their, at the very bottom, was my letter. A twisting feeling made itself known in my gut and my vision blurred for a moment, the signs that a major premonition was going to happen. I rushed to the dining room, thrust the mail at my aunt, and sat shakily down in my seat. My entire body went rigid but I knew my eyes were vacant. I saw flashes in front of me of myself and a few others I had seen in visions. Something happened that I was not expecting, I began to speak.

"Founders heir in magic and blood...come to make things the way that they should. With friends of the pits and the dens to be...and friends from the waters and friends of the trees. And she and her five shall conquer great darkness...and they will do it with great skill and finesse. Moon child who sees what others cannot...wise child with flame in the heart and cool logic in thoughts. Two mirror mirror and bangity bang...a dragon that reminds them of what must be changed. Six together in good times and strife...so that all creatures might live better lives. Founders heir in magic and blood...come to make things the way that they should..." I took a rattling breath and blinked back to myself. I could vaguely remember what I had said, that was the first time I had ever made a prophecy and it was important.

"You...you will _NOT_ disclose that information to _ANYONE!"_ I gasped out, still catching my breath. Aunt Petunia looked awestruck.

"A prophecy." she muttered.

"No shit, Sherlock." I breathed. I sighed and tore open my letter, reading it quickly through.

"Fifty pounds, please." I said, holding my hand out.

"Hmph." my uncle muttered, handing me the cash. I thanked him, washed my plate, and rushed out of the house and down to the bus stop. Hmmm, could I summon the Night Bus without a wand? I could do plenty of other magic without one and the next Muggle bus wouldn't be here for a half hour. I sighed and stuck my index finger out. I flicked it upwards and their was a sharp _bang._ An outlandish purple bus appeared from nowhere and the doors opened. A gangly guy, about seventeen, stepped off.

"Welcome to the Night Bus, travel for the stranded witch or wizard, my name is—com"

"Stanley Herbert Shunpike, seventeen, Hufflepuff, in your fifth year you spiked a party's punch with firewhiskey." I said without thinking. "Oh...sorry...I always do that with people..."

"S'fine, s'fine, young lady. Come on the bus. You 'ardly look 'Ogwarts age, and where's yer folks?"

"I should think that you'd try and be more sensitive, Stan. I am old enough to have been born in Voldemort's dark reign of terror and my parents were felled by the Death Eaters as trees are felled by the grisly axe-bearer who cares not for what he chops, that is all that you must note. Let us hope that in the future when children stray onto your bus that you are more sensitive to them. Their are many children, children too young to have witnessed the horrors of the first war, that are without parents for an entirely different reason." I said cooly as I made it aboard.

"Oh...erm...sorry. So where d'you wanna go?" Stan asked.

"Leaky Cauldron."

"Seven sickles, please." Stan said.

"I've just got Muggle money, take five pounds, that's a galleon's worth with the exchange rate, I think." I said, handing it to him. he nodded and pointed me to one of the many chairs on the bus. As soon as I sat down, the drive lurched forward making all of the chairs on the bus go sliding all around. I was the only one on the bus so soon enough with the series of great _bangs_ the bus was in front of the Leaky Cauldron and I was getting off.

"Thank you." I called, thanking God Stan and the driver didn't see my scar. Looking at the dingy pub in front of me, I steeled myself for what could happen. In my over-organized mind, several scenarios came to my attention, some that would have only occurred had my visions stopped and I had not made different choices. I discarded those and filed them neatly into a part of my brain which read _discarded_ _visions._ My mind, I knew, was like a vast library, perhaps bigger than anything in the outside world. By deciding to enter the cauldron with my head down I would not be noticed so that was exactly my intention. Taking a breath, I opened the door and slipped inside. As quiet as a church mouse, as stealthy as an alley cat I wound my way through the patrons of the dingy old pub, taking care to not trip on a trailing cloak, bump a table, or brush against a thing. Without having an eye cast upon me throughout my voyage through the obstacle course that was the Leaky Cauldron I made it to the back and slipped through the door into the little back yard. I walked to the bricks that made the entrance to Diagon Alley and concentrated. Hmm, I could easily just blast them apart, that would be much fun, but it would spell trouble and delay my mission. I knew exactly how to get in but honestly sometimes playing by the rules was no fun. I sighed dejectedly, going by the rules would be easiest. I reached out and pressed my right index finger to the propper brick.

"Magic allow me, magic come and open the portal to the place from which my destiny begins." I muttered, pushing the flowing stream that was my magic down and out of my finger. The brick shimmered and the wall started to arrange themselves into an arch. As soon as it was big enough for me to get through, I did so. Though I had seen Diagon in various states, be it whole and happy, glowing with life, or broken and in flames, none of my visions could have prepared me for such a marvelous sight. Though my future visions always made themselves as I was living through the real thing, as though I had lived through them and though they became clear memories once I awakened they held nothing to the splendor of living through something in real life. I wished I had about eight more pairs of eyes as I stealthily made my way through the shifting currents and tides of the witches, wizards, and occasional house-elf that filled up the cobbled streets of the majestic alley but alas such a feat as that would be difficult to pull off and perhaps impossible to reverse. I eventually reached the towering marble masterpiece that was Gringotts Bank, the sanctum of the British goblin clan, and mounted the stepps, feeling only a small amount of trepidation. In one of my visions, I would learn their language and customs, this, I knew, was one of the more likely miniature paths that made up my life's road, but I did not yet know it and I hoped that I could still earn the respect of the goblins that I met. Before the goblin guards could fully bow me through the doors I spoke to them as smoothly as I possibly could.

"Their is no need to bow to me, fair guarders of the ungrateful wizards' wealth. If anything people of my kind ought do the same to you for what you do for them though you receive not an ounce of gratitude. May your rivers ever flow in molten gold and may the finest of treasures make your mountains more grand than man could wish." I said, allowing myself to sink into a somewhat clumsy curtsey...hey...I only have picked up such manners in visions. The goblins looked...well...gobsmacked. I schooled my features passive and stepped through the first doors and then the second. Feeling a hair more confident than before I stepped up to the most hard-faced, disapproving goblin I could find. If I could win over the most fearsome of the goblin clan than my time in the walls of Gringotts would be much better spent.

"Greetings, gold-protector. Might I ask your common name before we conduct any further business? I wish not to be impolite and know not the goblin customs so I believe it would have been quite rude of me to introduce myself first."

"My common name, human, is Gornak, son of Steeltrap, master crafter of swords." the goblin said, glaring down at me.

"It is very nice to make your acquaintance Sir Gornak, son of Steeltrap, master crafter of swords." I said, nodding my head in appreciation.

"Tell me, human, what is your name?" he barked.

"My given name is Hayleigh, daughter of James, rank six auror who has joined the ranks of the deceased, and Lily, beloved mother and junior healer, also in the ranks of the deceased with her husband, my father. I do not possess any key to vaults which might have been left to me. I understand and respect your security and wish to take care of everything while I am here." I said evenly, never looking away from the goblin's piercing, yellow-eyed stare.

"You've earned my respect, human child, a feat not easy to accomplish. Come, I shall bring you to Bonecracker, goblin-wizard accounts liaison, presently." The goblin grinned a toothy grin, a goblin sign of respect which I returned as well as possible, and was beside me in the next second. He walked quickly, not bothering to stay slow for little human me, but I found it was not hard to keep up. I'm not the fastest track-and-field at Surrey Academy for the Gifted for nothing. He wrenched open doors, marched me through zigzagging corridors, and up and down slopes until I felt thoroughly lost and confused.

"I must admire your people's architectural style, Sir Gornak. The hallways of this place are labyrinthine. Most wizard-folk have no sense of direction, just wave their wand, say _pointus,_ and north it points. Point me doesn't work in Gringotts does it, due to the metal composites and all of the gold and other artifacts?" I asked.

"Correct, it doesn't. As a matter of fact, their aren't any wizarding spells that work within the inner halls. Consider yourself privileged, human child, to be let so far into our depths."

"I do, sir Gornak." I said appreciatively. Eventually, we reached a beautiful carved door with the name Bonecracker carved into the wood.

"Go on in, human child, he'll be expecting you." the goblin said.

"Thank you, Sir Gornak, I look forward to doing business with you. May your gold ever flow and your people flourish." I said with an awkward curtsey. Gornak nodded and I stepped through the door into a lavish office with weapons of all sorts hanging all about.

"Good morning, human child. Please sit down so that we may get straight to business." said a rather old-looking goblin with tufts of white hair coming out of his ears.

"Thank you, Sir Bonecracker, for seeing me so suddenly and without an appointment. I realize that I should have contacted you sooner but I have only got my Hogwarts letter today and have no way of communicating with the magical world." I said as I sat in the chair in front of the desk.

"It is all right, human child. Firstly, I wish to do a blood test to ensure you are who you say you are."

"Very well." I held my hand out over the parchment Bonecracker conjured and allowed him to prick it with a sharp blade. Seven drops of my blood fell onto the parchment and spread out into branches, names, and dates. On the top were my stats.

Hayleigh Lily Potter:

Mother: Lily Rose Evans-Potter

Father: James Charlis Potter

Date of Birth: July 31, 1980 at 11:59 PM

"Nothing unexpected their." I said with a shrug. I looked closer at the family tree and gasped at five of the names, however. Emrys, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin. The founders' heir, great, me.

"Dratted prophecies." I muttered under my breath.

"Prophecies?" Bonecracker asked curiously.

"I made one this morning...something about the founders heir and her friends. I'm always getting visions, I've never had a night of sleep nor a day awake without one. My dreams are filled with visions of the future, it's like I'm living them. Then, I wake up and it's like it happened yesterday when it hasn't happened yet and might not ever happen. I also have visions of the past, third-person style. I've seen as far back as the 1960s. I saw my parents' births, their first Christmas's, their first birthdays, their first words and steps and day of school, I've seen them get their Hogwarts letters and go off to school. Then, during the day, I can sort of stare off and get what I want, like what might immediately happen if I make such-and-such a decision. I also get these gut feelings and also symptoms if I'm to have a forced premonition awake." I explained.

"Would you mind sharing this prophecy?" Bonecracker asked. I cocked my head and zoned into my seeing state. What would be the consequences if I told him? Would he use it against me? Could I become further acquainted with the goblins? What's this...their we go. I came back to myself and smiled. Bonecracker would bring it to the High Goblin Counsel and the Goblin Chief Ragnok.

"very well. Forgive me for I wished to look and see any immediate consequences, good or bad, of sharing this with you. It goes like this. Founders heir in magic and blood...come to make things the way that they should. With friends of the pits and the dens to be...and friends from the waters and friends of the trees. And she and her five shall conquer great darkness...and they will do it with great skill and finesse. Moon child who sees what others cannot...wise child with flame in the heart and logic in thought. Two mirror mirror and bangity bang...a dragon that reminds them of what must be changed. Six together in good times and strife...so that all creatures might live better lives. Founders heir in magic and blood...come to make things the way that they should. A moon child...perhaps someone born in the night or with a name that means moon, a wise child...I think that explains itself, two mirror-mirror...so, I don't know, twins, and a dragon...or perhaps someone with a name that means dragon? That's the first one I've ever made."

"That is very interesting, human child. I shall bring this to our High Counsel as soon as our meeting is done." Bonecracker said, looking thoughtful.

"Anyway, do these other families give me a freakishly long last name or what, Sir Bonecracker?" I asked with a smile.

"It depends. As you are the last remaining member of all of these families, do note on your tree that the dark lord is descended from Salazar's younger brother Signus, you may merge them all with the Potter family. I do not advise this, however. I suggest that you keep the family names. Only in formal settings shall you be known by all of them. In any case you will be known as Lady Potter for since you are now eleven and the last member of your family you may claim your signet ring which will automatically emancipate you and give you the ability to claim the other titles available to you. I am going to bring out a special parchment now. I would like you to put seven drops of your blood in it. It will absorb the blood and the families which you are a member of or can claim head status shall appear."

"I shall do as asked, Sir Bonecracker, and I thank you for assisting me." I said as Bonecracker got the parchment. I let him cut across my hand again and made sure no more and no less than seven drops fell on the paper. The cut automatically healed itself and I took my hand away. Bonecracker's eyes bugged out as he read the list. At my inquisitive glance he handed it to me.

Hayleigh Lily Potter's Family Lines:

Potter (heir apparent)

Connection: A Potter By Birth, born to the last Potter, James Charlis (1960-1981)

Black (heir apparent)

Connection: Named heir in the will of Sirius Orion Black (1960-1981). Grandmother was Doria Potter nee Black.

Evans (heir apparent)

Connection: Mother, Lily Rose, (1960-1981), was Evans by birth; the first magical Evans in 300 years.

Pendragon (heir apparent)

Connection: Pendragon family married into the Black family several hundred years ago. Only those proven worthy of the title can claim the lordship/ladyship or else they are not considered true Pendragons.

Emrys (heir apparent)

Connection: This is Merlin's family name. The Emrys family married into the Potter family around the time the Pendragon family married into the Black family. You must be proven worthy of the title.

LeFay (heir apparent)

Connection: The Evans family is directly descended from the LeFay line. You must be shown worthy of the LeFay title.

Gryffindor (heir apparent)

Connection: The Potters are directly descended from Godric Gryffindor.

Hufflepuff (heir apparent)

Connection: This comes from the Evans family.

Ravenclaw (heir apparent)

Connection: This comes also from the Evans family.

Slytherin (heir apparent)

Connection: The Blacks are directly descended from Salazar Slytherin.

Lovegood (member, second-in-line)

Connection: Celebrated seer Pythia Lovegood-Potter, the current heir's great-great-grandmother, was born of the Lovegood line. The last members are Xenophilius Lovegood and his daughter Luna.

Prewett (Member, eighth-in-line)

Connection: The current heir's eight times great grandmother, was Rosalyn Prewett-Evans. The remaining members are Molly Prewett-Weasley, head of the Prewett family who is married to Arthur Weasley and their children: William, Charles, Percival, Fred, George, Ronald, and Ginevra Weasley. Zabini (member, fourth-in-line)

Connection: The current Potter heir's great-grandmother was of the Zabini line, Isabela Zabini-Potter. The remaining Zabini members are Antonio, head of the family with his wife Sofia and their children, Fiora and Blaise.

Longbottom (member, third-in-line)

Connection: The current Potter heir's great-great-great grandmother was Aquelina Longbottom-Black. The remaining members are Frank Longbottom, who is currently incapacitated and has his seat held by his mother, and Neville Longbottom, son of Frank Longbottom.

"Oh god...what else am I to say...bloody hell!" I gasped as I set the parchment down.

"Yes indeed, human child. Did you not know? Forgive me but I know not what you see and do not see." Bonecracker said.

"I've never seen this before. Perhaps I would have found it out later in my life before I chose to go through all of this today because in no visions have I been aware of my status." I said contemplatively.

"In ordinary circumstances we do the heritage testing on one's seventeenth birthday." Bonecracker said.

"Hmmm, that explains it. I can only see no further than seven years in the future. Tonight, for instance, I could dream of July 31 or August 1 just as I turn seventeen but I couldn't dream of August 5 of the same year.

"This is fascinating. I daresay even at your young age you might be a seer who is as strong, if not stronger, than Pythia the Visionary. I can see that you have great power. May we do a power test? It is the same procedure as the last two but it lists your magical strength and abilities. It will also list whether or not the abilities are blocked, who blocked them, and if their are any blocks it will list the exact block at the end. I do advise you to go through with this, human child."

"Than I shall. Thank you so very much for everything you are doing." I said. We went through the same cutting procedure one last time and had yet another shock at my power readings.

Hayleigh Lily Potter:

Magical Power Level (MPL):

0-0.9: Muggle or squib

1-1.9: Hedge Wizard/Witch

2-2.9: Simple Wizard/Witch

3-3.9: Magician

4-5.9: Average Wizard/Witch

6-6.9: Grand Wizard/Witch

7-7.9: Sorcerer/Sorceress

8-8.9: Grand Sorcerer/Sorceress

9-9.9: Mage

10 and beyond: Arch-Mage

Current Level: 6.6, Grand Witch

Potential Level: 10.7, Arch-Mage

Most of Hayleigh's magical core is blocked. See the list below for more details.

List of Abilities:

Multimagus (blocked 99 percent):

This is the highest level of metamorphmagus. She can become any species and race of human, magical creature, and ordinary animal and use their magics, even in her normal form. It is not simply an illusion, she can become creatures even thought to be extinct; the magic is all their.

Beastspeaker (blocked 95 percent):

She can speak to all animals even when in her ordinary form. Anything from slugs to hippogryffs and flies to elephants. The only known person with this gift was Merlin. However, the Hogwarts founders had the ability to some extent. Godric Gryffindor could speak Gryffintongue, the language of lions and griffins. Helga Hufflepuff had the gift of aquaspeech, the ability to speak to freshwater and saltwater animals alike. Rowena Ravenclaw could speak Aerospeech, the language of the birds. Lastly, Salazar Slytherin could speak Parceltongue, the language of the snakes and other reptiles.

Linguist (blocked 98 percent):

It is possible for her to speak any language once she has heard or read even the slightest bit. Languages and words come easy to her. Merlin and the Hogwarts founders all had this gift.

Aura sight (blocked 97 percent):

She is able to see all auras on all Muggles, witches, wizards, magical creatures, and animals. She knows what is good and evil and can discern the different colors easily.

Magic sense (blocked 99 percent):

She can see and feel spells and enchantments, things most people cannot see. She can also se any magical creature, even those invisible to normal witches and wizards. She knows what is good and evil magic; light and dark are not the correct words because light magic can be used for evil and dark magic for good.

Natural Legilimens (blocked 99 percent):

Not even the best occlamensers can keep her out of their mind. Legilimency is the art of entering the minds of others. Her level is so high that it is possible for her to even gain control of the mind.

Natural occlamense (99 percent blocked):

Not even the best legilimensers can enter her mind. She can easily enter her own mind with self-training and organize it to her liking. She is even able to stay in their, learn, and train and take up no time at all in the outside world.

Panorama seer (blocks crumbling, currently 7 percent blocked):

This is the highest level seer possible. The only other known panorama seers are Rowena Ravenclaw and Pythia the Visionary. She can see events in any one of the possible futures at will or during visions. The forced visions are the most likely futures at the time she sees them. She can look back into anybody's pasts, even her own, and will sometimes get important visions with clues to something she needs to figure out.

Full natural healer (blocked 97 percent):

She can heal anything as she grows older, even things that phoenix tears cannot fix. Eventually she will be able to do this without physical contact. However, at this point, she can only easily handle cuts, bruises, scrapes, and minor bone fractures without magically exhausting herself. Though she is emancipated and has such a strong magical potential, it will still take a few years of natural growth for her body to get used to all the magic.

Natural resistance to truth potions and mind spells (blocked 99 percent):

Along with her natural occlamency, she is able to resist any attacks on the mind via spell or potion. This includes veratasyrum and the imperius curse.

Natural affinity for wandless magic (blocked 99 percent):

Any spells will come easily with or without a wand. It does not matter which. Nonverbal spells will also come easily to her.

Elemental manipulation (99 percent blocked):

She can bend fire, earth, water, air, and the two most rare of elements, light and shadow, to her advantage. No known witch or wizard today can control the elements. With this ability she can also control the weather around her.

List of Blocks:

Baby Binder: This block is often put onto extremely powerful children within the first year of birth by a healer and taken off at around age seven or eight, eleven at the very latest. This block was put on by mother and healer Lily Rose Evans-Potter.

Morph Locker: This block is put onto children with natural metamorph abilities if they cannot control them. This is usually taken off with the baby binder. This block was put on by mother and healer Lily Rose Evans-Potter.

Magical Suppression: This block is designed for prisoners, meant to dampen their magic to only a small percentage of what it usually is. This block was placed by Albus Dumbledore.

"That...old...goat!" I breathed. "How do we get these off?"

"All family head rings are made to ensure that the wielder's mind and magic are as they should be and since you have not worn them yet you will have them removed that way. Are you ready for them?" Bonecracker asked.

"Yes, yes I am." Bonecracker grinned a goblin grin and removed a solid black chest. He gave it to me and explained that when I opened it the chest would automatically hold my signet and member rings. I gingerly opened it, feeling some sort of prick at my magic, to find every ring that I would need. First, with Bonecracker's instruction, I put on the Potter family ring. It was a shining yellow gold with an ornate ruby P on it, a lone sapphire winking from the hole in the P. I slid on the Black ring next, made out of a sleek dark silver with an onyx B, the top portion of the B depicting a grim's head, the bottom with a bright ruby stone in the hole. As soon as it was on, it disappeared but a small carved crest appeared on the Potter band.

"All you have to do is think which ring you want to show, you can make multiple rings show themselves as well." Bonecracker said. "And now you are an adult in the wizarding world, human child." I beamed and continued to put on the rest of the rings. Soon, I had the head rings of Black, Pendragon, Emrys, LeFay, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin on. I was very grateful for the fact that the Pendragon, Emrys, and LeFay rings had allowed me to put them on, I was accepted. All of the family crests carved themselves into the band of my Potter family ring. I slipped on the smaller member rings next for houses Longbottom, Lovegood, Prewett, and Zabini. Those family crests were less pronounced on the band but still their.

"Now, you are Lady Hayleigh Lily Potter, head of the most ancient and noble houses of Potter, Black, Evans, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Pendragon, Emrys, and LeFay and member of the most ancient and noble houses of Longbottom, Lovegood, Prewett, and Zabini." Bonecracker said.

"Thank you very much for everything that you have done for me, Sir Bonecracker. As much as I would love to go over my extensive estate I have much to do. I have just a few questions. First, can I live on my own? If so than where do you recommend? Is their any way to take out money without going down to my vault? Have I enough to spend without fear of a budget? Should I have an estate manager? If so, may I higher Gornak?" I asked.

"Those are excelent questions, Lady Potter. Yes, you may live alone though I do recommend that you at least keep a house-elf or two for company. Your estate gives you several house-elves, perhaps a hundred or more. I recommend that you live where your father grew up, Potter Castle in Wales. All of the ancestral homes are warded quite well but I feel as though the Potter Castle would feel most like home, am I mistaken?"

"Not at all, Sir Bonecracker." I said respectfully. "Potter Castle...wow...I've seen it in visions...near the Welsh seaside, right?"

"That's correct. I shall send you all of your assets including a list of homes soon. In the meantime, your ring acts as a portkey to all of your homes. Just touch it three times and think, _POTTER_ _CASTLE._ As far as money, you have enough to last through not only your lifetime but the lifetimes of your immediate descendants even if you chose to have ten children or more, but that is just a guess. Your estates have many investments that keep the money coming. As far as managers, your account currently has none but should have one. I am sure Gornak would accept the proposal. Lastly, their is something called a Gringotts card. It works like a Muggle debit card and pulls whichever currency is needed from your vault. Also, their is a Gringotts wallet that can pull money from your vaults as well in any currency. Lastly, their is a Gringotts draft book where you can write out checks though this is a bit redundant. We can also supply you with a photo ID and passport."

"I'll take everything you can offer me, Sir Bonecracker." I said eagerly.

"Very well, Lady Potter." he said. He then passed me a black leather wallet with a gold g-shaped latch. I opened it to see that their was an ID already inside it as well as a passport.

"How?" I gasped, looking at my perfect picture.

"Goblin magic." Bonecracker said as he handed me a black book with a gold G etched onto it and a card with a picture of Gringotts on one side. I slid the card into my wallet and shut it.

"Thank you so much, Sir Bonecracker." I said gratefully.

"You are welcome, Lady Potter. Now take this as a gift from me to you. Your family has been friendly with goblins for centuries, let us hope this continues." he passed me a small black leather purse with gold-colored leather at the seems, also making the Potter crest in shining gold on the front.

"Oh my...thank you so much." I said, putting my other things, as well as my Muggle money, in it.

"It is I who ought to thank you. Everything that I have given you can not get lost, stolen, or tampered with in any way, I hope you enjoy them."

"I will, thank you once again." I said, standing up and reaching my hand across. Bonecracker took it in his callused hand and we shook. After a final goodbye, I left the office and was guided to the lobby once again.

Chapter Three: Shopping

I was making good time, it was only 11:00. Hmmm, what first? Ah yes, Madam Malcon's Robes. I just might make a new friend their. I walked down the cobbled street at a leisurely pace, feeling good about my choice. Eventually, I reached the shop and entered. I was greeted by a cheery, smiling witch dressed in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked.

"Yes please, madam. Also, I'd like to buy a full witch's wardrobe. Is it possible to charm the robes to grow and shrink with me? I'm a metamorphmagus, you see." I said.

"Of course, dear, of course. Come on to the back of the shop, I've got a young man being fitted for his first year as well." the witch said kindly. I smiled and allowed her to lead me toward the back of the shop. Standing on a stool, having black robes pinned and tailored, was a boy with pale skin, platinum blonde hair with hints of gold, cool blue-grey eyes, and aristocratic features all around. I smiled at him as I stepped on the stool next to his and robes were thrown over my head.

"Hello, Dragon." I said, smiling serenely at him. I knew exactly who this boy was, Draco Malfoy.

"Huh? Do I know you?" he asked.

"Not yet but you will, Dragon. I am pleased to meet you." I said.

"Er, pleased to meet you too. So, erm, where do you get off calling me "Dragon"?" he asked.

"Your name's Draco, isn't it? Draco Lucius Malfoy? Yes, well your name means dragon, dragon of the light more specifically. "Draco" means dragon and "Lucius" is a name meaning light." I said nonchalantly.

"How do you know my name?" he asked.

"I just do...I know things...lots of things...name's Hayle, by the way."

"Hayle? It suits you, I think. Well, you clearly already know my name. So you'll be going to Hogwarts, Hayle?"

"Absolutely. Which house do you plan on being sorted into?" I asked.

"Slytherin, of course. I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad but I'd die of embarrassment if sorted into Hufflepuff and outright leave if sorted into Gryffindor."

"Their's nothing wrong with being loyal or brave. You don't see me saying I'd leave if I was sorted into Slytherin do you? No, no I wouldn't say that. I really don't care myself. Gryffindors can be downright reckless sometimes, Hufflepuffs a bit thick and blinded by their supposed loyalty traits, Most Ravenclaws have all the smarts but not an ounce of common sense, and Slytherins sometimes lose sight of the important things because of their ambition. All the houses have flaws. Then again, most Gryffindors will do anything for those they love including dying for their loved ones, Hufflepuffs are unafraid of hard work and are some of the best friends you can have, Ravenclaws are absolutely brilliant and think of everything, and Slytherins have just the right amount of whit and sarcasm and are quite cunning. Their's equal things bad and good about all houses. Do you see what I mean now?" I asked him.

"Hmmm, I suppose so but I'd still tear the hat a new...rip if it sorted me into Gryffindor." Draco conceded.

"Fair enough. You know, I could probably tell you what house you get into." I said.

"Really? Can you? Will you tell me now?" Draco was nearly squirming with anticipation.

"Nope, sorry, not a snowball's chance in Hell. Plus, any decision you make in the coming days could change where you're sorted...like a butterfly effect. I've seen you in all the houses except Hufflepuff." I said.

"Seen? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I know things, I see things, I sense things, Dragon." I said vaguely.

"Hmph, don't tell me then." Draco grumbled.

"I like you, Dragon, let's be friends shall we?" I asked with a smile.

"Erm...sure? So where are your parents? Are they our sort? Have you been to Diagon Alley before?" Draco asked.

"Hmmm, my parents are six feet under, they were a witch and wizard if that's what you mean but that should _NOT_ matter, and no, I've never been to Diagon Alley before. Living with Muggles makes it hard to do." I said, just daring him to say anything about Muggles.

"Muggles? What are they like? So are they related to you?" Draco asked. I could tell that he was basically thinking _Muggles? How does the girl çope with living with them?_ Hmm, this might get him thinking a bit.

"Look, Dragon, if you have something to say about me being a "mudblood" say so now won't you?" I snapped, getting a good feeling of his reaction.

"No...I never said that...I'm sorry if it came across like that...and anyway, your parents _were_ our sort weren't they?" Draco stammered.

"Oh, but if you really felt like pureblood supremacy was the way to go than you would still be calling me a mudblood just for being _raised_ by Muggles, magic-hating Muggles at that, wouldn't you? Plus, my father was the sort of pureblood known as a "blood-traitor" and my mum really _was_ a so-called "mudblood" even if she _was_ the best in her year. I live with her magic-hating sister and her equally magic-hating husband and son. Her husband's a Muggle too, so's their son. You don't really agree with your father's ideals do you, Dragon?" I asked, Draco just looked flabbergasted. "I'd still like to be your friend, Dragon. That is...if you don't mind being friends with a halfblood."

"Of course I don't...and I have always had trouble with the entire purebloods-are-best thing anyway. I never caught your surname anyway, what is it?" before I could answer the witch pinning up Draco's school robes lifted them over his head.

"That's you done, dear boy." she said cheerily. As Draco was walking towards the front I called back to him. He turned just so he could see me. I craned my head, looked at him, lifted up my bangs, and winked. His mouth dropped open, he shook his head, and then he left just as I turned back around. Of course, my forehead, it's where the infamous lightning bolt shaped scar sits, right in the middle, in fact. That's my one distinguishing character. In a lot of my visions people have told me how I look just like how my dad would look except female but with my mum's bright emerald green eyes and some dark red streaks running through my unruly black hair. I'm average height for someone my age now but I'm skinny, no matter how much food I put away my body just absorbs it all, their's really no fat on me. I like to keep my hair about to my shoulders, any longer and I feel it would just be a pain but I might grow it out now with magic. My eyes, like I said, are emerald green and almond-shaped. My skin is fair but not nearly as pale as Draco's and it can tan nicely, that must be from Dad's side of the family because Mum was a red-head and red-heads usually don't tan. It must have something to do with the Zabini line, hmmm, sounds vaguely Italian. Could I be, what was it, one eighth Italian? Just as I was thinking of my heritage the robes were pulled over my head and I was ushered off the stool.

"Measurements are done, dear, and your robes will be done soon. Let's get you some other robes shall we?" Madam Malcon asked. I smiled and allowed her to lead me over to the young witch's section of the store.

"I'm afraid I don't have anything too terribly high-end, just basic, casual wear and a small section of Muggle clothes. If you're interested in the more fancy things I suggest Twilfoot and Tattings up the road. My brother-in-law, Tyler Tattings, is one of the two co-owners."

"Thanks, I might check them out but you seem like a perfectly wonderful shop, I'm not into the snobbery of fine robes and making myself out as better than everyone else, leave that to the bigoted purebloods and so-called "former" Death Eaters, I say." Madam Malcon smiled at that. A good hour later, I left the shop with several shrunken bags of clothes in my leather purse. One thing that I discovered right away was it was clearly much bigger on the inside than the outside. I had several sets of robes in varying colors along with shoes and undergarments. Madam Malcon even told me of where I could get my eyes checked, I'd do that later. Now, though, to Flurrish and Blots I go. I smiled and headed down the street, entering the large bookstore. I would definitely be able to get some useful books here. I headed straight to the school-related shelf and started snatching up all the books I would need and then some. As I was looking through the second-year books I realized their was no standard book of spells grade 2.

"Where could it be?" I asked myself. I rounded a corner in the isle and, not looking where I was going, ran right into another person. Each of us fell back with an _oomph_ and our books scattered all over the place.

"Oh my god...I'm so sorry...I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." I stammered. Even with my visions accidents like this still happen to me.

"It's not your fault...I've got a pile of books stacked up past my head...I couldn't really see where I was going." the girl said. She had a voice that was somewhat bossy but in no way unkind and was tall for eleven, one of those girls who looked quite uptight on the outside but could probably have a good time. Her hair could be called flyaway hair, it was bushy and naturally tousled, a shade of medium brown with streaks of cinnamon running through it. Her eyes were large and reminded me of milk chocolate, her skin was tanned a light gold, her teeth were somewhat large in the front.

"Looks like you and I are of the same mold, Smarties." I said, smiling and picking up my books.

"Smarties? Is that supposed to be an insult or a complement?" the girl asked, somewhat affronted.

"Neither, a nickname. You're going to be top of the year, I can just tell it, you'll be brilliant, Hermione." I said.

"beg pardon? Do I know you? How do you know my name?" she asked.

"Oops, sorry. No, we haven't met in person yet but I've known of you since I was four. I like you, Smarties, let's be friends shall we?" I asked.

"Do me one favor and tell me your name won't you?" she asked.

"Oh, the name's Hayle. Hey, you wouldn't happen to have seen Standard Book of Spells Grade 2, would you?"

"No, that's what I was looking for." Hermione said. I laughed, she joined in. As we looked through the shop for interesting books we got to know each other a little. Hermione, it turned out, was Muggle-born and very happy to be going to Hogwarts.

"It was really great meeting you, Hayle, I look forward to seeing you at Hogwarts." Hermione said as we left the shop, each carrying at least fifty shrunken books.

"Same to you, Smarties. I can't wait!" I said, smiling.

"You know what? You're the first person I've met who was my age who has made me think being smart is okay but you can still have fun."

"Yeah, I'm glad. See you, Smarties." I said, waving at Hermione as we lost each other in the crowd. Just before she was out of sight I heard her say, "See you, Hayle." I smiled and headed off to the apothecary, I just knew that that was where I should go next. I entered to have my nostrils assaulted with all sorts of smells. I asked the man at the counter to help me collect the ingredients I would need for first year while I browsed around a bit. In one of the isles near some radish-like plants I saw a girl. She was thin, petite, and delicate-looking. Her eyes were large and blue, her hair was dirty blonde and went down nearly to her waste. Ugh, I'd hate to have mine so long...at least hers is straight. Her eyes seemed to stare off into space a bit and now I knew what I must look like.

"Hello. You're Hayleigh Potter." she said, her voice a light, airy soprano.

"How did you...oh right...you must be like me! I'm right aren't I, Moonbeams?" I asked.

"Yes you are, Knower. But I don't think I am as good as you...the Blinking Wangdodles surround you like a halo, illuminating your path but I have a solitary guide, but we both know different things, we both see different things."

"I am glad to see that we are of the same frame of mind, Luna Lovegood. We're distant cousins, you know. I think we're fourth cousins. Pythia the Visionary is my great-great grandmother so she would be your great-great-great aunt, I think. You and your dad are the last of the Lovegood line."

"That's right. Might I suggest you get some of these radishes? They help keep the racksperts from entering one's ears, you know. Racksperts love to run amuck in people's heads and cause chaos, it's what they do best."

"Will do, Moonbeams." I agreed, picking up a branch of the plant. Not much later, I left the apothecary with a brand new cauldron, scales, potions vials, and ingredients. Hmmm, what next? I need parchment, quills, and the like so it's off to Scrivenshaft's. I smiled and headed into the shop. I picked up several different rolls of parchment, some for school but others for personal use. I got several ordinary quills as well as a self-inking quill. I got a few bottles of black ink as well as ink in different colors and a bottle of color-changing ink. I also found an "endless journal" that could be keyed into me and me alone. I bought it in black with gold lettering in the center spelling out my entire first name, Hayleigh, bordered by a strand of red lilies with emerald leaves and stem. On the bottom right corner of every page were my initials and the top right corner was programmed to have the date and time appear as soon as I started writing. Now that I was done, I headed out of the shop, my little purse fit to bursting. In the next hour, I got not only my telescope and miscellaneous things for school but a backpack that could hold five times more than what it looked like it could and a trunk with six compartments. The backpack was black with my full name in gold embroidered on it. The trunk was itself a work of art. The first compartment was just a basic trunk compartment expanded to 200 percent. The second compartment was a wardrobe that could come out and display all of my çlothes. I could also go down into it to organize them. It had simple cream carpets and paneled walls. I would organize my clothes into it later. Their were rods for hanging, built-in drawers for folded things, and racks for shoes. Their was even a wizard mirror that would critique your choices. It seemed to like me, though. The third was a library room with several cherry book shelves, squashy chairs and sofas with tables, and enchanted windows. I could either go down into it and study or I could think of which shelf I want to see and a horizontal shelf with the correct books would show themselves in the compartment instead of the library room. The fourth compartment was a fully equip potions lab with only the best supplies and instruments. The fifth compartment was a dueling and spell practice room. It also had room for some exercise equipment and other things I might want to add. Their were practice dummies that could move around and that were very hard to damage but could gage your spellpower. They could even critique you like the mirror could. The sixth and final compartment was a small living area, like a flat, with one bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen, and living area. The kitchen would never run out of food but only some basic things could automatically appear. It was all very nice and I was quite happy. The trunk had apparently been commissioned by my parents as a last resort place to live. The owner of the trunk shop had given me a good deal. The trunk itself was made of cherry wood with gold hinges and gold around the opening. The Potter crest was carved in gold into the lid with the family motto in Latin which I translated as "Always Proud." To get to any compartment all anyone keyed into the wards would have to do is say, for example, "I wish to go to the living compartment. Each compartment had a small portal that would take you right to another without leaving the trunk. Nobody who wasn't keyed in could so much as touch or budge the trunk at all without fear of getting badly hexed. It was a brilliant piece of spellwork, really. Also, their was a time-delay feature on the trunk that would make every hour spent in the trunk only a minute spent outside of it but aging still went as normal. You could turn the delay on or off. Like I said, I was really happy.

Now where too next? Olivander's, that's right. I smiled and sung a little ditty under my breath as I neared the shabby building. I entered and looked around. Their were hundreds of boxes stacked from floor to ceiling that each held a wand. Old man Olivander would be jumping from the back room in three...two...one...

"Good afternoon!" came the old man's voice. I smiled serenely and faced him.

"Good afternoon." I responded.

"I thought I would be seeing you soon, Hayleigh Potter. Why I remember when your mother and father were getting their first wands."

"You have a great memory don't you, sir? I think I know just what wand will suit me." I said.

"You do?" he asked, a silvery eyebrow going up.

"I do. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, Voldemort's brother wand. May I try it?"

"Oh...yes...well of course you may." Mr. Olivander stammered. He bustled to the back of the shop and came back a few minutes later with a dusty box. He gingerly passed it to me and I opened it. Inside was the simple brown wand. I smiled, picked it up, and flicked it. A miriad of different-colored sparks erupted from the tip, formed a small lightning bolt, and disappeared in a flash.

"Yes yes, you were quite correct. How, may I ask, did you know of this wand?"

"I see things...I know things...I sense things. I can't duel Voldemort with this wand. It will serve it's purpose but I need something special...something made just for me...a custom wand."

"I'm afraid I do not do those, they're not legal. The only place to go is Noctern Alley. I have a brother, Octavius, who runs his own wand shop. It's tradition in the Olivander family when their are two children, one child to do the legal wand-making and another child to do the less reputable crafting. It was a hard choice, we are twins and sometimes switch places, working in one another's shop. I'm sure Octavius would be happy to help. Just tell him that "Ollie" sent you. That's a nickname only he can call me and that I tell those who I trust. Your holly wand should work well for every-day use, however. I wish you luck, Hayleigh." he said. I smiled at the old man.

"Thank you, sir. How much will it be for the wand?" I asked.

"Seven galleons." he said. I smiled, reached into my purse, and got the money. I gave it to him, thanked him once more, and left the shop. Hmmm, I had everything I needed now. I suppose I'd better get my eyes checked. I headed for the corner of Diagon and Noctern Alley where the little shop was located. It was called "Occulus Eyes" and was said to be the best. I smiled and stepped into the shop.

"Welcome to Occulus, how may I help you?" asked a woman behind the counter. She looked rather young and energetic if the rainbow-winged butterfly fluttering all around her bright yellow shirt was anythin to go by.

"Hello. I'm in need of an eye exam and some new glasses or perhaps some contacts. I don't know how things like this work in the magical world and I haven't had my prescription checked or a new pair of glasses given to me since I was five in the Muggle world. Can you help me out?" I asked.

"Of course I can but I need a guardian's say-so, kid. I can't be doing things without that." the woman said.

"I'm my own guardian as of today." I said, lifting my ring for a fraction of a second. The woman seemed to understand, though, for she beamed happily at me.

"Oh fantastic, fantastic fantastic fantastic! Let me help you you...erm...what do you want to be called?"

"Oh, just Hayle, please. And if you could kindly withhold the fact that I ever came here I would appreciate it." I said.

"Erm...okay. Come into the back room and sit down, I'll have you all checked out in no time. My name's Ezma, by the way." she said. I smiled and went through the door pointed out to me, sitting in a comfortable-looking chair. She bustled into the room a few minutes later shuffling several pieces of Muggle paper.

"The exam itself is easy, all I have to do is cast a spell at your eyes one at a time. I'll have to have my wand right up to them though and their's going to be a flash of bright light that'll sort of daze you for a mo but I think it's a lot better than going through all the stuff Muggles go through for their eye exams with results that aren't nearly as good. I'll be able to tell how bad your sight is, if it can or can't be permanently fixed, how it got the way it is, and how you can keep it good. So what do you say, are you ready?" she asked. I liked Ezma a lot. She had a bubbly, open personality that made me feel comfortable around her and I knew she knew what she was talking about.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Fire away." I said with a smile as I removed my glasses. Ezma stood up and walked over to me. Her wand looked like mahogany and it was long and thin, perhaps a bit more than eleven inches.

"I'm going to do your left eye first on the count of three." she said, putting her wand just centimeters from the eye.

"Okay." I said.

"Stay still now. On the count of three. One, two, three, occulus examnus maximus!" she said. A flash of bright white light entered my eye making spots dance in my vision. Through my right eye I noticed that a Muggle pen was writing things out by itself, probably the results. Ezma did the same spell with my right eye and then backed up to read the papers.

"Cor blimey!" she said.

"What? what's the matter?" I asked worriedly.

"According to this chart your sight problem has been passed down for...ten generations. Looks like it's a Potter thing. It looks like your sight would be a bit better if you were using glasses with the correct prescription in them. How long have you had those things?"

"Hmmm, six years. My relatives aren't exactly the type to give a rat's. I had to save my uncle's life once before they could even bend to what I needed. That was when I was a month or so shy of six years old. I see things. If my uncle had left at 7:00 for work he would have died in the car crash. It also helps that I saw the lotto draw numbers. Before that day when I was five I played house-elf, cupboard and all. It's not so bad now, not really, but I get the bare minimum. These glasses come from an indigent bin. In their opinion, that's all a, and I quote, little freak, like me deserves. Sorry for going off on a rant about my home life...I don't even know you...but I have never got the chance and talking about my eyesight just dredges up memories, you know?"

"Oh...tha-that's okay. I see what you mean, sort of. I'm Muggle-born and my parents hate magic. They first tried to get me to stop going to Hogwarts, then they just shunned everything about magic, including me. I went into the eye healing field because it all fascinates me. My eyesight used to be quite poor but I got them fixed at this very shop. I still keep in contact with my older brother, he's a Muggle, but that's about all I have to do with the Muggle world anymore. Anyway, using an incorrect prescription has caused your eyes to be under a greater amount of strain causing your eyesight to deteriorate. Also, their's signs of malnutrition and you not getting all of the vitamins, minerals, and other things that your body needs to run well. It sounds like the last five years have been okay but not the best, bare minimum like you said. The only time you really seem to have gotten treated properly was in early infancy. Even at fifteen months when your parents died you were still an infant and fragile. Much of the developing you do in early years sets the stage for later life. This includes your nutrition. You appear to have grown okay in height, for example, but you're still small and skinny for your age none-the-less and, I beg your pardon, a little frail-looking. You need more nutrition and more meet on those bones, Hayle. I really do think it wise that you make an appointment with a healer as soon as possible. They might be able to reverse some of the damage done in your early childhood and just take a look at you. I'm only an eye healer, I'm not qualified for anything else." Ezma said.

"Yeah, okay. I think that's a good idea. I can run really fast, for instance, but I get winded a bit easily and sometimes if I'm really exerting myself, like running from my pig of a cousin, it gets a little harder to breathe. Maybe it's the fact that a certain Hogwarts headmaster left me on my relatives' uncovered front steps with just a blanket, probably without a warming charm, in the beginning of November. Oh yeah, and I know that it snowed later that night. Real wise, Dumbledore, leaving a fifteen-month-old on the front steps of a house full of people that hate her with only a blanket, not even dressed in her winter suit. Anyway, I see what you mean. Can the dammage be undone? What are my options? Glasses or contacts?" I rattled off.

"Well you have lots of options. To reverse the damage done to you during your childhood all you need to do is start eating healthily and taking nutrition potions. My fiance is a fully certified healer and if you see anyone I think that you should see him. In this way, we can communicate more easily with each other since we already know each other. You can do either contacts or glasses. Your sight is one of those weird wizarding genetics anomalies that just can't be fixed. I don't know why but that's just the way that it goes. We do have ways to correct it, though, not perfectly but better than with Muggle glasses. Our glasses work much like Muggle glasses but their are some benefits to having them. For instance, they can't fall off or shatter, only you can take them off and put them on. Also, they have anti-glare, impervious, and anti-scratch charms woven into them. They automatically adjust to your sight and correct what needs correcting. You can even change the color of your eyes, or what people think your eye color is, by tapping the lenses and thinking them a certain color. Lastly, you can add other charms to enhance your vision. They are night vision, bright vision, and x-ray vision, that's the best way I can describe it. With the night vision you'll be able to see just as clearly in the dark as you can the light. With the bright vision, you'll be able to see even in extremely bright conditions. This is paired with the anti-glare charms on the lenses themselves. You will also have little to no trouble seeing even in conditions like heavy rain and snow storms. The x-ray feature is just as it sounds. It's our most expensive feature but you'll be able to see through walls, doors, floors, ceilings, and even animate objects. You can adjust how much you want to see by running your finger along the side of one or the other ear piece. I wouldn't usually sell this to someone so young but I have the feeling you wouldn't abuse the privilege like others of your age group would."

"Hmmm, those sound interesting." I mused, taking a strand of curly hair in the fingers of my right hand and twirling it around.

"Second their's contacts that are like their Muggle counterparts. They do the basic stuff but the really advanced stuff can't be done with them, they're basically your run-of-the-mill lenses. If it were me I'd take the glasses over those particular contacts."

"Yeah, me too. Is their another option?" I asked.

"Yes, their's one more. It's rather expensive, mind, but worth it. Basically they're contacts that do the same things as the glasses and you can keep them in your eyes at all times, even when sleeping because they magically attach themselves to your eye's natural lense. Since they have a magical connection with your body you can control how they do and don't work just like using the earpieces on the glasses but much more fine-tuned. They do the color-change trick as well sort of like a Muggle colored contact. The only so-called drawback I can think of is just that they sting a little bit when you put them in and take them out." Ezma explained.

"Hmmm, I think I know just what to do. I'll take the contacts but also a set of the glasses for backup or if I need a disguise or anything else." I said.

"Brilliant plan, Hayle." Ezma said. With that, she bustled off. She came back a minute later with a little round case which she opened to show two contacts. In the next few minutes she taught me how I was to put them in and I eventually did so, marveling at how good my eyesight was now.


	33. Immortal

Immortal

An attempt to write a female Harry who becomes an immortal child Twilight style via Chelsea of the Volturi… though she retains some human characteristics, so yeah… Not my best at all, not my absolute worst… Corny, cringy, but there you have it!

Chapter One: The Child

"You're just a little freak, an ungrateful burden! If I kill you now nobody will miss a _freak_ like you!" a fat, ugly, pig-like man said cruely as he kicked a small nine-year-old girl in the stomach.

"Oh dear uncle, what a-about Aunt Petunia? Cousin Du-Dudley? Da-Danielle? They will mis me ve-very much. They treated me as an e-equal, not like gu-gum on their shoes. Yes, they will miss me!" the girl rasped out, managing a smirk. The man roared with fury and punched her in the jaw. He kicked and wack& punched and pummeled the girl until she was a broken shell, bearly alive. He smirked cruely to himself as he left her in the alleyway alone to die.

Chelsea's POV:

I was walking through the streets of London looking for a good kill. We of the Volturi do not hunt in Vultera, nor do any other vampires if they know what is good for them. It was then that I picked up the scent of blood, sweet blood. I ran towards the source of the smell and hid in the shadows. I saw a nasty, obese human male beating the stuffing out of a little girl who would look no more then seven to the human eye; I, however, could tell she was nine.

"You're just a little freak, an ungrateful burden! If I kill you now nobody will miss a _freak_ like you!" the horrid man said cruely as he kicked her in the stomach.

"Oh dear uncle, what a-about Aunt Petunia? Cousin Du-Dudley? Da-Danielle? They will mis me ve-very much. They treated me as an e-equal, not like gu-gum on their shoes. Yes, they will miss me!" the girl rasped out, managing a smirk. The man roared with fury and punched her in the jaw. How dare that man kill that little girl. Perhaps it was because I am a family vampire who can strengthen and weaken bonds but I felt extremely protective of the girl. After some more punches, whacks, kicks, and jabs the fat man stepped away from the girl. I took my most seductive pose as he walked towards the end of the alleyway.

"Yoo-hoo, stranger!" I said in English with my most seductive voice. "Surely a big strong man needs a strong woman by his side?" The man's mouth dropped open at the sight of me. I was wearing a sexy black dress and heals, and my wavy mahogany hair was pulled up in a diamond clip.

"No...I've got a wife!" he stammered.

"Surely she isn't important? Where do you live? I can make sure I get you home safe." I said as I looked at him with my red eyes. The idiot gave me his address, Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, huh? What fun.

"Come on over here, big boy!" I said with a flutter of my eyelashes. The man came up close, I could see as zipper straining and he was practically drooling. I went forward, wrapped him in a hug, and reached up to snap his neck. He made a choking sound but I pressed on, biting him in the neck and draining all the blood right out of him. He satiated my thirst but it was the most disgusting blood I'd ever had. I looked over at the girl, she was bearly alive. I had to make a decision now. Aro might rip me up and burn me but I didn't care. I took the girl and bit her in the neck, on both hands, and over the heart. Her heartbeat sped up dramatically and I could tell she was changing. Her bleeding wounds automatically sealed up, and I got a clear look at her. She was short and small for her age and deathly skinny, nothing the venom wouldn't fix. Venom always makes people look how they ought to look if they were a healthy human. The girl had nobby knees on longish legs. Her arms were a bit long and her hands were elegant and had longish fingers. Her face was naturally a bit thin and she had high cheek bones and full pink lips. Her eyes were almond shaped and a beautiful shade of emerald green that were dulled by suffering. Her hair was a beautiful, rich dark red and was unruly going down to her waste. I then noticed a strange lightning-bolt scar in the center of her forehead that was not fading with the change. I scooped the girl up and ran out of the alleyway and to the lot where my black Lincoln Navigator with tinted windows was. I put her in the backseat and whipped out my cell phone. I dialed Afton, my mate's, number and waited. He picked up on the second ring.

"Chels, what's up? I'm in the middle of a good kill!" he said at Vampire speed.

"Finish your kill and get back to the car now, Afton. I've got an emergency situation!" I said as the girl started to moan and scream in the background.

"Chelsea, what the hell is that?" Afton demanded.

"Someone in the change." I said.

"Are you an idiot, Chelsea, nobody's supposed to change _ANYBODY_ without Aro, Marcus, and Caius's say-so!" Afton snapped.

"Love just calm down. Their's plenty more to get mad at, just wait. Get the Witch Twins too, we need to go back to Voltera as soon as possible."

"Fine." Afton snapped before hanging up. Three minutes later Afton, Jane, and Alec arrived.

"Roll down the windows, Chelsea, it's not as though you're creating an immortal child, is it?" Afton asked.

"Well...love...I am." I said as I opened the door.

Afton's POV:

"_YOU_ _WHAT?"_ I demanded. I love my Chels but sometimes she is just too soft. "How could you create an immortal child?"

"It's not as though she's two or three, I think she's between seven and nine." Chelsea defended.

"What were you thinking, Chelsea?" Jane asked. "Aro bearly took kindly to Alec and I and we're thirteen and a half, six months over the boundary! The only reason he didn't kill us is because of our magic and our gifts!"

"My sister's right!" Alec said.

"But her uncle was abusing her, she was about to die. You should have seen the way he treated her. She begged him to stop beating her, to stop pummeling her but he said that nobody would notice the death of a little freak like her. I don't care what you say but she needed saving, she needed us!" Chelsea said almost hysterically.

"No, Chelsea, we should dest—com" But Jane was cut off as she looked at the girl in the backseat.

Jane's POV:

"Chelsea, do you realize what you've done? You've bitten the girl-who-lived. Alec and I have told you about her on our forays to the Wizarding World for news and supplies. She defeated the most evil wizard of all time. Her parents are dead. Her name is Amaranth Liilia Potter." I said in a rush. What was she thinking? Amaranth's magic would've kept her alive, or not. I had the feeling that not all hmagic was their, that if she had all her magic she would've been able to get away.

"Look what you've done now, Chelsea, you've bitten our world's savior!" Alec snapped.

"Calm down, dear brother. I sense that her magic isn't completely unbound, someone must have put a block on it!" I said.

Alec's POV:

"Someone must have _what?_ Who would do such a thing?" I demanded of my sister.

"I bet I have an idea, Albus Dumbledore!" Jane said, her red eyes flashing with hatred.

"That old man, he just wants all the glory for himself, doesn't he?" I demanded.

"Yes, yes he does!" Jane said venomously.

"What a sick old man to block any of her magical core. Probably the only reason she's stayed alive so long is because of the little magic she does have. The change should complete entirely even with some of the core blocked, right, Jane?" I asked.

"I don't know. I don't see any problems with the change but I don't think it'll unblock her core. We'll have to see the Gringotts Goblins about that!" Jane said.

"In the meantime," Chelsea said, "let's go back to Voltera."

Chelsea's POV:

We all got in the Lincoln, me driving, Afton in the passenger seat, and Jane and Alec supporting the writhing girl in the backseat, and sped off towards Italy and Voltera. The drive took us about five hours, the girl screaming and moaning and begging the pain to stop all the while. We eventually reached our castle and parked in the special garage. I lifted the girl out and we all headed for the throne room. We reached the room eventually and went in. Aro, Marcus, and Caius were sitting their with their wives.

"Ah, Chelsea, Afton, Alec, Jane, how was your trip?" Aro asked.

"Aro, the guard has a new member!" I said, pointing to Amaranth Potter in my arms.

"Is that a child in the change?" Aro demanded although knowing that she was.

"Yes, Aro, but her uncle was beating the stuffing out of her, I couldn't let her die. It is not as though she will be dangerous, she is between seven and nine years old!" I said.

"You know that immortal children are not allowed no matter what!" Aro snarled. Caius looked merderous and Marcus looked, well, bored.

"Chelsea inadvertently saved the wizarding world's savior!" Jane said. "She is, indeed, a witch and her name is Amaranth Liilia Potter. The only thing keeping her alive was her magic!"

"It is true. Some of her magical core is blocked but she is still very powerful to have lived so long. Her relatives are Muggles, her uncle, her aunt who was her mother's sister, and her two cousins." Alec said.

"Were by the time I'm done with them." I snarled. "I already killed the fat uncle, most disgusting meal I've ever had."

"Chelsea, give me your memory!" Aro said. I stepped forward and clasped his hand showing him everything. "I see, let us counsel, brothers!" Aro and his two brothers huddled together and talked so low not even I could here them as I backed away. They broke apart a few minutes later and Aro began to speak.

"We will let her change and see what danger she is. I do not believe she shall be one, however. If she wishes she may join our guard."

"Thank you, Arro!" I said as I adjusted the girl in my arms.

Chapter Two: Awakening To A New Life

Amaranth's POV:

All I could feel after the last kick from my uncle was an extreme fiery pain. Was this what being burnt alive felt like? Surely I would die in this thousand degree inferno. The seconds dragged by like days and I still wasn't dead. I couldn't help it, I screamed. I screamed for the inferno to stop, I screamed to die, I screamed for my uncle to die and go to Hell, I screamed in agony for my poor Aunt Petunia and cousins Dudley and Danielle would never know what happened to me, I screamed because I would never se magic or Hogwarts, I screamed at the injustice of it all. Mostly, I just screamed.

Yes, I knew about magic and about Hogwarts, who my parents really were. Aunt Petunia was proud of my mum, her little sister Lily. Away from her abusive husband she would tell me everything about magic but she never took me to Diagon Alley because it'd be too risky. If Vernon came home to find us gone their'd be hell to pay. Aunt Petunia treated me like a second daughter when Uncle Vernon wasn't around but she was forced to act uncaring, hateful, and resentful. She had said that if she divorced him that he would have revenge, tell the entire world about magic, kill she, Dudley, and Danielle, my cousins. Dudley was a bit of a wale but always treated me with respect when his father wasn't around. He might not have an ounce of magic but he was supportive of me. He always kept the bullies away from me, Dani, and our best friend, Hermione Granger who was probably magical. Dani was much the same, other then Hermione she's my best friend and she's done some magical things Uncle Vernon blamed on me. The only thing I could hope for was that Vernon Dursley would die for the things he had done to me when nobody was around to see.

The fire thrummed their for a long time, what seemed like months but was probably a few days. On what I knew was the third day, the fire began to ball up near my heart. It was then I realized I wasn't burning alive after all. I had read all of Mum's old textbooks that were in her school trunk she had given to Aunt Petunia. One entry from a sixth year defense book popped into my head.

Vampire: creatures with cold, hard skin who feed off blood. They don't have any blood in their veins and their hearts do not beat. They are extremely pale, sparkle in the sun, are graceful, beautiful, and have voices like tinkling bells. They are extremely fast and strong. When a vampire is made they will be frozen at their current age. It is very hard for newborns to contain their thirst at first and most will kill any human on sight. After the newborn stage, vampires either have red eyes or gold eyes. If the eyes are red, the vampire feeds off humans. If the eyes are gold, the vampire feeds off animals. The only way for a vampire to die is if they are ripped apart and then burned.

The vampires have their own rulers and laws they abide by. In history their were two covens that fought for dominance, the Romanian coven and the Italian Volturi. The Romanian coven only has two surviving members while the Volturi has an entire guard. The Volturi have set up many rules. Firstly, no Muggle human may know about vampires unless they are to be turned or die. Also, in conjunction with the Ministry of Magic it was ruled that no vampire may drink the blood of wizards. Wizards, however, may be turned if necessary and their will be no penalties as long as they abide by the rules. The most important rule to the Volturi is that their are to be absolutely no immortal children. This is defined by a vampire who is younger then thirteen years of age. The volturi will destroy any vampire who creates an immortal child along with destroying the child.

The only true enemies of vampires are werewolves. The Volturi have been after the children of the moon for centuries since one of the leaders lost to one in a fight and was almost killed. An agreement was drawn up in 1877 that the Volturi will not hunt any children of the moon who are wizards. Another type of werewolf that vampires do not get along with is the Quilute wolves in Washington state. These wolves are mostly men whose wolf gene is triggered when vampires are near. They heal extremely quickly and are just as fast and strong in their wolf form as vampires. These wolf men can become wolves at any time. Until such time as they stop phasing they will not age. These werewolves also have something called an imprint which is like a mate for veela and vampires. They will have eyes for nobody else and will stop phasing to be with them. These wolves can imprint on people as young as infancy and as old as seniors. Only one coven of vegetarian vampires, the Cullens, have made a treaty with the Quilutes.

Oh boy, I was turning into a bloody vampire, just great, just great! I would be destroyed, I'm only nine years old, I'll become an immortal child, oh crap. I knew one thing for sure, I would not be enemies with werewolves of any type, especially not Remus Lupin, one of my dad's best friends.

As I was thinking of this, the fire thrummed harder then ever and then, with a thud, my heart didn't stop but just sped up to a fast paced thumping, about three beats per second. Wasn't it supposed to stop? I could sense that the fire hadn't penatrated everywhere but thought nothing of it until now. Was some of my magical core blocked stunting my change? Was I still sort of human? I put this in the back of my mind. Their was a dull ache in the back of my throat but I easily ignored it. My eyes flew open and I looked at everything around me. I was in a grand stone room. I could see everything, every bit of dust, every grain of stone, and every grain of wood in the grand double doors. I was on a grand bed under a red velvet quilt with gold velvet thread woven into it. I could here everything, smell everything but my heart still beat in that rapid pace. After a half second, my eyes landed on a tall, beautiful vampire standing at the end of my bed. Her face was round and kind and she had wavy mahogany hair, her eyes were crimson.

"A human drinker?" I asked, gasping at just how beautiful and melodic my voice sounded.

Chelsea's POV:

I looked on as Amaranth made her change, becoming paler and paler, more and more beautiful. When she neared the end of her change her heart gave a stutter but did not stop. Instead, it beat rapidly, about three times per second. She opened her eyes and looked wildly around, they finally settled on me. Her eyes were still their brilliant emerald green but their was a strip around the pupil that was crimson. I could sense a small amount of blood running through her veins still but other then that she seemed like any other newborn.

"A human drinker?" she asked in a high, tinkling soprano voice.

"How did you know?" I asked. "You know what I am?"

"Of course. I read it in my mum's old text books. Human drinkers have red eyes while animal drinkers have gold. My aunt told me of magic and my significance in the wizarding world when I was quite young and my uncle was not around. It was you that bit me, correct? Did you kill my uncle?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I did. Your aunt, was she kind to you? Did she treat you well? What about your cousins?" I asked.

"Oh yes, very well when Uncle Vermon...I mean Vernon wasn't around. Excuse me but I am a bit of a smart mouth and a prankster. Just like my dad, Aunt Petúnia would say. Aunt Tuney is the best aunt I could ever have but she does have a horrid taste in men, take the killer wale beating the stuffing out of me. Only a coward would do such a thing. Truth is I was scared shitless but I didn't show it. It's fun to mock bullies." she said with a shrug. "Bet anything I'll be in either Slytherin or Gryffindor house. I don't know why they don't get along but you wouldn't really know too much about that, would you? Were...are you a Muggle?"

"Yes, I'm a Muggle vampire. Their are two in this coven that are magical, twins, Jane and Alec." I said. It was then that Aro, Marcus, and Caius came in. The girl's eyes flashed in recognition.

"Come to roast me in my funeral pyre when I've just wakened up?" she asked with a smirk.

Aro's POV:

"No, dear one. We have made an acception for you. We will let you live. Also, if you like, you may join our guard. You can thank Chelsea, her mate Afton, Alec, and Jane for that." I said calmly. "And do I here a heartbeat from you? You seem like any other newborn except you are calm, understanding, you seem to remember everything of your past life, and you have some blood in you."

"Yeah, I wonder about that too. I've always had a photographic memory. I also already knew about vampires, my aunt gave me my mum's old school trunk. You're Aro of the Volturi and your skin is so crinkly like old, dead leaves because you sat still for hundreds of years once, that's the same reason your eyes are clouded. The thirst is easy to ignore. Also, I think I haven't totally made the change because part of my magical core is blocked. I s'pose you can call me 95 percent vampire, 5 percent human?"

"Perhaps that is so, dear one. So would you like to join our guard?" I asked.

"Until I can get my thirst under control then yes. After that, I would prefer to go back to my aunt." she said. This girl wanted to live with a human? To live _as_ a human? What a mystery this Amaranth Potter was.

Amaranth's POV:

"You wish to live with humans?" asked one of the brothers, Caius, in disgust.

"But of course. I love my aunt and cousins." I said.

"But what about your thirst?" asked Aro. "Will you not wish to hunt humans?"

"Absolutely not!" I said, revolted. "I will _not_ sink so low. I was, and still sort of am, human and I will not partake in their consumption."

"That is very noble." said the vampire lady who had bit me.

"Excuse me but I know their names but not yours." I said.

"I am Chelsea of the Volturi." she said kindly.

"Right, you probably know I'm Amaranth Potter? I mainly go by either Amy, Mara, Mar, or Rin." I said.

"Those are fitting. How about Mara?" Aro asked.

"Fine by me. Hey, their a kitchen round this castle? I could really go for some ice cream after three days of inferno."

"Human food?" Caius sniffed disgustedly.

"Heck yeah, I _LOVE_ mint chocolate chip!" I said, bounding out of the bed.

"What a strange little vampire." Aro muttered.

"I like strange!" I said with a little smirk. Who doesn't?"

"I don't." Caius muttered.

"Of course. You're the disagreeable one that most vampires, Stephy and Vladdykins in particular, would love to burn the body of and then play baseball with using your left-over head." he growled. "Not me, though, I think you're a big meany but I like you all the same, you're funny. We can't all be sunshine and daisies can we? Chels, if you hadn't have eaten my uncle, I would have done it gladly and without hesitation."

"Well...at least you're being brutally honest." Chelsea said with a shrug.

"Shall we introduce you to the rest of the guard now?" Aro asked me.

"Sure." I chirped as I followed the Volturi brothers and Chelsea out of the room.


	34. Inheritance

Inheritance

An attempt to write yet another post 5th year inheritance fic, but with a good Dudley, magical little cousin, and yet again a female Harry/Draco vela pairing sort of thing… Yep!

Chapter One: The Last Will of Sirius Black

July thirtieth was just an ordinary day for me. I did the chores, read a little bit of my old school books, and then spent some time morning Sirius...Sirius...it's my fault he's gone. I sighed dejectedly and flopped back on my twin bed weaving my fingers through my long, unruly jet black hair. I wasn't even sixteen yet, my sixteenth birthday was tomorrow, I was too young. Then again, Fate just _loved_ screwing around with my _life!_ It was as though Fate was one of Aunt Marge's dogs and I was it's favorite play thing. Just as I was about to drift off to sleep I heard an annoying tapping noise at my window. It wasn't Hedwig, I knew that for certain because she was snoozing on her perch. Tap, tap, taptaptaptaptap, tap, tap, taptaptaptaptap... I groaned and went over to the window. In flew a large hawk with a letter in it's beak. I took it from him and it flew out of the window before I shut it. I sat down and looked at the letter. Their was a seal on it that I didn't recognize.

"You think it's safe, girl?" I asked. Hedwig hooted as if to say, "Don't ask me, I'm sleeping!" I sighed and cracked the seal. I pulled out a piece of parchment and began to read.

To Miss Hadriana Lily Potter

Your presence is demanded not requested at Gringotts Wizard Bank at 10:00 tomorrow morning for the reading of Sirius Black's will. Being the primary beneficiary you are needed their. Also, we will be going over your lineage after the reading. This letter will work as a portkey at exactly 9:57 AM, make sure you catch it.

Yours Sincerely,

Ragnok, Gringotts Director

"Oh god, Sirius!" I said to myself.

I sighed yet again and climbed into bed to go to sleep.

In the middle of the night I felt a knifing pain shoot through me. It seemed to last for hours, it was like my body was stretching and growing and changing and contorting, it took all my will-power to not scream. Eventually the pain ebbed away and I sat up in bed, it was already light out. I could here yelling downstairs.

"You little freak!" I thought at first Uncle Vernon was yelling at me.

"I haven't done anything wrong!" I heard Darla-Jane's shaky voice stammer. Darla-Jane was turning twelve in October, Dudley's little sister. She was the only Dursley who was truly nice to me. She looked mostly like Aunt Petunia but much prettier. She's nothing like her family and mostly likes people to call her DJ when the rest of the Dursleys aren't around. She had been doing some strange things that I was sure was accidental magic. Whenever nobody was around, I'd bring her into my room and tell her of magic, she probably just got her letter.

"You're a freak, you got the letter!" Aunt Petunia spat, I heard a slap and Darla-Jane start to cry. Yup, I was right, poor DJ. I rushed over to my trunk and threw some clothes on before jamming my glasses onto my face. I ran downstairs and stood in front of Darla-Jane.

"Leave...her...alone!" I said in a dangerous voice.

"Who are you?" they asked stupidly.

"It's me, Harri!" I said.

"No, you can't be Hadriana!" Aunt Petunia said. It was then that it hit me, the pain must have been because of a magical inheritance, today was my sixteenth birthday, the "day of inheritance" where magical children received any magical creature inheritances that might be in their families from when it was "acceptable" to marry and have sex with magical creatures.

"I don't care, all I know is that you spread your freakiness to our daughter, I want you both _OUT!"_ Uncle Vernon roared as he brought his hand back to slap one of us.

"Leave them alone!" it was Dudley, my lard pile of a cousin. Sure I had saved him last summer but he hadn't been very much nicer except that he left me alone. "You touch my cousin or my baby sister again and I _will_ do something about it!"

"Dudleykins, they're freaks, let us do what we like!" Aunt Petunia said as Dudley trundled down the stairs.

"Freaks? _Freaks?_ _FREAKS?_ You only call them freaks because you were never given the gift of magic. Until last summer I thought the same but I see different now. Harri saved me, if it weren't for her I'd have got my soul sucked out. They're not freaks, they're just special and they deserve respect. As soon as I turn eighteen I'm leaving this place. You might shun magic but I'm going to embrace it and be proud of Harri and my baby sister...Harri? What happened to you?"

"My magical creature inheritance came last night, it's my birthday. How different could I look? Sure things look shorter but really!"

"I want all of you out, none of the three of you are welcome!" Aunt Petunia shrieked.

"C'mon, guys. Come to my room!" I said as we went upstairs. "I'll be right back, I've got to brush my teeth!" I went into the bathroom and started to brush my teeth not paying attention to my looks. I did notice, however, that my teeth seemed straighter and more symmetrical. As I was about to brush my hair I looked in the mirror and gasped. My hair was just as black as ever but had some streaks of my mum's dark red in it that usually only showed up in the sunlight. It was still unruly but it seemed more like a casual disarray all the way down to my waste, it had only gone to my shoulders before. My face seemed to have a bit more roundness to it, it seemed exquisitely carved, so unlike me. My skin was creamy and soft, my teeth whiter and straighter then they had ever been. My eyes were the same emerald flecked with hazel but seemed to have an ethereal glow within them. I had shot up a good seven inches to five ten, I was only five three before. My scrawny, boyish frame was replaced by one that most would die for, not that I cared. My breasts were a good C cup and perky where they had only been about an A cup before, my waste was small, I had curves in all the right places, my legs were long, slender, and toned, my feet were shapely and about a size twelve, my entire body was still muscled from Quiddich and flying in general but was just more elegant somehow. Their also seemed to be a silvery-gold glow around me which kind of reminded me of the one around Fleur Delacour, the quarter-veela. I ran out of the bathroom and into my room.

"This is what you noticed?" I asked Darla-Jane and Dudley.

"Yup!" Darla-Jane said.

"Your inheritance makes you look different." Dudley said. It was then that I noticed it was 9:55.

"Crap! I've got a meeting at the wizard bank. I promise I'll come back later, it might take awhile. After that I'll help you guys pack and we'll go somewhere!"

"I never got the chance to thank you, Ana, and to say I'm sorry!" Dudley said. Ana is a pet name that only people who I'm close too, including Darla-Jane, can use.

"It's okay!" I said as I gave my cousins each a hug. "See you later Big D, Little D!" With that I grabbed my letter and felt the familiar tugging sensation at my navel.

I landed on a marble floor in front of the long counter of goblins I had first seen at the tender age of eleven when I first learned of the magical world, how strange that it had already been exactly five years since then. I, graceful as always, had made a nice face plant. I cursed under my breath, pushed myself up and to my feet, brushed myself off, straightened my glasses, and walked up to the counter.

"Hello! I'm to meet with Ragnok for the reading of Sirius Black's will!" I said.

"And you are?" the goblin asked lazily without giving me eye contact.

"Hadriana Potter, sir!" I said.

"Ah, very well, come with me. I am Lockjaw!" the goblin came out from behind the counter and beckoned me forward. I followed him through one of the many doors off the lobby which led into a wide stone hall. He led me down and to a door which read Will Readings. Lockjaw opened the door and I walked inside. Their I saw the Weasleys, Hermione, Luna, some man that was probably her dad, Neville, his gran, Tonks, two people that probably were her parents, Remus, Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Narcissa Malfoy, a little girl who looked to be her daughter that I had never seen before, and Draco Malfoy, my worst enemy. Something clicked within me. Draco looked different somehow, more manly, their was a silvery glow around him and he looked less harsh but more ruggedly handsome...wait...handsome? Did I call him handsome? Their seemed to be a pulling force drawing us together. Before I could stop myself I was running towards him, he was running towards me, and we were kissing. He ran his fingers through my hair and I brushed mine through his slick ear-length platinum hair.

"You smell so good!" I moaned into him. "Like parchment, pine, and cologne!"

"You smell like lilies, parchment, and pranking products!" he purred back at me.

"You're mine, Draco Malfoy!" I said.

"No, Hadriana Potter, you're _mine!"_ Draco said. We reluctantly broke apart. I could feel my eyes almost glow and saw Draco's do the same...wait...Draco's?

"What have I done?" we both yelled. "What did you do to me? _ME?_ What did _you_ do to _me?_ I didn't do a _damn_ thing!"

"Why did I do that, Malfoy, I...want...answers!" I hissed.

"Oh Draco you've found your mate!" Narcissa Malfoy squealed as she ran over to us and as Remus Lupin said, "I knew you'd find a mate, Prongslet!" and did the same thing.

"Mate?" I asked incredulously.

"We'll cover that later, Miss Potter, now onto the will!" said an old-looking goblin in the front. Draco joined his family and I joined the Weasleys, Hermione, and Remus.

"What was that about?" Ron demanded.

"Dunno!" I said.

"Oh, you went through a magical inheritance didn't you?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah but I didn't know I'd go through one!" I whispered. "I don't even know what I am!"

"And now for the last will intestament of Sirius Black!" the goblin said from the front of the room. He brought out a black orb and tapped it with his long index finger. Right in front of everyone was a full-body image of Sirius.

"Hey, everyone! Whew, big croud, you lot! All right now, onto business, this _is_ a _Sirius_ situation, had to do that one more time, sorry! Anyway, to all those that I loved I'm sorry that I died. Knowing me I probably did something stupid like get caught by those Ministry ass holes. I can only hope that I died protecting someone I love like you, Prongslet. Anyway, now onto my will.

"I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound mind, body, spirit, and magic entrust the following items to the following people. First to my family. Cousin Andi, I want you and Ted to take one million galleons. Also, I as Lord Black reinstate you, Ted, and Nym-Nym—you can't do anything to me now, Tonks—into the noble and most ancient house of Black. Tonks, all jokes aside I leave you one million galleons, do with them whatever you like. Next to my oh-so-_dear_ cousin Bella. As Lord Black I do hereby cast you out of the noble and most ancient house of Black. Finally to my dear cousin Cissy. Cissy, dump the loser Death Eater, would you? I know you can do better, Cissy, and that you've been wanting to be rid of the bastard for years. I've pulled some strings and all you have to do is sign a paper. Also, please take one million galleons and use it well. You're smart, Cissy, and a good person, don't let family chains hold you back. Next to Draco and Lucinda. Kids, you take good care of each other. I want each of you to have one million galleons to help you get started in which ever careers you want to pursue. Next to Remus my friend. Remus, I leave you one million galleons, my entire personal wardrobe, and the Black family cottage in the woods, I know you're comfortable in them. Now you have _no_ excuse to be wearing those shabby raggs of yours, Moony! Next to Hagrid, Minerva, and Severus, believe it, Sniv, I said your name. I leave you each one million galleons for being such good teachers to Hadriana, even you, Severus. You always kept her on her toes and kept her thirst to prove herself going. Next to Luna Lovegood. Luna, you've been such a wonderful friend to Harri, please take 500 thousand galleons. Zeno, old chum, your Quibbler is far better then the Profit, take one million galleons to do your research. Next to Neville Longbottom I give you 500 thousand galleons for being such a wonderful friend to Harri. Augusta, please take one million galleons to do with as you wish. I heard their's a new treatment for victems of the cruciatus, this money should pay for it for both Frank and Alice. Next to Molly and Arthur Weasley I give 5 million galleons. You've been so wonderful to Harri, from day one she's always been like your daughter, your Ana, and you've given her all that she ever could need, parental figures, a home when she needs one, and love. To bil and Charlie Weasley I give one million galleons each. When you're around, you make great big brother figures to Harri. Next to Percy Weasley take a knut for coming here and this message, you're a git and you don't deserve the family you've got. Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, take one million galleons each. You've been the best friends Ana could ever have from the time you first met her. It also helps that you've reformed the Marauders. Fred, George, this should help with your shop, make it awesome, buy out Zonko's, do what you like. Ron, you can use this for Quiddich stuff or whatever you like. Hermione, I give you permission to take one of every book in the Black family library at Black mannor. It's self-updating so when you take a coppy a new one will appear. Their's a special trunk in the Black family vault that can hold them all. Ginny, the money should be helpful to you whenever you want to use it. Lastly to Hadriana, Harri, Ana, Prongslet, my little Marauder. Your parents would be _so_ proud of you. I give you everything left that belongs to the noble and most ancient house of Black including the title of Lady Black. Your grandmother on your father's side, Doria Potter, was a Black by birth anyway so you are indeed a Black, where did you think James got his hair color? Good luck in all that you do, Prongslet, you can do it. I have complete and total faith in you. Don't blame yourself if you are, however I died it wasn't your fault.

"Well, everyone, now I've said what I wanted to say. I hope that you all prosper, except Bellatrix, may she rot in Azkaban forever, and I hope that your lives are long and happy, except Bellatrix, she can die. Well, everybody, you can bet I'll be causin' hell in heaven and making mischief with James. I'll see you on the other side, bye-bye!" The immage of Sirius faded away and we were all left in silence. Oh Sirius, I was going to miss him so much.

"Now, Miss Potter, I have some business to take care of with you!" the old goblin who I assumed to be Ragnok said.

"I'll see you guys later!" I said as I stood up.

"See you, Ana!" My friends all said collectively. Ragnok led me out of the room, further down the hall, and to grand doors that read Chief's Office. He opened the door and beckoned me inside to the ornate room.

"Please sit, Miss Potter. We have much to do!" Ragnok said. I nodded and sat in the chair in front of his desk as he sat behind it. "I see you came into your inheritance last night, Miss Potter?"

"Yeah but I don't know what I am!" I said with a sigh.

"That is quite easy, Miss Potter, you are a veela. It also looks as though you've found your mate."

"Veela? I can't be! Plus, why would I "mate" with that ferret? Honestly I hate him!" I said.

"I am not mistaken, Miss Potter, you are a veela, a very rare type too." Ragnok said with a frown.

"But I've been human all this time...were my parents veela then?"

"Yes. Your father came into his inheritance as a shadow or "dark" veela while your mother became a fire veela. This combination has never been seen before but you seem to have all the characteristics of both types. I think I can rightly call you a shadowfire veela. Their have been veela with a light and a shadow parent and a light and a fire parent but never a shadowfire pairing. I do believe that your mate is a Lightstorm veela, one with a parent or grandparent who is a light veela and one who is a storm. I am here to discuss your heritage and to tell you that your parents' will was not properly exicuted. We have just found out that Albus Dumbledore kept it from us claiming that they had not made one. We did some searching, however, and found out that that was _not_ the case. We were doing our vault inspections of those high-security vaults that Griphook told you about, the ones only checked every few decades, and found a manuscript of your parents' will. They wanted you to go to either Sirius, Remus, Minerva McGonagall, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Severus Snape, Poppy Pomfrey, Pomona Sprout, or Rubius Hagrid if anything were to happen to them and not _not_ _NOT_ those muggles. We are asuming that Albus Dumbledore wanted to keep and use you as a tool. We also guess he might have blocked a good bit of your magic up. We are here to go over your lineage, unblock your powers, and give you access to your ancestral vaults."

"I can't believe that man! I knew their was something funny about him but _REALLY!"_ I fumed.

"Ah yes, I understand. Now I need a few drops of your blood, Miss Potter, to varify your lineage." Ragnok said as he held out a small silver knife. I held my hand out, palm up, and He sliced a small cut in my hand before turning it over and letting the blood fall into a cup and onto a blank set of parchment. The blood on the parchment went out in small lines forming names and dates until, on the very top, it read _Hadriana's Family Tree._ The first thing I noticed was that four of the names near the top were Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Further down the line I saw that Voldemort, shudder, was my mum's dad's cousin.

"Now I need to go through some important things with you, Miss Potter. You are not only Lady Potter and Lady Black but much more. Firstly, your mother's family, Evans, was an old wizarding pureblood family several generations ago before they started having squibs which married muggles and so-on until your mother. Second, you are the heir of the Peverell family, the family of the well-known Deathly Hallows tale. They are amongst the oldest pureblood families. You are their only descendant. Third, your great-great-great grandmother on your father's side was named Amina Prince, Prince being a prominant pureblood family that has only died out since Eileen Prince married the muggle Tobias Snape and had the son Severus Snape. Severus has chosen not to take his lordship so it goes to you. Fourth, you are the heir of the Gaunt family as is Lord Voldemort. His uncle, Morphin, raped a woman he thought was a muggle, your great-grandmother Flora Evans who later married her second-cousin John Evans. John raised your grandfather as if he was his own son, he and Flora had no biological children together that lived past the age of one. Neither of your great-grandparents knew that your grandfather, Matthew Evans, was the cousin of who would be the most horrible wizard of all time! Your grandfather met your grandmother, Joy Carpenter, they were married, and they had your aunt, another squib though the tales of magic had been lost in the Evans family, and your mother, a witch. Your mother was never a parcelmouth like her grandfather but it might be that you are a parcelmouth not because of what happened on halloween of 1981, but because of who your true great-grandfather really was. Also, we at Gringots have not given Lord Voldemort the title of the lord of the houses of Gaunt and also Slytherin because we as goblins reserve the right to not do so under circumstances such as his, the Ministry also voted to strip him of such a title. He has committed atrocities to wizards and goblins alike. Their are some more important families we must talk about. Firstly, on your mother's side, the Evans family were descendants of Rowena Ravenclaw. Her daughter, Helena, had a child with a wizerd, Baron Andre Evans. You might know the two of them as The Grey Lady and The Bloody Baron, Ravenclaw and Slytherin house ghosts. Morphin Gaunt and his family were direct descendants of Slytherin and they prided themselves on their pureness. Also, your great-grandmother on your father's mother's side, Bedelia Smith was a direct descendant of Helga Hufflepuff. Lastly, the Potters are direct descendants of Godric Gryffindor. Albus Dumbledore was right when you pulled that sword in your second year, Hadriana Potter, only a _true_ Gryffindor can pull the sword from the sorting hat. For most it means bravery, for you it meant by both bravery and blood ties. Lastly, both sides of your family show direct ties to Merlin himself." Oh my god, phweeew! I was the head of _ELEVEN_ _FAMILIES._

"Oh...my...god." I said, awed. Ragnok smiled a toothy smile and tipped the contents of the cup onto the table. Their was a large ruby and gold ring with the Potter family crest, a jumping stag, carved in gold in the ruby. Around the band were all the other crests that I could barely make out.

"Do you accept your duties as Lady Potter-Evans-Black-Peverell-Prince Gaunt-Gryffindor-Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw Slytherin-Merlin?" Ragnok asked.

"Yes." I said with a nod.

"Then slip on this ring." Ragnok said.


	35. Isabella Swan, AKA Jasmine Potter

Jasmine Potter

An attempt to write Twilight in which Bella Swan is actually Jasmine Potter, also an HP style werewolf, and Charlie Swan is Sirius Black… Yep, this was a thing!

Chapter One: The Town Named After A Utensil

Jasmine's POV

" It was finally over, the whole war. Their had been some casualties but at least Voldemort was gone. Yes, Dumbledore was dead, Sirius had almost died as did Remus and Tonks, but everything was alright now with the exception that the Weasleys were one member short. Percy Weasley, who had excommunicated himself from his family for two years, had jumped in front of his younger brother, Fred, who was one in a set of prank-pulling twins, which ended Percy's life, I guess he really _was_ a Gryffindor after all. Also, Severus Snape, a man who I once hated, was a spy on Voldemort's side and had really been protecting me all along. I was horrified to watch in the shadows while Voldemort's snake killed him. I had had to go into the forest to face off with Voldemort. He cast the killing curse at me again like he had when I was a baby. It brought me into a sort of limbo where I got the choice to either move on to death or return to life. I, obviously, had returned to life. In the end, Voldemort was killed by his own curse which I had rebounded back at him with my disarming spell while also winning the allegiance of his wand which he thought would be the one to bring me down, Dumbledore's old wand that is as old as my invisibility cloak. It still wasn't quite safe for me over their because their were still some Death Eaters out there who were quite willing to kill me once and for all. I had decided to move to a very remote Muggle town in another country, the United States, in the state of Washington. The town was called Forks. When I first found it, I had thought, "_Forks? What about spoons and knives?"_ I had always been a sharp-witted prankster, that's one thing I was most well-known for, (other then being the girl who lived). Sirius would be going with me, applying as the Forks chief of police under the name Charlie Swan. I would be his daughter, Isabela Swan. He would have to go under glamours but I wouldn't. I'm a metamorphmagus meaning I can change my appearance at will. Not only that but my extremely high metamorphmagus ability gives me the power of turning into any animal I want too. . Also, I'm a seer and have made some minor prophecies. I always thought it funny when that old bat Trelawney said, "my dear you clearly lack the inner sight"! I've got a damn site more sight then she does, I'm at the topmost level of seer. I even saw Voldemort's downfall prooving that my sacrifice wouldn't kill me after áll, giving me the strength to go on. My visions, like the future, aren't set in stone, a snap decision could change my visions very easily. Also, I've mastered wandless legilimency and occlamency but can tune out people's thoughts if I want too. I can send mental messages to people if they're within a 200 mile radius, I haven't tested it further. I'm really good at nonverbal magic as well and have been training myself for wandless magic, I can do all first year spells verbally with no wand now. Lastly, I had figured out how to be an animagus in third year when I figured out Remus was a werewolf. Me, Ron, and Hermione had along with Fred and George. We, even sensible bookworm Hermione, had dubbed ourselves Junior Marauders. Fred and George were both monkey animagi, Chip and Dale, Ron was a cat, Whiskers, Hermione an owl, Ruffles, and I was a doe (just like my patronus), Silvermane. Ginny had joined us the next year becoming Fury because she was a rabbit. When we were out on the grounds the night Buckbeak was supposed to be executed, we caught the real traitor, Petigrew, going into human form from his rat animagus form. We, unfortunately, hadn't caught him and it was the night of the full moon, need I say more? Remus was a werewolf and he hadn't taken his mind-calming potion. He had lunged for Padfoot, (Sirius in animal form), so me, with my great big hero complex jumped in front and got two big chunks from my legs ripped off. Luckily, I had enough strength to go back with Hermione and stop Sirius from getting the Dementor's Kiss. I still have a bit of a limp on my right leg from that. Anyway, I'm a witch, top level metamorphmagus, doe animagus, and werewolf. Little did I know my life was about to become a lot more bazaar living as Isabela Swan.

It was January 7th, 2008 and Sirius and I had just gotten into town a few days ago. The story was that my "father", Charlie, had recently divorced my mother, Rene, and I had decided to go with him. Nobody had actually seen Sirius or I yet so we hadn't decided how we would look. Our house was already ready to go, including a connection to the flu network, and we were sitting at the table.

"I dunno, Jazzy, how about, say, light brown hair and chocolate brown eyes?" Sirius asked.

"All right! Let's say "Rene" had chocolate hair and hazel eyes. I'll go off that tomorrow morning when I morph!" I said. I naturally have my mum's wavy dark red hair and just about everything else other then my dad's bright hazel eyes.

"How about personality, oh my Marauder mentor?"

"I _like_ my personality!" Sirius whined. "I wanna be a Marauder!"

"NO, Uncle Padfoot, we can't do that!" I said. "We've got to be inconspicuous. Our British accents will stick out enough as it is and I'd rather not take on a barbie-girl annoying American accent, I'll keep my accent so help me god! How about you be a bit shy but very sure of your work. I'll be a bit quiet and shy, have trouble getting my point across, still have a great sense of humor, be a bit rebellious when I'm broken out of my shell, and I'll be a super klutz!"

"You already _are_ one!" Sirius said.

"_HEY!_ It's not my fault metamorphmagi such as myself and Tonks are totally clumsy! I still also have the limp, ya know, from third year, "it'll diminish in time," _ha!_ Only time it's not noticeable is when I morph but I keep it, "be proud of your scars" I say! Plus, I'm _way_ more graceful when I take on vampire or veela forms for fun or when I'm in the air. I'm getting kind of tired, I think I'm going to go to bed. Love you, Uncle Padfoot!" I said, giving my godfather a hug before I went upstairs, got into some Gryffindor PJ's, and climbed into my bed.

Chapter Two: First Day of School

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of rain pitter-pattering on my window. It was cloudy and ugly but it reminded me of London sometimes. I changed into a pair of blue jeans and a light pink top after I showered. I looked in the mirror at myself. I had to wear glasses just like my dad did. With a pop, my hair was long and dark brown with highlights of lighter brown weaving through it, going in waves down to the small of my back. My eyes turned into chocolate brown orbs, my face a delicate shape. I also shrank several inches. Instead of being five ten, I was now five three and quite petite, my Quiddich body becoming just Plain Jane. I lightened my skin quite a bit and added a stray freckle here and their. The angry red scars all around my lower middle legs going in a symmetrical pattern vanished and the muscles and bone that had been irreversibly damaged except in my complete disguises like this one disappeared. Also, when I internally convinced myself I was becoming someone else and not just changing myself, my lightning-bolt shaped scar vanished. That was the only way to get it to go away. My clothes, thankfully, still fit me because they were all charmed to change when I do. With one last look at myself as Isabela Swan, I went out of the bathroom, picked up my red and gold bag, put on my silver wire-rimmed glasses, and walked downstairs. Their was a note from Sirius on the counter.

Jazz, I had to go off to the station early. Their will be a little surprise outside, hope you like fast, sleek, and expensive. I can't have you appearating or flying to school now can I? Good thing we had licenses forged for ourselves. Good luck at Muggle school.

PADFOOT

Sirius had been a lot more happy, he had only been cleared of all charges after the incident at the Ministry during the end of my fifth year. It was then that I was able to move in with him. Apparently, he and my dad turned out to be second cousins. I walked outside onto the porch and gasped at the car in the driveway. It was a 1968 Camaro, my dream car. It was totally tricked out with awesome tires and a brand new stereo. It was scarlet and had a golden lion painted onto the hood and smaller ones on the front doors. I looked to see that the boot was magically expanded. Also, their were several magical buttons for flight and so-forth on the dash. The interior was a silvery cream leather and I loved it. Next to it was Sirius's motorcycle, I didn't realize it had been fixed already! Their was a note on the handlebars attached to a scarlet helmet with a lion on it.

Take your pick, but you had better be _damn_ careful on this thing Jasmine Lily Potter!

I sighed at Sirius's carelessness, what if a Death Eater had seen that? It wasn't raining so I decided I would take the motorcycle just for fun. With a muttered spell, the helmet turned to match the bike, black, so it wouldn't clash with my shirt. I stuffed my wand in a holster up the sleeve of my shirt under my winter coat. I slung my Gryffindor bag onto my back, put the helmet on, keyed the engine up, and zoomed out of the driveway.

It didn't take me that long to find Forks High, just a few minutes. I jumped the curb and swerved in between a nice 2007 volvo and some old clunker van. Probably I had more money then all these students put together. My dad's family was an extremely rich pureblood one and I was shocked to discover after the war that the vault I had been using was just for school. Their were _five_ other vaults filled with loads of galleons, sickles, knuts, and a bunch of my parents' old things including my dad's glasses. Those were what I was wearing right now, actually. Also, since I was seventeen, they needed to take my blood to see who else I had ties too. To my utter shock, I was the heir of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff on Dad's side and Ravenclaw and Slytherin on my mum's, that meant I technically owned Hogwarts. Also, I was the heir of the Peverell vaults. The elder wand was truly mine as was the invisability cloak. Once they had captured more Death Eaters, I was going to go back to England and work as an Auror. I had decided to train on the weekends at the American Ministry of Magic. Apparently, they had finished their own second war with their own girl who lived, Natalia Hawthorn or something like that. The Salem Scoop, their newspaper, was saying that she was engaged to Gabriel Applebee, "the youngest boy of six sisters". It sounded a lot like Ginny Weasley. Apparently, They were calling Natalia Hawthorn, her cousin Serenity or "Ren" Hadley, Scarlet Applebee, and some Muggle-born guy named Jacob Williams the "golden quartet" just like me, Ron, and Hermione were called "the golden trio".

I jumped off Sirius's bike and put the helmet on the handlebars. Their was a gaggle of Muggle students staring at me and admiring my bike. Their was one in particular, a baby-faced guy with spiked blonde hair and baby blue eyes that was ogling me and it.

"What? Never seen a transfer?" I asked, faking a blush as I said this to make me seem more shy. "And don't stare at me like a piece of meet or ogle my father's bike, both of us would be very angry if you took that and he _is_ the new chief of police here!"

"O-o-oh, are you British?" the guy asked.

"No, I'm Chinese..."

"Really?" the kid asked.

"_NO,_ you idiot! Don't you Yanks know anything about sarcasm?" I definitely wouldn't be able to keep up this sweet and shy facade. I faked a blush and said, "Sorry, I'm still a bit jet-lagged and I'm like the living dead in the mornings, Isabela Swan, just call me Bella!" I would have him call me Izzie but I didn't like him enough. Bella reminded me a lot of Bellatrix Lestrange but I didn't care. It seemed to fit.

Forks High was absolutely tiny! You could probably fit the whole thing in the entrance and Great Hall of Hogwarts. I walked into the office building and up to the desk of the frizzy-haired woman, Mrs. Cope.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cope, I'm Isabela Swan from England. I've come to get my schedule!" I said timidly.

"Of course, dear, I must say this is the first time I've heard your accent in this town except on TV." she said.

"Yes, ma'am." I said. I guess it wasn't _that_ hard to act all timid, I had had to act like that most times with the Dursleys but I had probably had more broken bones with them almost then with Quiddich, that was really saying something.

"Now take your schedule and these slips for the teacher to sign. I am very impressed by your transcripts, Miss Swan. Come back here at the end of the day!" Mrs. Cope smiled and handed me the papers. As I was walking out of the door, I tripped, accidentally, on the door frame and went cascading down the five stairs to the parking lot.

"_YOUCH,_ oh bloody hell oh mother-fucking _SON-OF-A_ _BITCH!"_ I said, clutching my ankle. My wand had fallen out of my sleeve and I made a mad dash for it. When nobody was looking, or so I thought, I waved my wand in a pattern around my broken ankle. "Episki!" I whispered. My ankle snapped back in place and I stood up. It was a good thing I was good at healing. I actually planned on taking some healing courses once a month at Malgum's Hospital for Magical Diseases and Accidents in Olympia. I got up and brushed myself off before stowing my wand up my sleeve in it's holster. I then picked everything up including the papers and my schedule. I had English with Mr. Mason first. I walked off to class in one of the buildings among whispers, I was used to it. At least their was no scar for anyone to see. I walked up to the teacher at the front of the room who handed the slip back after signing it. I went to sit down and got out my textbook. I vaguely listened to the teacher, this class was _so_ easy! I was really writing down ideas of how to prank in my special Marauder notebook that Sirius had given me. It was red with a gold lion at the center on the cover. Also, on the cover, it read: Mesrs Moony, Padfoot, Prongs, Chip, Dale, Whiskers, and mistresses Ruffles, Fury and Silvermane present to you the Marauders Pranking Book. This, of course, only came out when you pointed at it and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" and went to an innocent notebook when you said "Mischief Managed!".

At the end of class, I was approached by some kid who looked like the overly helpful chess club type.

"Hello, I'm Erik, you're the new girl Isabela right?" he asked.

"erm...yeah, nice to meet you!" I said.

"What do you have next? I'd be willing to walk you their!" Erik said.

"Trig, and thanks!" I said timidly with a faint blush forced into my cheeks. This guy reminded me _way_ too much of Justin Finch-Fletchly. Erik walked me down the hall, to another building, and to a classroom.

"I've got gym, good luck!" he said before going.

"Hey, Bella!" came the voice of the ogler.

"Hello...erm...I don't know your name!" I said.

"Mike Newton!" he said as we walked through the door. I forced a smile at him as I walked up to the teacher's desk. He signed my slip and I slid into a seat by a girl with curly black hair and blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm Jessica. You're Isabela, right?" god! Why must people call me by that name?

"_BELLA!"_ I reminded her.

"Right! I'm Jessica Stanley!" I could tell that she was one of the gossip queens, just like Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, their must be another one around somewhere. Mike Newton was totally annoying, looking at me every five seconds. I decided to start a list in my notebook.

101 Ways To Pester A Muggle Ponce

1\. Fill his locker with tapioca pudding.

2\. Send him a mailbox full of hate mail.

3\. On a day he is absent, come in morphed as him and confess his undying love of Erik to the whole school.

4\. Set a pot of blue dye over the bathroom door that's self-replenishing and will make all the boys' hair pink!

By the end of trig, I had already come up with ten ideas.

"What do you have next?" Jess asked me.

"Spanish, you?" I asked.

"Same, I'll show you the way!" Jess said. We walked into the Spanish room where nothing really interesting happened. Soon, it was the end of class.

"Hey, you wanna sit with me and my friends at lunch?" she asked as I thought "_I thought it was supposed to be my friends and me!"_

"Sure!" I said. We went into lunch and sat down, me taking out my own food. It was one of Mrs. Weasley's recipes for a turky-and-cheese sandwhich with a box of Berty Bots' Every-flavored Beans and a bottle of Butter Beer.

"What strange food!" said a baarbie-doll looking girl snidely.

"I could say the same for your school's slop!" I muttered. "Anyway, don't they always call America the "free country?"

"Humph!" said the girl. Yup, she was definitely Jessica's Parvati. "I'm Lorin Mallory by the way!"

"Ja—Bella Swan!" I said.

"I'm Angela Weber!" said a girl with light brown hair and soft green eyes, I liked her. She reminded me of Parvati's twin Padma. I met all of them plus Erik, Mike, and some kid named Tyler Crowly. A few minutes into lunch, five of the most beautiful beings walked into the cafeteria. They got treys of food but they never ate them. My magical instincts screamed _VAMPIRE_ but they also screamed _VEGETARIAN_ _VAMPIRE_ so I was safe, I could see their topaz eyes. Four of them looked to be mated with each other, the blond girl and the big, curly-haired guy and the pixy-like girl and the blonde guy who looked to be taking in all emotion. The last boy was like the god of gods. He was a little taller then I naturally was, he had a gorgeous profile, and his tousled bronze hair fell almost into his eyes which showed he was a little thirsty. He reminded me so much of Cedric Diggory it hurt but I could just tell he wasn't, nor was he ever, Cedric.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Those are the Cullens. They moved here from Alaska about a year ago. They're all adopted and their adoptive parents are really young, like in their late twenties. The two blondes are Hales, Jasper and Rosalie. Mrs. Cullen has had them since they were eight, even before she met Dr. Cullen. The other three are Emmett, Alice, and Edward." Jessica pointed at the big guy, the pixy girl, and the hottest vampire. "They're all together, Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, but not Edward. He never accepts anyone!" she said with a hint of jealousy.

"Jealous are we?" I asked. I definitely wouldn't be able to act as the sweet, shy girl I had intended to act.

"Humph!" Jessica muttered and turned away.

"Don't mind her!" Angela said.

"Thanks, Angie, you don't mind if I call you that, do you?"

"Nope, not at all!" Angela said. I smiled. I started to feel a probing at my mental shields, that Edward guy was looking at me, frustration written like words on a page into his granite face. If I wanted to keep my secret, I would definitely not be able to yell at him for it, he was definitely a mind reader. He also looked at me with somewhat of a hungry look, a very hungry look, his eyes turning into pools of darkness. I could see it now, I was Edward's singer, my blood appealed to him very strongly. I would just have to put up with the tickling of his powers for the rest of the day. I decided then to dump my trey and go out into the hallway to do my first masterful prank, I was definitely going to be a Marauder through and through. I smirked to myself and went to the locker I saw Newton at earlier. When their was nobody looking, I discretely waved my wand and Newton's locker was filled to bursting with tapioca pudding, it would fall all over him!

I walked off to biology class, easy stuff! Sometimes, when my nightmares bothered me, I'd morph into a vampire for the night so I could stay up and read. The only bad thing was that if I became human again the next day, I would be dead on my feet so I'd have to stay vampire all day. I gave my slip to the teacher, Mr. Banner, who smiled at me. I sat down at the only empty seat, by Edward. I did a very subtle morph to take on more vampiric characteristics, almost like being half so it wouldn't be so hard on Edward, his eyes were already pitch-black. He looked at me incredulously, he and his siblings would be the only ones to tell I had really changed at all.

Class went rather well and I came up with several more ways to prank Mike, Jessica, and Lorin. After biology was choir, I loved to sing. During my summers at Sirius's after fifth and sixth years, he had taught me all he knew about music which was, surprisingly, a lot. I could now play the piano, guitar, and violin. I also knew all about every prank Sirius, my dad, and Remus ever pulled and was happy to follow in their footsteps, I already was.

"Good afternoon, we have a new student!" said Miss Shriever, the choir teacher. "Please say hello to Isabela Swan,. Isabela, I'd like you to sing something for us and also show the class what instrumental talents you might have!"

"It's Bella!" I said with a blush. "And that's no problem. I'm going to sing a song that I wrote when I was fifteen, I hope you like it, do you have a guitar?" I could hear a few people snort as if to say, "Ooh, how dumb will that sound?". Miss Shriever handed me a guitar and I stepped into the middle of the classroom and began to sing.

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, dynamite;

You really make me come to life;

I think about you day and night;

Because you are my dynamite.

The way you are, the way you a-act;

You do what you must and don't look ba-ack;

In comfidence you do not la-ack;

So don't worry boy I've got your ba-ack.

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh dynamite;

I'm so glad to call you mine;

I think about you all the time;

I love you ooh my dynamite!

Everyone in the class clapped and I could see little pixy Alice jumping up and down while Rosalie looked a bit pissed because I probably bested her. I was sure she had one of those snooty barbie-doll voices that was _not_ meant for music with _real_ oomph.

"That was very good!" Miss Shriever said. "Do you play any instruments other then the guitar?"

"Yeah, piano and violin!" I said timidly, I really _was_ timid about my music, I didn't want to be braggy or arrogant or anything, I guess I really _was_ more like "Bella Swan" then I realized because I really hated attention, I just used my sharp wit and sarcasm to hide that, but everyone who had met me knew I was touchy on the whole girl-who-lived thing, I really _did_ hate people fawning over me and/or calling me an arrogant, attention-seeking little brat who just wanted people to feel sorry for her because she was the little orphan girl. I sat at the piano bench and played Moonlight Sonata before taking the violin that Miss Shriever handed to me and playing "Roller-coaster World", a song I wrote myself.

"Miss Swan, I am very impressed! You will be the lead mezzo-soprano. On any songs we use the guitar or violin, I want you to be the lead and also sing!"

"But Miss Shriever!" Rosalie said angrily, she _definitely_ had that barbie voice. "_I'm_ lead mezzo-soprano!"

"It is obvious that Miss Swan is better suited for the spot, I think you're more suitable as first bac-up soprano behind your sister!" Miss Shriever said. It was then that the bell rang. I was really starting to dislike Rosalie, _Note to self, make Miss Rosie-Posie main pranking target!_ I thought to myself as I headed to gym. When I reached gym, I was very happy to see a very flustered-looking Newton in fresh clothes with pudding still in his hair.

"Hmmm, tapioca, that's my absolute favorite. I certainly hope you enjoyed it!" yup, what the heck, I was _not_ going to act like that shy sweet person, I was Marauder through and through, nothing could quench that out of me.

"You-you-you...you did this, Swan?" Mike asked venimously.

"I never said that, I just said I hope you enjoyed it!" I said with an innocent smile. Mike looked pissed but walked away.

In gym, all I had to do was watch for the day. After that class was done, I went To mrs. Cope's office and handed her the papers.

"Very good, dear, I hope to see you again, enjoy your time here in America!" she said. I smiled and ran out to my bike to find that the tires had been slashed and my helmet was filled with pudding. I could tollerate the pudding, but I couldn't even use magic here to fix the tires, _boy_ I was pissed. I had to restrain myself from morphing into my old self with the exception of Mum's emerald eyes that I always got when I was angry. Instead, I let out an ear-pearcing scream.

"_NEWTON_ _YOU_ _HORRIBLE_ _NO-GOOD_ _DIRTY_ _ROTTEN_ _BASTARD_ _HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU!"_ Most of the students, including the Cullens who were holding their ears, were in the lot by now. I could see Newton, looking innocent by an old blue van a few slots away. I ran over to him and grabbed him by the shirt, dragging him out to the middle of the lot with my slightly better-then-average strength that comes from being a metamorphmagus and a werewolf.

"_HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU_ _DO_ _THAT!_ I might have pranked you because you were an ogling, horny ponce but that does _NOT_ _GIVE_ _YOU_ _THE_ _RIGHT_ _TO_ _SLASH_ _THE_ _TIRES_ _ON_ _MY_ _BIKE_ _WHICH_ _USED_ _TO_ BELONG _TO_ MY _DAD_ _BEFORE_ _HE_ _GAVE_ _IT_ _TO_ _ME!_ I can handle the pudding but...but... _ AAAARGH,_ I'll never understand the irrational actions of some of you Yanks, people who can't even take a _JOKE!"_ I dragged him over to my flat tires. "_LOOK_ _AT_ _THESE,_ _NOW_ _I'M_ _GOING_ _TO_ _HAVE_ _TO_ _CALL_ _MY_ _DAD_ _AND_ _HAVE_ _HIM_ _PICK_ _ME_ _UP!_ We're seeing Mrs. Cope right now, Newton. I can tollerate pranks, but this is _vandalism!_ Your locker didn't have _anything_ in it, my dad's had this bike since he was _my_ _age!"_

"Whoa, cool it, Swan, you deserved it!"

"And you deserve to be hexed...oops...I mean slapped but..." Newton interrupted me.

"Did you just say hex?" he whispered.

"Erm..."

"It's okay, my parents are Squibs! You're a witch aren't you?"

"Mind your own beez wax, Newton. I'll let you off if you can cover for me!"

"Fine!" Newton whispered back. "Party at my parents' shop!" he yelled. "Come on now, we're ordering pizza!" I smiled and ran over to my bike. When no human was looking, I waved my wand and said "reparo" at each of my tires before casting the charm "evanesco" to get rid of the pudding. Before anyone could stop me, I jumped on my bike, strapped on my helmet, and jumped the grass strip before flooring it home.

As soon as I got in the door, I ran right into Sirius.

"Sorry, Uncle Padfoot!" I said.

"It's okay, Jazz, how was your day?" he asked. It was then I realized he looked different. He was a bit shorter and his skin paler. His bluish grey eyes were now chocolate brown like mine and he had curly light brown hair.

"Nice Charlie disguise, and school was pretty good. Of course, their was this one guy who wouldn't stop ogling me or the bike. Also, I can't act anything but Marauder, I already pulled a prank on him for being a pest. I started a list in Trig, 101 ways to pester a Muggle ponce, but I'm going to have to reword that now. During lunch, I saw a coven of vegetarian vampires. Their were five, four were mated with each other. I think I'm the mateless one, the mind reader's, singer. He kept trying to read my mind and I pushed him out. That's not the end of my story, though. Biology went well and, guess what? I took Rosalie Cullen's place as lead mezzo-soprano in choir and I'll be the lead guitarist and violinist in any songs that use them. After that, I went to gym where Newton had on new clothes and still had pudding in his hair. I said I hoped he liked the pudding and he "accused" me of doing it. I played the innocent act, of course!"

"You shouldn't have pranked a Muggle, Jazzy!" Sirius admonished.

"But he isn't, just listen. After gym, I gave all the slips back to Mrs. Cope and went out to find my helmet filled with pudding and my tires slashed." Sirius looked pissed then. "Anyway, I was so mad I called him an annoying horny ponce and he said I deserved what he did. I slipped up and said he deserved to be hexed but then I corrected myself. He went on to tell me his parents are squibs and that makes him one too. He covered for me while I fixed the bike and now here I am!"

"Bloody hell, Jazz, what a day!" Sirius said.

"I know!" I said as I shrugged into my true looks.

I think I'm going to start brewing a potion in Dad's old trunk house, keep my wits about me, you know!"

"Just like your mother in that sense, always the potions nut!" Sirius said. "And like Sniv...I mean Severus too, even down to scribbling in your text books, The Emerald Flower, _ha!"_

"Oh stuff it, Pads!" I said playfully.

"Your dad would have said the same thing, go have fun!" Sirius said. "But please come down to make dinner! Even with magic I'm an abominable chef!"

"Yes yes!" I said as I went upstairs. Sirius was right about that, I was a bit like Severus Snape in that sense. I had even come up with a few terrific jinxes and hexes and a way to make my spells contagious. My book was scribbled in more then the young Severus Snape's ever was. I went over to my trunk which had once belonged to my dad and put my index on the fifth indent on the front of the lid. The door swung upwards to reveal what looked like darkness inside but I knew was just the grouping of rooms inside, a bit like the trunk mad-eye was stuck in for nine months. I swung my legs over and put them on the ladder, going down a few rungs. After that, I wrapped my arms and legs around the ladder and slid down firepole style into an eligant sitting room with a lot of red and gold. The room itself was rather round and had doors off of it along with enchanted windows showing sunlight over mountains and rivers and gardens. I took one of the doors into the potions lab that Sirius had created for me for my sixteenth birthday which is when I received this trunk. I took my coppy of Advanced Potion Making off my book shelf and leafed through it. Deciding it would always be a good idea to have some veratiserum around, I decided to work on that. I got out all of the propper ingredients and started the potion. After about an hour I had to let it simmer for two so I decided to go upstairs. Deciding to do it for fun, I appearated right in front of the Muggle TV which Sirius was paying rapt attention to, never getting much chance to use one before.

"Aaaarg!" Sirius exclaimed as I appeared right in front of him. "Don't do that, Jasmine!" he exclaimed. I saw that he had taken off his glamour for the evening.

"Sorry, Uncle Padfoot, but you've got to admit that that was hilarious, you should have seen your face!" I said. "I see you've taken off your glamour?"

"Yeah, you wouldn't believe how much those things itch!" he said.

"It's unbelievable how lucky you are being a metamorphmagus! I've had to be in that Charlie disguise all day and if I wound up itching myself I'd look weird. I guess that's a side effect so people won't want to use them so much. I'm actually going to spend time with my fifth-cousin Billy, you know, the squib, this weekend, we're going fishing without magic!" he said.

"Wow, Siri, you without a wand! I never thought I'd see the day!" I said sarcastically.

"Oh stuff it! He's got a son, you know, 'bout your age!" Sirius said.

"Sirius, last time you set me up with a guy I wound up hexing him senseless and I wouldn't want to hex a squib. Didn't you say that Billy never even told him about magic?" I asked.

"Yeah, I don't know why, no shame in it!" SIRIUS said. "Plus, I thought Dalton was a nice little Ravenclaw!"

"Oh yes, a nice little Ravenclaw whose penis pushes against his zipper whenever a girl bats an eyelash at him. All he wanted to do was get into my pants." I said, eyes blazing green and hair turning into more of a flaming Weasley red color.

"Hold on, calm down, Prongslet!" Sirius said.

"Oh...sorry! I really let my anger get too far away with me sometimes!" I said, going back to normal with some pink streaks in my hair. "I think I'll go for a fly after dinner!"

I wound up cooking shrinp fediccini, one of my favorites, and eating heartily. Even though the times of war where I didn't have much to eat and the times I was basically starved and beaten at the Dursleys' were behind me, I never let up on all the food I ate. Sirius says I get it from both my parents, Dad especially. "He was like a bottomless pit, James!" he'd say.

My potion still had an hour to simmer so I went upstairs, grabbed my Firebolt Meteor, and ran down and outside into the woods. From their, I got on and shot up into the sky. I loved to fly, it was such a liberating feeling! I zipped around and around, I wound up going so high I went through a cloud and got utterly soaked. I had cast the bubble-head charm so I had my own little pocket of fresh air. I also wore a coat to keep out the biting January wind. I did several tricks and loop-de-loops before seeing a plane up ahead...shit! I made a steep dive towards the ground, not even thinking where I was going. I landed right outside a smallish house near the ocean. A teenage boy came running out, an older man in a wheelchaire behind him. It was windy and my hair was whipping around my face like a halo.

"What the..." the boy started.

"Inside, Jacob!" the man said gruffly.

"Oh damn, a Muggle!" I muttered to myself. "Sir, I'm really really sorry about this!" I then took out my wand.

"Oh no you don't, miss! I know what that is! You must be Jasmine Potter, Sirius's goddaughter." said the man.

"Oh..." it all clicked into place and I realized who this must be. "Billy Black? Sorry about all this, and what about your son?"

"I've been meaning to tell him about our family's British roots, you presented a good time. Perhaps you could do some explaining to him sometime?" he asked.

"Erm...okay!" I said. "Not now, though, I've got a potion simmering at home and I must get back to it. How 'bout this Sunday when you and Uncle Padfoot go fishing? I've got Auror training all Saturday and Sunday afternoon but Sunday morning's free! Oh yeah, and I bet you ten gal...I mean bucks he'll try sneaking his wand along somewhere! Trust me, I know my second cousin once removed." I said with a smile.

"You're on!" Billy said with a smile. "See you later, Jasmine!"

"It's Jazz, by the way, everyone calls me that, see you!" with that, I appearated back home.

"Go through another cloud?" Sirius asked as I removed the bubble-head charm and shook out my main of red hair before casting a drying charm on my broom.

"Yeah, almost got saw by a plain and I almost obliviated Billy Black 'cause I thought he was a Muggle!" I explained.

"Ah, I see!" Sirius said. I smiled and went upstairs, into my room, and through my trunk door again. When I got to my potion it was the perfect oderless, scentless clear it was supposed to be. I smiled and put it into several little vials, putting them on my shelf.

Chapter Three: More School and NEWT's

That night I kept having sweet dreams about a beautiful man with beautiful bronze hair and onyx eyes...or were they grey...Edward...Cedric...it must be Edward...but they looked so alike...but I somehow knew Edward wasn't Cedric. His scent poured through my nose, making me sigh with pleasure...could it be...that I had...fallen in love with...a _vampire?_

The next day I woke up to another dreary day. This time, however, it was raining steadily. Their was an owl tapping at my window, I hastily let it in and shut the window. It shook water all over before I could get the sodden letter from it. I opened the window for it to fly out again, shut it, and started to read the letter.

Miss Swan,

We are merely using your fake identity in case unwanted hands lay siege to this note. You are set up to take your British NEWT's this afternoon and every afternoon through next week. We have already accepted you into our auror program and the hospital has accepted you into it's healing program. However, these are just a formality. It wouldn't look good if we just accepted either you or the other one without your tests. Please have an enjoyable day and arrive in the Ministry atrium at aproximatly 3:30.

Hoping You Are well,

Queeny Silverstone,

Minister of Magic

I smiled at the letter and put it on my dresser. I then went to the bathroom and took a hot shower and got out, morphing into my "Bella" disguise. Once I have a disguise set and use it for at least six hours, it almost becomes programmed into me so I always make it exactly the same. I sighed and put on a fleecy green jumper with my initial, J, knitted onto the center. It was the most recent jumper given to me by Mrs. Weasley right before I left for Forks. I changed the J to a B with a flick of my wand, being good at nonverbal magic, and put on a pair of black pants and boots. I wentt downstairs and had a toaster stroodle before putting on one of my jackets, black, and going outside into the downpore with my hood up, no bike today! Mercifully Sirius had cast an impervious spell on both the bike and my car so they wouldn't get dirty or start to rust anywhere. I got in the driver's seat of my car and turned the key in the ignition. Driving the bike was one thing but driving an American car would be totally different, it'd be hard to get used too what with the steering wheel on the left instead of the right. I sank back into the creamy seat and put my hands on the wheel. It purred like a very happy kitten as I put my seatbelt on. I looked in the little compartment between the two front seats to see if Sirius had stashed anything in their. Sure enough, it was jam packed with all my favorite music, both Muggle and magical. I took out a Weird Sisters disk and stuck it in the player, turning the volume up as the toasty heat poured out of the vents. I pulled the car out of the driveway and started down the road.

I eventually made it to Forks High early so I decided to stay in my cozy car until the first bell. I looked at my watch and tapped it with my wand which I pulled out of the holster up my sleeve.

"Communication link to Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley!" I said. I loved how my watch could do that along with telling time two different ways and keeping track of loved ones. My watch flashed and I saw the three sepearated faces of my best friends, like a four-way telephone call. We had all changed since we first met but still essentially looked the same. Hermione's hair had become more curly then bushy, her caramel eyes just as filled with kindness and knowledge, she stood at five seven now. Next was Ron, he was still the same fun-loving, somewhat insensitive, guy I had met in first year with his freckles, long nose, blue eyes, and flaming hair. He had become quite gangly and now stood at six foot three. Ginny looked much like her brother in that she was tall with flame red hair and freckles but she had a slightly shorter nose, brown eyes, and was five nine, certainly not the timid first year I knew that had gone through an ordeal involving being possessed by a sixteen-year-old memory of Tom Morvolo Riddle AKA Lord Voldemort.

"Jazz, is that you?" Ron asked. "Bloody hell you look different!"

"Yeah! Here I'm known as Isabela Swan!" I said.

"Haha...Isabela...haha...I never thought I'd see the day when you took on a name like that!" Ron guffawed.

"Shut up, Whiskers!" I said. "Plus, I go by Bella. I've already met a coven of vegetarian vamps, pranked a guy who I thought was a Muggle and found out was a squib, and got my tires slashed and my bike helmet filled with pudding by the same guy! I'm still Marauder through and through and a klutz through and through, I've already fractured and healed my ankle! I'll be taking my NEWT's starting after school today at the American Ministry."

"That's great! I'm on break from taking mine!" Hermione said.

"Of course _you'd_ be excited about NEWT's!" Ron said. Hermione blushed.

"Oh gag! You're getting so mushy I'm expecting you two to kiss your watches at any moment!" Ginny said, wrinkling her nose.

"Shut up!" Ron said, blushing.

"Honestly, Gin!" Hermione said.

"Oy, what time is it?" I asked.

"It's 3:57 over here!" Ron said. "You done with school?"

"nope, I've got to get to class, it's almost eight here, bye!" I said before tapping my wand to the watch, ending communication. I flung my bag over my shoulder and got out into the pelting rain. I hurried into the building and ran streight to English, sitting down in the first seat I came too. The class went well and soon enough it was time for trig. I finished the trig work that was assigned half way through class and turned it into the teacher who quickly looked over it.

"I must say, Miss Swan, that I am very impressed!" said the stern, sharp-looking teacher that reminded me of Professor McGonagall.

"Thanks!" I said shily. "I took ar''I mean maths like this in England. There we learned to do math different ways, even how to do it in the old letters, we had an ancient runes class." I said.

"Ah, a witch I see!" the old woman whispered. "My daughter is Muggle-born, are you, dear?" she asked.

"No, halfblood!" I whispered back.

"Well I'll have to get some things from Salem to give you, keep you up to par!" she said. I grinned and left the classroom. Spanish went just as well but I think that particular teacher was irked that I already seemed quite fluent, which I was. I smiled as I left the class. I went to lunch, sat down at the table, and got out my lunch with some Berty Bots' Every Flavored Beans.

"Anyone want some beans?" I asked. The girls all shyed away but the guys grinned. I gave Eric a buttery yellow one, Tyler a little blue one, and Mike a current black one which I could tell was pepper. I ate my own and smiled. "Mmmm, cherry, C'mon, boys, eat up!"

"Wow, this tastes like buttered toast!" Eric said. "Your British candy sure is weird!"

"Yeah, mine tastes like water!" Tyler said. Mike shoved his into his mouth, chewed, and spit it out right away.

"Pleck, it tastes like black pepper!" Mike said.

"Whaddaya expect? They _mean_ every flaver!" I said with a grin. Mike glared at me across the table knowing what I was and what I could do.

"Think you're something special?" Lorin said snidely. She was really starting to remind me more of Draco Malfoy then of Lavender or Parvati.

"No, I'm just not dumbing myself down to please stuck-up American idiots like you! I'm not saying _all_ you yanks are idiots but you sure act like one! "Ooh look at me, I'm Lorin the blondd bimbo and I'm _so_ _special!_ I just think every guy has to fall over me for my gorgeousness and the only guy who doesn't just happens to be as hot as a total _god"!_ How stupid!" I said, mocking Lorin in the best immitation of Lorin's voice without giving away my abilities. Everyone at the table, even Mike, laughed while Lorin got all red. I could swear I also heard the vampires laughing. However, when I looked over, their was no Edward...I felt a pang at my heart...I couldn't be in love with a vampire...I just couldn't!

I rushed off to Biology praying that he was their but he wasn't. The class went alright and it was soon time for choir. I would have government after this and choir would meet after school.

"Today we'll talk about individual songs that everyone will do. Their will be a talent show for everyone and you're all required to enter! I'd like to here some of your ideas!" Miss Shriever said.

"I think I wanna do "The Keeper Of The stars!"." Alice chirped.

"Halo!" Lorin said from the group.

"I don't know yet but it's going to be great!" Rosalie said.

"American Idiot for sure, I was enspired!" I said with a grin, Lorin glared.

"An interesting choice!" Miss Shriever said thoughtfully. Choir went much like that and it was soon time for gym.

In Gym we played basketball, something I hadn't done since fifth grade! I was much more graceful in sports and I wasn't going to pretend otherwise.

"Okay, captains are Mike and Lorin!" the coach boomed out. _ great, just great!_ I thought as I lined up with the other students.

"Jessica!" Lorin said.

"Tyler!" Mike continued.

"Mel!" Lorin said, pointing at some skate punk guy she must have thought hot, _bleck!_

"Lydia!" Mike said, pointing at a tall girl with red hair, she almost looked like a distant relative of the Weasleys with her lanky body, freckles, and flame red hair but I was sure she wasn't. They eventually got down to the bottom of the list, Angela having been picked for Mike's team.

"Yorkie!" Lorin said grudgingly.

"All right, Swan!" Mike said. I stepped up. "Don't use any funny things!" he warned.

"Newton, I never cheat in sports!" I said. These damned muggles were really annoying me! I'd just finished a war a few weeks ago and all they cared about was whether or not I would cheat, but of course Newton didn't know I was Jasmine Potter now did he? I wasn't intent on telling him or anyone except for those in the Ministry either!

Basketball went really well and Newton's team would've lost had it not been for me! As we were all filing out the coach stopped me.

"Did you play Quiddich?" he asked.

"Huh?" I asked, startled.

"Your math teacher is my wife! You must have gone to Hogwarts. Emmalyn wanted to go their but we refused, she's home right now because of the war, she'll be going back next year as a seventh year Songdove." he said. "You ought to try out for Varsity basketball or even volleyball, you'd be good!"

"Thanks, Mr. Williams!" I said with a smile as I jogged out of the school. I got into my car and sped home in the lightening rain.

"Hey, Jazzy!" Sirius said as I came through the door.

"Hey! I've got NEWT's soon so I'll have to go!" I said. "You'll have to order pizza with the telephone or floo over to Canterberry Lane or Diagon Alley for food, I won't be back for a while, maybe not until eight or nine!" I said.

"All right!" Sirius said. I smiled and took a handful of greenish powder from the pot in the mantal, throwing it into the fireplace.

"American Ministry of Magic, Atrium!" I said as I stepped into the fireplace. I went spinning madly through the fireplace grates of the area and wound up bumping into someone at my stop, both of us falling in a heap. I was so surprised my hair turned into the colors of the rainbow as well as my eyes.

"Ouch!" we both said at the same time, brushing ourselves off. I stood up and morphed back to normal, it wouldn't do to be disguised here. The girl was just about my height. She had curley medium brown hair going down to the middle of her back while my red hair went nearly to my waste. Also, her eyes were hazel like mine but a bit darker. Her skin was a little pale but flawless except...it was their that I saw her flame scar dead center on her forhead. She was wearing simple Muggle clothes, a light blue sweater with jeans and sneakers. With a flick of my wand, the letter on my sweater went back to J. I was almost sure she was Natalia Hawthorn.

"Hello!" she said in her distinctly American voice.

"Hey! I'm Jasmine Potter but you can call me Jazzy or Jazz!" I said.

"Wow, I'm Natalia Hawthorn, you can call me Tally or Nat though!" she said with a smile, extending her hand. I shook it lightly and let go.

"You were in my history class!" we both burst out before laughing.

"So the war's over for you too?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm here with my godfather Sirius Black under a disguise to keep away from Voldemort's remaining Death Eaters!" I said.

"Yeah, I can't bear to leave America and my friends! My godmother, Sierra Knight, is still at Malgum's, got hit by some bad cutting hexes in the final battle but it's okay! My fiance's older sister, Priscilla, died to save her younger sister Bria!" Natalia said.

"Yeah, my best friend's older brother Percy did the same for Fred, one in a set of trouble-making twins!"

"Same with Bria! My cousin Ren's going into training to be an unspeakable and she rather likes some guy who was a Lionheart, Milo Camdon I think!"

"Wish my cousin was that nice! All he ever was was someone to beat me up when I was a kid! Ren sounds great! You in training to be an auror?"

"Yeah but I'm starting my ELF's today, that stands for Extremely Long Finals!" Natalia said.

"Really! I'm taking my NEWT's, that means Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests!" I said. "How nice, the girls who lived getting aquainted!" said a man flashing a camera.

"Buzz off, Scooter, or I'll tell the whole world about your slug animagus form that just _happens_ to be _illegal!"_ Natalia said acidly.

"But it's just such a great story!" came the voice of a woman with overdone hair, red nails, and an acid green quill.

"How in hell'd you get here, Skeeter? Dating that American their for some juicy details? Now if you don't stop _I'll_ tell everyone about your _beetle_ animagus form which just happens to be _illegal!"_ I said venomously.

"But—com" the two started.

"Reid Scooter, why don't you make like a slug and _scoot!"_ Natalia said.

"And Rita Skeeter, make like a beetle and _skeet!"_ I said. The two did just that and ran over to a photo booth which immediately went upward.

"Sorry about them!" came the voice of a woman with rather pale skin, black curls, and ice blue eyes. I recognized her at once to be Queeny Silverstone. "I'll be taking you two to your tests! You'll be in the same room. Today it's going to be practical potions!" she said. Natalia groaned. "I believe that the NEWT's and ELF's are very similar except for the name!" she continued as she led us into a large room. "You will both be starting on some Felix Felecis!"

"I _hate_ potions!" Natalia muttered as she looked for some ingredients on the shelf.

"Shush, no talking!" said a stern-looking old witch at the front.

Going in my head by some of the discoveries I had made and written as The Valiant Flower, I started my potion. It was going very well and I hardly even noticed how long I was taking. My potion was already at a good five-hour stage and needed to simmer for another two.

"It's 10:00, time's upp!" said the witch. "Cork a vial of what you have and bring it up front. I corked my lemonade-colored potion in a small bottle and gave it to her while poor Natalia's potion resembled green jell-o. I went out of the room and to the atrium.

"Swan Hideaway!" I said as I threw some powder into the fireplace. With a sickening wirl I landed back in my own living room.

"It's late, Cub, where were you?" Sirius asked.

"Making Felix Felecis!" I said. I'm beat, got any leftovers?"

"Yeah, their's some pizza in the...what do you call it...the microwave!" I smiled at my godfather and put the microwave on 30 seconds.

Chapter Four: Edward, the full moon, and the Accident

I went to bed soon after, dreaming about my Edward...wait, _my_ _EDWARD?_ What was I thinking...I couldn't be in love with a vampire...I just couldn't!

The next week and a half went much the same, I finished my NEWT's, Natalia finished her ELF's, and we became good friends. I bought her and her friends the communication watches and linked them all to the other ones I had bought and gave them to her as a the test is over gift. I didn't see Edward at all but I kept praying I would and kept dreaming about him! The longer I didn't see him the more I felt I needed him. I eventually talked to Sirius about it.

"From what you're saying, you're totally feeling attracted to him, James felt the same about Lily. It's almost like the Potter curse, you find out you like someone but you think they don't like you back, that their's a spacific reason that they don't. This must apply even more so because he's a vampire!"

"So you haven't got a problem with what he is?" I asked.

"That would be like saying I disliked you, Remus, or little Teddy because you're all werewolfs!" Sirius said. Speaking of that, the full moon's next tuesday!"

"Yeah, I'm taking my potion and I've got my room set up in my trunk!" I said.

"Good!" Sirius said.

I woke up Monday to a cloudy day but it wasn't raining. I had had my first auror training session last weekend and had not met with that Jacob kid because he wound up being busy. The aurors training Tally and me had said it was a good idea to do some running so I had decided I would run to school that day.

I put on a cute sweat outfit, matching shoes, and did my disguise before running out of the house, bag slung over my shoulder. I was feeling peaky with the approach of the full moon, even in this form, but that couldn't be helped. I put my ear buds to my magically enhanced I-Pod and kept running. The run wasn't super long and my out-of-practice Quiddich muscles thanked me for it. I eventually reached the school, bopping along to some upbeat music by the Weird Sisters. I jogged in right to English and sat down.

The rest of the morning went without incident, Mrs. Williams handing me some arithmacy stuff to work on which she was doing every Monday and Friday. I soon was leaving Spanish and going to lunch.

As I was eating I looked over yet again to the Cullens' table and their, low and behold, was Edward. I smiled broadly at him. To my surprise he returned it. I hurried through lunch and went out to the hallway. I excicuted my Monday prank, putting dye over the boys' bathrooms that got just the boys' hair and turned it pink.

When I went into Biology fifteen minutes later, I was surprised to see just how many pink heads their were. To my surprise, so was the balding hair of Mr. Banner and the tousled hair of Edward. I couldn't help but snigger as I sat down.

"Are you all feeling okay, you look a little...flushed!" I said out loud.

"Swaaannnnn!" Mike bellowed, pulling at his pink spikes.

"What? I was just wondering if you were OK!" I said, giving the guys my innocent look.

"Miss Swan! You've been doing these pranks every Monday to my knowledge! You have detention this afternoon!" Mr. Banner said.

"Well I was wondering when you'd catch on!" I muttered as Edward laughed beside me, pulling his hands through his newly pink hair. I took on some more vampire-like characteristics as we went through the slides Mr. Banner gave us.

"That really was a great prank, Emmett would love it! Come to think of it, I think I saw the others, even Alice and Rose, with pink hair. They must have tried going into the boys' bathroom to do something with their boyfriends!" he said.

"Yes, well, I must say pink looks good on you, not as good as bronze, though!" I said.

"Thanks, Bella! You know...you've got a really cute accent!" he said. I could feel him tickling at my mind again and I had had about enough.

"Could you please stop that, Edward?" I asked, internally shoving him out and making him wince.

"Stop what, Bella?" he asked innocently.

"_Stop trying to read my mind you idiot!"_ I yelled in my head, snapping back my occlamency shields to do it. Edward winced, his butterscotch eyes showing a brief flicker of physical pain.

"Sa-sorry! How'd you know?" Edward said.

"I just felt tickling and thought it was you!" I lied smoothly. If their was one thing being in a war, almost being a Slytherin, and being a major prankster did to me it was give me the ability to lie smoothly. I didn't like to full-out lie but I had too.

"Ah, Mr. Cullen, You should let Miss Swan do the work!" Mr. Banner said.

"She defined most of them, sir!" Edward said.

"Were you in any honors classes in England?" Mr. Banner asked me.

"Yes sir!" I said, he smiled.

The rest of the day went very well, me going home as soon as possible after my tetention because I really wasn't feeling well. The next day was going to be _just_ _great!_

All Tuesday at school I felt like total shit and was feeling chilly and sweaty at the same time, that's what happens the day of the full moon.

"Go on into your room, Cub. I'll be their soon!" Sirius said when I stumbled in the door.

"Tha-thanks, uncle Padfoot!" I stuttered, making my way shakily upstairs. I went into my trunk and stripped down, putting all my clothes and my wand on a couch before drinking one last vial of potion and going into my empty room.

After about an hour the same hotness and tremmers racked my body as always and I felt myself transform with some burning pain but not as much as usual thanks to my potion. Sirius popped in a minute later. I had the slight nagging to bite him, rip him limb-from-limb, but then he changed into Padfoot and we hoarsed around all night. I eventually grew tired around 3:00 and fell asleep curled around Padfoot.

The next morning I woke up feeling, like I did even with the potion, like I had gotten hit by a semi. I slowly got up off the ground, got into my Bella disguise, and took a hot shower to relax my aching body and the slightly raw skin I couldn't quite get rid of. I dressed in a pair of cords, a blue shirt, boots, gloves, a scarf, a hat, my black coat, and my glasses as usual before going outside to find an icey wonderland outside, more like icey _deathtrap!_ I got in my car, feeling it the better option, and hesitantly pulled out of the driveway. It handled the roads surprisingly well and I arrived at school not feeling much better. I got out just to see why the car was handling ice so well. Sirius had clearly taken the time to put chains on my tires the Muggle way before he went to work, I was touched. Before I could even think about it their was a car sliding across the icey parking lot right towards me. I saw Edward watching, horror struck. All of the sudden two cold arms were pushing me out of the way, my head hitting the pavement with a _crack,_ like I didn't feel sore enough already! Edward's shoulder pressed in hard to a car next to my camaro whose back end was basically squashed by Tyler Crowly's _stupid_ van. Several people were whipping out their phones and dialing 911.

"Are you all right, Bella?" Edward Asked. "You hit your head really hard!"

"God you went fast!" I said.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I was right by you!" Edward said.

"_Cut the crap!"_ I thought, pulling back my shield for just a moment.

An ambulance arrived along with a few police cars, Sirius in the front car not too much later. The people in the ambulance got Tyler out of his car and onto a stretcher. Edward refused his but insisted I take one.

"You'd better take it, Bella, you hit your head quite hard!" Edward said.

"No, I don't need it!" I insisted. It was then that Sirius rushed forward in his Charlie glamour.

"Bells, are you all right?" he asked, dang he was good at not saying my real name. I even liked the nickname Bells, nice!"

"I'm fine...Dad!" I said. "I don't need to be taken anywhere, just drive me home!"

"Can't, Bells! I know you want to be a doctor but really, this is serious!" he said as he gave me a meaningful look. I sighed resignedly and let Edward lead me over to a stretcher which was soon loaded into the ambulance. I checked to see that my wand was in tact, it was and I was greatful. The drive to Fork's tiny hospital didn't take long and I was led into the emurgency room which was smaller then Hogwarts' hospital wing. I was laid on a bed next to a very battered tyler, poor guy!

"Bella, I am really _really_ sorry!" he said.

"It's okay!" I said.

"Are you sure because I'm really sorry!" Tyler continued.

"Yeah, I'm sure!" I responded.

"Are you _really_ sure because I'm really _really_ _REALLY_ sorry!" Tyler continued.

"Tyler!" I snapped. "If you don't shut up I'll make you!" Tyler shut up, leaving me in silence.

Not much later an inhumanly beautiful man with topaz eyes and blonde hair came in, I knew him to be Dr. Cullen at once.

"Ah, Miss Swan! Let's take a quick look at your head!" Carlisle said, he had a slight British accent. He examined it quickly and stood back up. "It probably will be tender, you should stay home from school the rest of the day because you might have a concussion."

"Oh c'mon, Dr. Cullen!" I said. "I'm fine, I heal fast!"

"So my children have told me when you took that spill down the steps your first day!" he laughed. The only thoughts going through my mind were, "_Uh-oh, uh-oh uh-oh uh-oh, I'm screwed I'm screwed I'm scre-e-ewed! What am I gonna do?"_ My face drained of color at that moment.

"Yes, well you look like you're good to go, you may leave now! I smiled and got out of bed and went into the hallway.

"Hey, Edward, I wanna talk to you!" I said to Edward as I neared him in the hallway.

"What?" he asked.

"Gosh, don't bite my head off with those chompers of yours, Ed, I just wanted to say thanks! We both have secrets but I'm grateful that you risked yours to save me!"

"What? What secret?" he asked.

"I'll tell you what I know about you when you're able to tell me what you can discover about me, see ya!" with that, I walked out into the waiting room to meet Sirius.

"Hey, Dad, can you drive me home?" I asked.

"Sure thing, Bells!" Sirius said. We got in his cruiser and he pulled out of the parking lot a minute later.

"I would've let you heal yourself at home but that would've looked a bit fishy!" he explained.

"I understand, Uncle Padfoot. Plus, Madam Pomfrey would be yelling at me to get right in bed if that happened at Hogwarts!" I said. "But what about my car, that was such a nice car!" I whined.

"I'll spell it good as new tonight, cub!" Sirius said as we pulled into the driveway. As soon as I got out I went upstairs for a well-deserved nap.

Chapter Five: LaPush

The rest of the day was spent in slumber where I kept dreaming about that damned vampire! What was it about him I liked so much? That night Sirius came upstairs, gave me some chicken soup (out of a can), and gave me a headache potion.

The next day I woke up to more cloudy dreariness, their had hardly been any sun in the last two-and-a-bit weeks. I got out of bed, showered, disguised myself, and put on my Gryffindor hoody that was red with gold trim, gold ties for the hood, and read Gryffindor over a big golden lion. I then slipped on a pair of black cords, boots, my matching Gryffindor scarf, gloves, and hat. I had a feeling that it was going to bee cold and that it was going to snow. I ran downstairs, had some cereal, and grabbed up my black winter jacket. When I came outside, I saw that my camaro was good as new. I got in to see a note from Sirius.

Jazz,

I forgot to do some enchantments on your car anyway. It should be as big as a van on the inside now unless you don't want people to notice it's size. Just press the silver button with a chair on it to shrink or re-expand the inside of your car.

Enjoy,

Sirius

I ssmiled at my godfather's antics and keyed up the engine. Not really wanting to drive conventionally today, I pushed the invisability button. I then got out to see that my car was, indeed, invisible. After that, I got back in and pressed the flight button. The car began to hover off the ground and was soon higher then the treetops. I steered it towards my school, getting a view of Forks from above. I smiled manically and pressed down on the accelerator, it was clear Sirius had charmed that to go faster then normal too. I wound up overshooting Forks High and had to turn back around, drop down onto a store parking lot nearby, and drove the rest of the way to school.

The rest of the morning went quite well and it was soon time for lunch. As I was exiting the building I was in, I had noticed I was right, it had snowed. Several students, including Mike, were throwing snowballs around. I took a snowball and cast a quick red-nose jinx which I had made up and tossed it at Newton. It hit him squarely in his face making his nose a bright red. Everyone threw snowballs and laughed all the way to lunch.

I sat down at my usual table and pulled out my lunch.

"Hey, some of us are going to LaPush to hang out at First Beach this weekend!" Newton said. "You wanna come, Bella?"

"Sure, I'll tag along. We can use my car as transportation, it's bigger then it looks!" I said. Newton gave me a meaningful frown. "You don't even know what car I'm talking about, Newton." The rest of lunch passed in relative silence and I was soon leaving lunch. I saw Edward in the hall standing against the wall.

"Hey!" he said.

"Hi!" I responded.

"You know, Bella, it's a good day to skip biology class!" he said with a crooked smile...how I loved that crooked smile at once!

"Re-really?" I asked. "You a seer or something?"

"You mean psychic? I'm not but Alice is. It's clear you know our secret but I don't know yours. I think that this class might tempt a part of you and bring back bad memories!" It was then that I went into a vision.

"Today you'll be testing to see what your blood type is!" Mr. Banner said. The little monster inside me was raging at the thought of tasting blood and flesh but it was overpowered by my strong sense of panic, blood...the war...friends dying...little Collin Creevy...noooooooo! Before I could stop myself I was crying out in anguish, in stress, in sorrow...then I came back to the present, tears leaking down my face.

"I'll thank you and your little pixie to keep your noses out of things!" I spat, running down the hallway.

I arrived in biology just in time and sat down at my table. _ Their's still a possibility that Mr. Banner won't do the blood typing._ I told myself. Once Everyone was in, Mr. Banner started to speak.

"Today you'll be seeing what blood type you all are!" he said. He then started to pass around little strips and poking needles. As people started to poke themselves the little wolf inside me raised it's head in interest but it was overwelmed by my grief, it had bearly been a month. Little Collin Creevy, Daphne Greengrass, one of the only good Slytherins jumping in front of her little sister to take the killing curse from her own father, Percy, Ginny having been hit hard with a cutting hex, all of the blood of the unsung heros that I didn't quite know, so many of them dead! I took Edward's warning to heart and grabbed up my bags, trying my hardest to keep my disguise in place.

"I've got to get out of here!" I said loudly before running from the room. I ran through the hall of that building, outside, and into Edward's waiting arms.

"What did I tell you?" he asked.

"Sa-sorry!" I sniffled. "It's just that not too long ago some of my friends were...were murdered. I was their and it's really hard to see blood now."

"Oh!" He said. He led me to his silver volvo and put me in the passenger seat. He ran out again and came back a few minutes later. "Mrs. Cope says I can take you home and we're both excused for the rest of the day!"

"Okay!" I said. Edward drove me quickly home and I thanked him for the ride.

"I'll pick up your car later!" he said before he left. I sighed and went upstairs. Friday was relatively uneventful and it was soon Saturday. I had asked the ministry if I could cut class for a little enjoyment and they owled back saying it was all right and perhaps I could take afternoon classes instead on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

I woke up to see that it was actually a beautiful, sunny day. Deciding to dress light, I put on a black denim skirt that went to just above my knees and a green top with black shoes. When I disguised myself, I put my brown hair into a high ponytail, put my glasses on, and ran downstairs.

"Hey, Uncle Padfoot!" I said cheerily.

"Hey, Prongslet!" he responded.

"I'm going to First Beach today with some kids from school!"

"All right, you have fun!" he said. "I put an enchantment on your car this morning so it can take different shapes. Just take this remote, it has the expansion button, the shape-changing button, locks, car alarm, and invisability shield! To change the appearance, just hold the button and think on what you want it to look like, then let go." he said, tossing me a red remote with gold buttons, typical Sirius. For the fun of it I transformed it into green and silver before turning it back to normal and running out the door, my black jacket zipped halfway up. I held the button and thought about it for a second. I eventually settled on having it look like a sporty SUV that was light blue. For the fun of it, I put Bella's Shuttle Service on both of the front doors in metallic silver with stars encircling the words. I smiled and got into the same creamy seat as before, it was just a little higher off the ground. It was perfect, their were still two rows of seats behind me. I keyed up the engine and drove swiftly out of the driveway and over to Newton's store where he said we'd all meet. As I drove through town, people were gaping at my van.

"Hi!" I said with a smile as I got out. "What'd I tell you, Newton?"

"You used magic, didn't you?" he hissed from his place by two adults.

"Ah, you must be Isabela, Mike's said a lot about you!" said a kind-looking woman stepping forward. I steppped forward to meet her and Mike's dad.

"I like to go by Bella but thanks!" I said.

"It sounds like you're quite the little witch, did you go to Hogwarts? I would guess their because of your accent! Also, what about your father? Is he a wizard?"

"Yeah!" I said. It was then that everyone else arrived.

"Bella's Shuttle Service?" Lorin scoffed.

"It was a joke, miss high-and-mighty!" I snapped. everyone soon got into the comfortable van, Mike, Tyler, and Eric in the back row and Jessica and Lorin in the front, I let Angie sit next to me, we had become quite good friends.

The drive to LaPush wasn't long and we were soon pulling up at the edge of the beach. We all got out and Mike led us over to a group of kids who were hanging around.

"Hello, I'm Sam Yuley!" said the oldest one who was quite tall. Everyone introduced themselves and I soon saw that Jacob kid in the crowd.

"Hey, Jacob!" I exclaimed, getting closer.

"Oh! Who are you?" he asked.

"Oh...right...come with me!" I said. He led me down the beach and we eventually stopped at a mangled piece of driftwood that looked like it would be a good bench.

"So who are you?" he asked.

"I'm the girl who made that landing on your lawn a few weeks ago!" I said, dropping my morph.

"Whoa! How'd you do that?" he asked.

"First off, as your dad might have told you, I'm a witch. The ability to change the appearance of oneself without a wand is called being a metamorphmagus. I can also change my voice, people who can do that are called verbamorphmagi. For example, "whoa, how'd you do that?" is a perfect immitation of you. Your dad might have told you about Jasmine Potter, the girl who lived who defeated the dark lord Voldemort just last Christmas Eve!"

"Yeah, he did." Jacob said. I shook back my bangs and grinned.

"That would be me!"

"Really? Seriously? You've fought a dark wizard _five_ _times?"_ he asked incredulously.

"Actually, if you include when he killed my parents, _six_ times. First year he was possessing my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and attempting to get the Philosopher's Stone which was hidden in the school, I saved that. Second year he released a basilisk who slithered through the pipes petrifying Muggle-borns like my friend Hermione Granger, he turned out to be possessing my friend Ginny Weasley, a first year at the time, through his old diary which turned out to have a piece of his soul in it. I went to save Ginny from the chamber of secrets, Albus Dumbledore's phoenix came with the sorting hat, I pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of the hat after Fawks blinded the basilisk. The basilisk bit me and I killed it with the sword. I pulled the fang out and Fawks, the phoenix, healed me before I could die. I stabbed the diary with the fang freeing Ginny and inadvertently destroying the horcrux. In third year I found out about Sirius Black, the man accused of selling my parents out to Voldemort. I found out he was innocent and when I went to save him from being caught I accidentally got caught by his and my dad's best friend, that year's DATDA professor, Remus Lupin. It was a full moon and he's a werewolf, see. That means I'm one too." I lifted up my right leg and then my left showing Jacob the scars. "Poor guy kept calling himself a monster and quit his job, he wouldn't even talk to me for more then a year. I just have a furry little problem, that's all! Fourth year I was entered into the triwizard tournament by a Death Eater disguised as our headmaster's friend who was also teaching DATDA. I saw Voldemort return and a classmate die. People weren't even supposed to be in the tournament under the age of seventeen but I could've lost my magic if I hadn't done the tournament. Fifth year I had a mind link with Voldemort and could see what he was planning without him knowing, we had this toad-like bitch of a DATDA professor who claimed I was lying when I said Voldemort was back, the whole school thought I was loony too. He lured me to the ministry saying that Sirius was in trouble and in danger when he wasn't and his cousin almost killed him by knocking him into this veil thing but I knocked Sirius out of the way in time. Summer after fifth year Sirius was tried and cleared of all charges. In sixth year Dumbledore gave me lessons on Voldemort's past and I eventually learned about hhorcruxes. He took me to get one and he had to drink this potion that made him weak. Severus Snape killed him that night but I found out later that it was ondumbledore's orders. After the funeral, I went searching for horcruxes with Ron and Hermione. The final battle happened on Christmas eve. A lot of people on both sides died, little Collen Creevy who always loved to get pictures of me, Daphne Greengrass who took the killing curse from her own father who had aimed it at her little sister, Percy Weasley jumped in front of one of his five brothers when a wall collapsed due to a Death Eater's spell. I'm still getting over it all...I had to skip bio the other day because I had a vision where everyone was drawing blood to find out their blood types...their was so much blood, Jacob. Plus, the little wolf in me would've wanted to come out. When I'm in my wolf form and not on my potion, I'm more hungry, almost, for flesh and blood then a vampire."

"Wow, your life has been _hard!"_ Jacob said. "Their's old legends about shapeshifter wolves of the pack that come out when cold ones are around. Watch out for those Cullens, Jasmine."

"You mean the vampires? I've got nothing to fear. Plus, I can become just as cold as them." I said as I took on a vampire morph in my same body..

"You...you violated the treaty...get out of here!" he said. "Just go, blood sucker!"

"Blood sucker, that's harsh." I said, going back to normal. "I've never tasted blood a day in my life other then my own. Did I mention I lived with an abusive aunt, uncle, and cousin until I was fifteen? Yeah. Don't get all snippy at me about some treaty, Jacob, a treaty I know nothing about. Plus, I told you that I'm a metamorphmagus. With my high level, I can turn into any human, animal, or magical being."

"I don't care! Their's something funny about you...I know it!" Jacob said.

"Oh just shut up, squib. You don't know squat about the magical world, only your stupid tribe's _stupid_ legends. Hell, you aren't even full Quilute, you haven't hardly known about my world for two weeks. Oh, and by the way, if you tell anyone other then your family that I'm Jasmine Potter then _I_ _WILL_ _HEX_ _YOU!_ I can do that because you're a squib, not a Muggle. Their's nothing wrong with being a squib but I must say you're the most clueless one I've met!" With that, I went back into my Bella disguise and stomped away back to the group.

The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful And everyone eventually got into the van and I drove them back to the Newtons' store before driving home and converting the car back to normal.

"How'd it go, Cub?" Sirius asked.

"That Jake kid isn't very accepting of magic. I told him about everything and he was all like "stay away from the Cullens, the _cold_ _ones._ When I took on a vampire morph he went mental on me and called me _bloodsucker,_ can you believe that, _BLOODSUCKER!"_ I ranted.

"I'm sorry, Cub. Hopefully he won't be like that in the future." Sirius said. "I'll talk to Billy about it." I smiled at that and went upstairs to relax.

Chapter Six: Damn Silver!

The next few days went by quite rapidly and it was soon Tuesday. I woke up to an owl pecking insistantly at my window. I opened it and let the little thing in. I then took the scroll of parchment and it flew off. I unroled it to read the following:

Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test Results

Pass Grades Fail Grades

Outstanding O Poor P

Exceeds Expectations E Dreadful D

Acceptable A Troll T

Jasmine Lily Potter has achieved:

Ancient Runes: O

Arithmency: E

Astronomy: O

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Charms: O

Defense Against The Dark Arts: O

Divination: O

Herbology: E

History of Magic: A

Muggle Studies: O

Potions: O

Transfiguration: O

I was so excited, I couldn't believe it. I threw on a silvery sweater, black jeans, boots, grabbed up my bag, and ran downstairs.

"Sirius, Sirius, look at this!" I exclaimed. Sirius whiped at his Charlie-eyes groggily and took the paper. His eyes bulged out and a smile lit up his face.

"Oh, that's fantastic! You've done such a good job, Flower!" he said happily. "This merrets a celebration!"

"No, I don't need a celebration. Plus, I have the feeling I'll be busy tonight!" I said. It was true. I could sense that some of my "friends" were planning something for tonight. "I'll see you later, Sirius!"

My morning classes at school went very well and it was soon time for lunch.

"Hey, Bella!" Jessica said. "Me, Lorin, and Angela are going to Port Angeles tonight for a girl's night out, do you want to come?"

"I'd love too. It's been awhile since I've done something like that!"

"Great! We can use my car!" Jessica said.

That afternoon at four o'clock Jessica, Lorin, and Angela picked me up and we drove into Port Angeles.

"We were planning on seeing a movie, does that sound good to you?" Angela asked.

"Fantastic! I heard Failure to Launch was pretty funny, let's see that one!" I said. Even Lorin nodded approvingly at my choice and we pulled up at a theater near downtown Port Angeles. We got out, went in, and payed for our tickets.

"I could go for a snack before the show, how 'bout you guys?" I asked.

"A coke sounds good!" Jessica said.

"I just want some watter!" Lorin told me.

"Two Milkey Way, a Three Musketeers, and a box of Milk Duds, please, and a large Mr. Pibb!" Angela said excitedly. Jessica, Lorin, and I stared incredulously at her. "What...I've got a sweet tooth!"

"All right, I'll see you guys in their!" I said.

"Wait, we didn't give you money!" Angela said as she turned back.

"None needed, I'm covered." I said.

"You sure, Swan, you never seemed like the type to have lots of money other then your car!" Lorin said. I didn't need to use legilimency on her to figure she thought that I had spent all my money on the car and that I was little more then middle-class. As if having twenty-five houses was middle-class.

"Yeah...well...I don't tell many people this but I'm kind of loaded. I'm related to some old families in England...none you'd know, though. See you guys!" I waved them off and went to the consession stand. The only thing I wanted for myself was some popcorn and a big cup of Mountain Dew. Once I got all the snacks I headed into the theater and joined the other three.

The movie was, as I had expected, quite funny. Jessica and Lorin wanted to check out some of the shops and Angela didn't mind.

"Hey, guys, I want to look around for some good book shops in this town, not much in Forks, you know!" I said. In truth I just wanted to know if their was a wizarding center in Port Angeles or would I have to go to the more well-known Canterberry Lane.

"all right! We plan on going to this little italian restaurant a few blocks from the theater, Fonderelli's. It's 5:00 now. How about we meet at seven?" Jessica asked.

"Sounds great, Jess!" I said with a smile. The three girls got into Jessica's car and they drove away. I decided to take out my I-Pod from my purse and put it on some fast-paced Muggle music. I headed towards the center of town sure that I would notice something out of the ordinary. I didn't even notice the shiny silver volvo that was following me the entire way.

As I continued my little jaunt I started to go into a run-down wearhousing district. I wasn't paying attention, though, I was too engrossed in my music. It was when I was getting to buildings with boarded-up and broken windows that I realized that I was lost and should try retracing my steps. As I was wandering through the streets I glanced at my watch to see it was already 6:15, crap. I looked around to see if I could see anything familiar when I noticed a group of drunken guys in their twenties following me. I pretended I didn't see them and kept on moving. After a few minutes a bold one shouted something out at me.

"Hey, perty thang, whatcha doin' out here? Come with me and you'll be nice and safe!" were his words.

"Hmmm, let me think...no." I said icily as I turned around to face them and put my hands on my hips. I couldn't help myself, I was a Gryffindor after all and had the nagging feeling they'd not leave me alone unless they found a more interesting...target.

"But why not?" another asked. "You're just so beautiful...you'll be fine with us!" I decided to keep mental tabs on them so could here him think ".Fine indeed, smoking...I think I'm gettin' hard...I don't care if I've got to force it out of _her!"_

"Right, and I'm the bloody queen of the frickin' universe!" I spat.

"Your accent, it's so...sexy!" the first said as he came forward to the encouraging whistling of his punk friends.

"Fuck you!" I said without thinking. "_Gladly!"_ the one said as another came up, pinning me to the wall.

"It would be my _pleasure!"_ he said. I promptly kicked him in the balls as I tried with all my might to keep my morph in place. His partner growled with anger as he shoved me forcefully against the wall. A third guy came up and drew a knife, putting it to my throat. The scent of silver rolled off of it in waves. I couldn't help but morph back into my normal state as it touched me, blistering my skin.

"Oh, we've got a strange one here, my friends. Do something with your face, freak, turn into the babe of my dreams!" the third with the knife said. How dare he call me "freak". Their was one other thought running through my head, damn silver!

"No!" I bit out.

"C'mon, freak, are you _scared?"_ the second jeared. It was then that I became enraged.

"Nobody...calls...me...a _FREAK!"_ I yelled, my hair growing even more fiery and my eyes blazing emerald. The thugs stepped back. I took a spinning kick at the one with the knife. He dropped to the concrete and dropped the knife. Before it hit the ground, however, it just had to land full on my hand, cutting and burning me in the process leaving a bleeding line running through a blister that was already reddening. That thought crossed me for the second time that night, damn silver. I then punched the second guy in the gut causing him to double over. I was so preoccupied with the second and third men I didn't notice the first come up and grab me from behind. Doing the first thing I thought of, I grabbed my wand not even thinking of the fact he was a Muggle, not even thinking of the fact that he was just a street thug who wanted a good shagging. I was back in the war and survival was all that mattered.

"Patrificus Totalus!" I yelled. The man went ridgid, shocked, and fell over. That brought me back to reality and I realized exactly what I had done, I had used magic on a Muggle, broken the International Statute of Secrecy. Ah well, I'd deal with it all later. "Incarcerus, stupify, wingardium leviosa!" The man was now bound and gagged. I used the levitating charm to put him by the wall of the very wearhouse I had been pinned too. I could still feel the pain of the burn from the silver but ignored it. I performed the same spells on the other two goons before piling them up. I then stuffed my wand back in it's holster and became normal, I felt better out-of-disguise at the moment. It was then that a shiny silver volvo came slowly out of the shadows with one bronze-haired vampire inside. As I looked at the car again the same thought as before came into my mind, damn silver!

Chapter Seven: Twenty Questions

Edward stopped the volvo and got out of the car. He came around and stepped onto the sidewalk beside me.

"You saw...all of that?" I asked. Edward nodded.

"Is this part of your mysterious secret?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah...it is, all of them. This is what I really look like, see. Not all of my kind can change appearance at will, I've just found one other. It's very good for disguises, though. Just wait a second, I've got some memory modifying to do!" I told him. The memories I gave the three thugs were of being beaten up by me except without the magic and I never had the brown hair and eyes. As soon as I had pulled myself out of their minds I turned to Edward.

"Shall we go, then?" I asked as I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, I suppose we should." he said. He got in the driver's seat of the volvo and I got in the passenger's seat. As he pulled out from the curb I saw he looked murderously pissed if the dark expression on his face, the way he gripped the steering wheel, and the nasty expletives going through his head in all the languages of the world was any indication. I had the feeling the same expression was on my face and _knew_ that the many thousands of curse words of the world were going through my head. Knowing that the cat was out of the bag, I dropped my occlamency shields. Edward looked shocked.

"I didn't know...," he bit out. "That a human girl could know even more curse words then me when she's not nearly my age."

"Oh yes, I'm the mouthiest person I know except maybe my godfather!" I said thinking of Sirius.

"Keep going, I need to get my mind off what they were thinking!" Edward said.

"Me too, I don't want to know how hard they are and in what way they want to shag and kill me!" I said.

"You act like it's not a big deal!" Edward said.

"It's nothing new, really, I've met worse creeps!" I said as I pulled up an immage of Uncle Vernon and then Lord Voldemort for him to see. He shuddered.

"Who are they?" he asked.

"I'll tell you later." I told him quietly.

"All right! You were supposed to meet with Jessica, Lorin, and Angela at Fonderelli's right, Bella?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, an hour ago!" I said as I looked at my watch. "And by the way, Edward, my name's not Bella orIsabela, my last name's not even Swan. I'll hint at what I am but I won't beat around the bush about my name and family. My name isn't Isabela Marie Swan, it's Jasmine Lily Potter, Jazz, Jazzy, whatever you want to call me. I even have friends that call me Silvermane. The guy you know as Charlie Swan is really Sirius Black, my godfather. He changes his looks another way then I do. As Bella Swan I say my parents, Charlie and Renee Swan, are divorced. Truthfully my parents were James and Lily Potter—com"

"Were?" Edward asked.

"Yes, Edward, I am an orphan. My parents died protecting me when I was a year old. I grew up with my mum's jealous older sister, wale of a husband, and pig of a son. Perhaps tomorrow we can ask more questions about each other and say what we are out loud. I'll call it twenty questions." It was then that we pulled up in front of a little Italian bestro. I grudgingly got back into my Isabela disguise and got out of the car.

"We were so worried!" Jessica said as she ran up to me and hugged me.

"A little thug trouble, that's all, Jess. I just happened to hitch a ride with Edward here." I said with a shrug.

"Really, what happened, are those burns?" Lorin asked. I cursed under my breath, even morphing couldn't conceal silver burns.

"A knife and a cigarette, don't worry. Anyway, I kicked their little asses!" I said as I flipped my now mahogany hair behind my ears.

"We're sorry but we already ate!" Angela told me.

"That's okay, I'm sure Dad has something I can eat at home! Perhaps I can just stay here and eat anyway!" I said.

"Yes, you ladies can go home. I'd be glad to have dinner with Bella and drive her home.

"All right, see you later, Bella!" Jessica said as they got into her car and drove away. Edward and I walked up to the restaurant and an overly-peppy waitress skipped over to us. Her mouth fell open in shock at the sight of Edward and his beauty and her mind said, "_Oh hot damn,_ what a catch. I hope he isn't with that Plain Jane _their!"._ I clenched and unclenched my fists trying to not morph into my angry state. It wasn't that she just had called me a "Plain Jane", I had been that up until about the end of fifth year. I felt somehow possessive of Edward, felt that nobody should be looking at him like that. Instead of showing my discomfort, however, I decided to laugh it off.

"Edward, you're dazzling her, we need a table, please, in _private?"_ I said with a shrug. Edward nodded.

"Ve-very well, fo-follow me!" she stammered. Ever since Quirell people who stuttered and stammered really bothered me, at least those who did it every few words. Edward and I followed the young waitress back to a private section and sat down at a table for two. "I'll be back soon to take your orders!" she said before scurrying off.

"Honestly, Ed, can't you, like, turn that alure of yours down?" I asked.

"No!" he said. "It gets really annoying, the staring and such." Edward confided.

"I know what you mean. I am strange even in my own world. Let's just get the formalities of what we are out of the way tonight, shall we?" I asked.

"All right, Be-Jazz. What do you think I am?" Edward asked in a low whisper.

"Vampire!" I whispered in vampire speed.

"How did you do that?" Edward whispered back in vampire speed.

"With my shifting I can become one of you or take on your characteristics. What do you think I am?"

"Please don't laugh!" Edward said. "But...I don't know...witch?" I smiled at him, deciding to become normal again with my red hair and hazel eyes.

"Bingo, partly anyway. I am technically human, or I was until I was thirteen. Most all witches and wizards are totally human. They just happen to have a magical core which Muggles, non-magic people, non-magic folk, are not born with. Anyway, I was human until I was thirteen. One of my dad and Sirius's best friends from school, Remus Lupin, accidentally bit me on a full moon night."

"So what does that make you?" Edward said. "I have heard of bitings on full moons but forget the creature."

"Werewolf. Not like the LaPush werewolves, they're shape-shifters. In the wizarding world we call animal shape-shifters animagi. I myself am an animagus, a doe. This means I can become a doe whenever I want. My type of werewolf is the child of the moon, the ones your Volturi dislike so much. They think we're extinct but most all werewolves these days are witches and wizards. I'm just glad I was bitten by accident at thirteen then purposefully at three like poor Remus. The man who bit him was named Fenrir Greyback, most feared of all werewolves. His specialty is children. He even started to bite people for the hell of it outside the full moon giving them wolvish characteristics cluding the liking of really rare meat. I have four best friends who are related, they're four out of seven kids. The oldest brother, Bill, was subject to this. On the full mood I'm as mad or madder then a newborn vampire. I don't just want blood but flesh and meat. Even when I see blood or an injured person it's hard to hold back. They say it's probably because the bites were so deep and their was so much contamination. Many people look down on werewolves as inferior half-breeds. The wizarding world went into uproar when they found their precious savior was _contaminated!"_ I spat this last part. "I can change my looks and even my voice because I am the highest level metamorphmagus, that's the ability to change your looks without a wand or a spell, and verbamorphmagus, the a person who can do this with their voice. I am so high up I can become anything I like, any animal, any species of animal or humanoid creature encluding elves, vampires, veela, fairies, goblins, you get the drift."

"Amazing! What do you mean by "savior", though?" Edward asked.

"I'll tell you later, I'm hungry after beating up three sickos!" I said with a grin.


	36. Isabelle PotterChapter 36

Isabelle Potter

An attempt to write a metamorphmagus female Harry, with Tonks being the same age, who is taken in by the Tonks family after they see Petunia mistreating her and recognize her. Oh, and shock shock, I think my attempt at one point was to make Lily actually the missing/kidnapped fourth Black sister or something…

Chapter One: The Metamorph's Flu

"Up, girl, get up!" ah, bliss! The first sound of the day made by Isabelle's _lovely_ aunt Petunia. The too-small-for-her-age child groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"What was that, brat?" Petunia demanded.

"Nothing, nothing." Isabelle muttered. She sighed and got off the moldy old crib mattress she could oh-so-proudly call her bed and looked through some of her elephant-skin clothing from her horrid older cousin, Dudley, who would be eight in May. She herself would be seven in July. As punishment for some of her "freakiness", the Dursleys had taken out all of her warm clothes a week ago and replaced them with her most ragged summer ones. Isabelle was feeling ill as it was, having some sort of bug for the last few days that the Dursleys had ignored, and was not looking forward to what would happen later today. Aunt Petunia had decided that it was high time to take their fat pig of a son shopping for some new toys (Just to appease him for the two weeks til Christmas) Isabelle had thought, and her batty, cat-loving baby-sitter was ill with the flu so "the freak" would have to go with them. She wasn't looking forward to it, not at all. The only toy she had was a little stuffed stag which was soft and white with hazel eyes that never got dirty or went missing that she had always called Prongs for some reason or another. Sometimes just to be a sadistic bastard her uncle, Vernon, would stick her in a room with Dudley's toys, acting all nice and such, and see if she'd play with them in the hours she was left with them. If a single _thing_ was misplaced, Isabelle realized, she would be severely punished. She fingered her right shoulder which was sure had been dislocated the last time she had been thrown in the cupboard, just yesterday, in fact. Their was barely a day when Isabelle _wasn't_ punished for something, most things being stupid like looking at the food on the table. She looked at herself in an old, cracked mirror her aunt had so _kindly_ taped to the wall above her mound of clothes. She shrugged at her appearance. She was about half the size of a normal six-year-old and about a third the weight, her ribs easily visible. Her legs were long on her body, her arms longish as well, and her hands long-fingered. Her face was round and kind-looking with high cheekbones, full, pink lips, an upturned nose, and all-around aristocratic features. Her eyes were large and almond-shaped and a striking, bright hazel that changed depending on her mood. They were a little darker near the pupil but lightened out just before they became a soft grey right around the outer rim of the irises. In the very center of her forehead was a lightning-bolt shaped scar that her aunt and uncle had said came from the car crash where her parents had died. Her hair was smooth, silky, and wavy going down to her waste. At the very end it curled prettily upwards a bit. It was so dark one would think it black until they looked closer. It was the darkest of chocolate brown, like dark chocolate, and had some lighter streaks of brown as well as streaks of a rich, dark red going through it. Isabelle sighed again and opened the door to the cupboard under the stairs which was her room.

"Make the breakfast and bring me my coffee, girl." her uncle barked by way of a morning greeting, pushing her to the stove. Isabelle, feeling quite stuffed up, nodded and put a frying pan on the bottom left burner, putting another on the bottom right. With the skill of a chef at least twice as old as she, Isabelle got out all of the proper ingredients and did what she needed to do. As everything was sizzling she made her uncle her coffee, strong, a dollop of cream, five packs of sugar, and gave it to him. He grunted and took a swig. Next she made her aunt her valerian root tea. The breakfast was soon done and she was serving it up.

"I want orange juice." Dudley demanded.

"Just a sec." Isabelle said with a sigh, not feeling in much of a patient mood herself.

"Don't sass him, you little burden." Petunia sniffed angrily. Isabelle sighed again, this must be a sighing record for her. What was this, her fourth time? She had the feeling that something bad yet good would happen today, she always got inklings for some reason. She served Dudley his large glass of juice and sat down in the chair in the corner where she had been forced every day for the last five-and-a-bit years of her life to watch the horse, whale, and pig stuff their maws with food that she herself had been cooking since she was two-and-a-half.

"Yuck, this juice is sour!" Dudley whined. "_No duh, moron, it's orange juice."_ Isabelle thought to herself. "I want apple juice." Isabelle scowled, something that always got her in trouble, and snatched his cup. Didn't this pig know what a waste this was? Isabelle might have drank it herself if they weren't scrutinizing her every move and if she weren't afraid to catch the stupid bug from her idiotic cousin. She poured the juice down the drain, rinsed the cup, and got out another one, filling it with apple juice. Just as she had finally sat back down, Dudley complained again.

"It's too sweet!" he whimpered. "I want grape juice." Isabelle ran through a slew of advanced words under her breath that meant mean things without actually cussing as she grabbed up his cup, poured it down the drain, rinsed it, got another cup, filled it with grape juice, and gave it to him. She sighed in relief as she sat down again. After a few gulps Dudley grimaced.

"It tastes weird, give me something else!" he demanded.

"Why don't I give you a graveyard? God knows you belong in one anyway." Isabelle thundered angrily as she stood up and yanked the third cup of juice from her cousin's slack fist. Just as she was about to enter the kitchen again a beefy hand met the side of her face.

"No, _you_ belong in a graveyard. how dare you talk to our son like that you horrible little abomination!" he roared in fury. Probably Isabelle's biggest fear was her relatives, not that she let them know that.

"So-sorry, un-uncle." she stammered, stifling a sob before dodging away from his flying fist and into the kitchen to get Dudley what she had promised. She dealt with the cup of grape juice and mixed orange, apple, grape, and cranberry juice in one cup making a strange concoction she had only heard about on the telly when she was cleaning and Dudley was watching it. With yet another sigh she gave her nastily grinning cousin his drink and sat down.

A half an hour later found everyone outside, getting into the car. Just as Isabelle was about to get in her uncle lifted her up by her shirt collar more then a foot in the air over the yard which was a foot and a half deep with snow.

"I'm warning you right now, you nasty little ingrate. Any funny business, any at all, and you'll wish you'd never been born." he growled as he dropped her into the snow, getting into the car himself.

"Don't just sit their, girl, get in the car." Petunia snapped. Isabelle sighed dejectedly and did as she was told, shivering and cold. She let out a little sneeze and she was sure for a minute that her bangs had turned red.

"What was that?" her uncle demanded as they left the house.

"I dunno." Isabelle said smartly.

The rest of the drive to London went by without a hitch and they finally arrived at the toy store Dudley had wanted to go too and parked the car. Everybody got out and headed in, the small hazel-eyed child following sedately behind her relatives. She was forced to follow her relatives through the store and see Dudley eye every toy greedily while she just looked wistfully around. She was a freak, they said, freaks got no toys, and yet she wished she had one. The only toy she had was Prongs.

"Mum, Dad, I want _this_ toy!" Dudley demanded as he pointed at a large remote control car.

"Of course, Dinky Duddidims, my little sweetums, Mummy will buy you whatever you want." Petunia crooned.

"Do you think Father Christmas might give me a toy?" she asked shyly. This had been sort of a ritual ever since she could remember, she knew the answer.

"Why would he give you anything, you little _freak?"_ Uncle Vernon sneered as he knocked her to the ground with the bottom of his shoes. The spunky yet oppressed chocolate-haired, hazel-eyed child jumped up.

"Hey, I've been good. Look, I'm sorry about the juice thing but I've been good!" she said again before her aunt slapped her across the face.

"You'll be lucky to get a pair of socks this year you horrible little thing!" she hissed as tears shamelessly spilled out of the little girl's eyes. "And stop whining you useless little wretch!" But this little child had had enough.

"Noooo, you aren't my mummy, you don't tell me what I'm to do any more, _YOU_ _ARE_ _NOT_ _MY_ _MUMMY!"_ she yelled. "I wish that they weren't drunks that died in a car crash but I'd have listened better to them then you because I know that they loved me even if I am, as you so _kindly_ put it every day, a freak of nature. If I'm a _freak_ of _nature_ then were my parents freaks too? Are you afraid of something you don't understand?"

"You will _not_ talk to your ant like that you disgusting little _thing!"_ her uncle roared as his hard fist made contact with her gut.

"Owwwwww!" the little girl cried out.

"You will _never_ talk to us like that again!" he hissed.

"Ye-yes, Uncle Vernon...achoo, achoo, achooo, achooo, achooo!" with all of these sneezes the little girl's hair and eyes began to change different colors.

"What is this freakishness?" her aunt demanded. "Change it back, _CHANGE_ _IT_ _BACK!"_

"I...I can't!" the little girl howled in pain as her uncle twisted her arm. "Achoo, achoo, achoooooooooo!" now her hair and eyes were cycling madly through all of these different colors as her uncle twisted her arm in that secluded corner of the toy store. Finally, with a sickening _crack,_ the arm fell limp.

"It's Isabelle Potter, Teddy, what do we do? Look how those Muggles that she is being forced to call family treat her? That uncle of her's has just at least fractured her arm!" Andromeda Tonks, a kind woman with a heart-shaped face, dark brown hair, and grey eyes whispered to her husband with ocean blue eyes and auburn hair. They had stepped into the shop to do some Christmas shopping for their only child, Nymphadora, age six, when they had come upon this scene and disillusioned themselves. Lily Evans and Andromeda Tonks, then Black, had been very good friends in school and Andromeda would _not_ stand for this. The child looked about two thirds of her age, if not less, and was far too skinny. Her trained healer's eye picked up bruises that were old and knew.

"We can't let her live with them." Ted agreed. "What was Albus thinking? Look, Andi, she's got the metamorph's floo." and so she did. Their daughter had gone through the same thing when she had come into her powers a few weeks ago. The metamorph's flu always happened to metamorphmagi between their sixth and seventh birthdays. It was when the fat pig of a boy she was forced to call _cousin_ joined in the fun and started poking, pinching, prodding, and slapping at her aggravating her condition even more that they stepped in.

"_STOP_ _THAT_ _RIGHT_ _NOW!"_ Andromeda shrieked, rushing forward and showing herself. "That is _no_ way to treat any child."

"Leave us alone, lady, and let us be." Vernon sneered while roaming his eyes over Andromeda's lithe body hungrily.

"Don't you _dare_ talk or _look_ at my wife like that again, buster." Ted, though usually a gentle wizard, demanded.

"Leave us to our own business." the ugly woman snapped. With a flick of her wand within her pocket Andromeda put up privacy, silencing, and notice-me-not charms around them.

"You're lucky I don't hex you into St. Mungo's for the way you've treated Isabelle Potter you disgusting Muggles...no offense to your parents, Teddy dear." she hissed dangerously as she whipped out her mahogany and unicorn hair wand.

"You have treated this child like filth for too long you no-good, dirty-rotten, magicless pieces of dragon shit." Ted growled, bringing out his own beechwood and dragon heartstring wand.

"Wha-what can you do?" Vernon demanded faintly.

"Take her away and have her live with us." Andromeda snarled.

"And by the power vested in me by The Ministry of Magic, I, Theodore Alan Tonks, auror level three, hereby declare you, Vernon Walter Dursley and Petunia Hyacinth Dursley under arrest for child abuse and neglect." Ted said officially, binding the Dursleys in rope. Their little brat started to cry but Andromeda promptly shut the fake wailing (no pun intended) up.

"Be quiet you nasty, spoiled, unbelievable, bullying son-of-a-bitch!" she snarled, unleashing her nastiest of nasty glares only saved for idiots. The little brat did nothing but cry louder. Losing her patience, Andromeda slapped the belligerent, incorrigible brat across the face eliciting gasps from his parents and, surprisingly, from little Isabelle.

"Are you going to hurt me?" she asked, stepping forward.

"No, dear child, no. We shall never hurt you. It is they who deserve the hurting. Ted, take this pile of lard and filth to the Ministry. I'm proud of you, love. I never thought you could act like such a pureblood." Andromeda said. "I'll take the boy to St. Mungo's for a psychiatric evaluation. Come, little Belle, take my hand and you shall come home with me to meet my daughter." Isabelle smiled up at the first truly nice person she had ever met and put her little hand in Andromeda's slender one. Andromeda then grabbed the tubby boy by the arm and led them both out of the store and to the Tonks' sleek silver Mercedes. The brat of a boy tried to make a run for the front seat but Andromeda stopped him.

"you shall sit in the back you horrid child." she hissed dangerously, Black family temper bubbling just beneath the surface. She opened the back door and shoved him in, snapping his belt shut and reenforcing it with her wand. She then opened the front passenger door and helped Isabelle in. The child's hair and eyes were still cycling madly and Andromeda knew that it was only a matter of time before everything else started to go haywire. This was the age where magic started to stabilize itself as well, for any other children it would just be the wizard's floo. All gifts that the child had inherited would activate as well. The strange thing was that the only families alive today that she knew of with the metamorph gene were the Black and Potter families. Then again, her husband had carried the gene without realizing it and he was Muggle-born. Andromeda got in the driver's seat and sped off to downtown London. She stopped and parked in front of an unused department store. Nobody was around so she first got the children out and then shrank the car, sticking it in her robes. Isabelle looked fascinated while Dudley looked disgusted.

"Freak, freaky freaky freaky freak!" he chanted. Merlin, the child was almost eight years old, was he not? Still, here he was acting like a psychotic three-year-old.

"Shut up you nasty little bugger." Andromeda snapped making Isabelle flinch but Dudley just started shouting louder. "Do not worry, Belle, you'll never have to see him again after today if I can help it."

"Freak, freak, freaky freaky freaks! No-good losers, freaky freaky freakity freaks!" Dudly began shouting, jumping up and down. "_I_ _WANT_ _MY_ _Muuuuummmmmy!"_

_ "Selencio." Andromeda hissed, pointing her wand at the brat who had dropped to the sidewalk, kicking and screaming. Though he could not be heard his tantrum raged on. Many nasty words came flying out of his mouth not to be heard. He turned almost as purple as his father with rage._

_ "I'm scared." Isabelle whispered. "What's your name? Why are we here?"_

_ "My name is Andromeda Tonks. You may call me Andi. Your mum and I were very good friends." Andromeda explained._

_ "What did you do with the sticks in the store? How did you make Dudley finally shut his fat yapper?" the small child asked. Andromeda couldn't help but to snort at that._

_ "All in good time. That's it, Dudley Dursley, stupify, patrificus totalus!" With that, Dudley was paralyzed and knocked out. "Locomotor Dudley." With that, the boy rose into the air behind Andromeda and Isabelle. Andromeda then faced an old manikin and winked at it. Suddenly, the three of them were in a relatively empty lobby. Andromeda, holding Isabelle's non-injured left arm, rushed up to the lobby._

_ "Joyce, I need to see head healer OBrian immediately." Andromeda snapped at the secretary. The dull blonde who was filing her fingernails looked up and nodded._

_ "Go to room 110, he'll be their." she said with a sigh. Andromeda thanked her and went down the hallway to the small office. Healer OBrian was already their._

_ "Andromeda? What do you need?" he asked. Andromeda then went through the entire story as the idiot Muggle boy started to stir._

_ "I want to use a room to check over Isabelle, you know I'm the head healer of pediatrics. I want this_ boy in our psychiatric ward for evaluation before he can have his memories of this place modified and be sent to a Muggle facility." Andromeda ordered. OBrian nodded.

"Very well. private room 125 is free. I'll have Mr. Dursley taken to his propper ward." he said.

"This hospital is weird." Isabelle said as she sat on the bed in her private room. "Their's no electricity or anything."

"That's correct. It is a magical hospital. I can't believe they didn't tell you, Isabelle. You, dear child, are a witch just like me and my daughter, Nymphadora, my husband is a wizard.

Your relatives are non-magic folk, Muggles." Andromeda regaled Isabelle with many tales of the wizarding world as well as what _really_ happened to her parents and how she got that scar. She didn't even flinch as she was passed potion after potion to drink for nutrition, strength, and other things. Andromeda was utterly disgusted with the state of the girl. Several bruises, new and old, malnutrition, bones that hadn't healed correctly, the list went on and on. Just as Andromeda was going to do her last diagnostic spell Isabelle's magic, which Andromeda could sense as one of her abilities, began to flare.

Owwwww!" she cried out, growing flushed, her features not staying the same for more then a second as she cried out in pain. Andromeda hurriedly summoned Healer OBrian to see what was going on.

"Somebody has put a magic blocking curse on her making her magic the bear minimum without making her a Squib. I daresay even 1 percent of her magic is more powerful and potent even in this weakened state then Albus Dumbledore at his most powerful. We need to do a spell to banish the block little by little, too much at once could kill such a small child."

"Who did this?" Andromeda demanded.

"I am doing the spell now." OBrian said. After a few minutes he looked furious as the spell completed.

"One person, Albus Dumbledore." OBrian snarled venomously. "I can't believe the so-called leader of the light would use such a dark spell on this child."

"_HE_ _WHAT!"_ Andromeda thundered angrily. "How _DARE_ he do such a thing. How long will her core take to unblock?"

"At least a day. You will have to feed her a potion every hour _on_ the hour to control it or she won't make it." OBrian said. Andromeda was greatful they were now in the hall and not where Isabelle could here them.

"So I can take her home with me?" Andromeda asked, OBrian nodded.

"Bring her back in a week, I want to check over her." he said. Andromeda nodded and stepped back in Isabelle's room while OBrian went to get the propper potions.

"What's...hic...happening...hic...to me?" Isabelle asked between hickups.

"You know the headmaster I was telling you about? He blocked your magic, we have to unblock it now but you can come home with me."

"Really?" Isabelle asked excitedly.

"Absolutely. You'll love it their." Andromeda smiled.

"Does Dudley have to come?" Isabelle asked softly.

"That child will _never_ set foot in my home, dear." Andromeda assured. A bright smile lit up the child's face as she jumped off the bed and right into Andromeda's arms.

"Thank you, Andi, thank you for saving me." she murmered as she clung to the nice woman's skirt. A few minutes later, Healer OBrian came in with a bag full of clinking vials. One of them was held in his other hand.

"Isabelle, can you be a good girl and drink up for me?" he asked softly. Isabelle nodded and gulped it down without even a grimace. "Fantastic, now you may go."

"Thank you, John." Andromeda said as she took the bag and led Isabelle down the hall and back out to the street. She settled Isabelle into the front seat of the Mercedes and got in the driver's seat, beginning the long drive to Ottery St. Catchpole, the village where the Tonks family lived. Finally they pulled up at the two-story farm house just outside of town and got out.

"This is beautiful!" Isabelle said in awe.

"This," Andromeda said, "is home." She led the little girl out of the car and up to the front door. She keyed Isabelle into the wards and opened the door.

"Laura, Nymphadora, I'm home!" she called. A girl came running at her and jumped into her mother's arms.

"Mummy, Mummy, Nanna and I had such a wonderful time!" she said excitedly.

"Yes yes. Nymmy, I need you to go to your room." Andromeda said sternly as she led Isabelle through the door and shut it with a _snap._

"But why, Mummy, who's that, huh?" she asked.

"Later, Nym." Andromeda said.

"But why not now?" the little girl who looked just like Andromeda save for her father's blue eyes asked curiously.

"Nymphadora Cassiopeia Tonks, do as you're told." Andromeda snapped. The little girl pouted but went upstairs without another word. "Now come here, Belle dear."

"She's not mean is she?" Isabelle asked shyly.

"Not at all, dear child, not at all. She's just too curious for her own good sometimes." Andromeda said with a smile.

"Speaking of curious, who is this little dear?" asked Laura Tonks, Ted's mother.

"Come sit down, Laura, Isabelle." Andromeda said, pointing to the squashy sectional facing the telly.

"But I'll make the couch all dirty, I'm not 'loud to sit on couches." Isabelle said in a small voice.

"Dear, your relative's rules do _not_ apply here. Take a seat." Andromeda urged.

"What happened to her to make her so nervous?" Laura asked.

"Her so-called _family_ has treated her worse then Lucius treats his house elves." Andromeda said disgustedly.

"But who is she? If I didn't know better I'd say you were related." Laura said.

"I know. Everyone joked that except for the hair, eyes, and age Lily Evans, her mother, and I could have been twins. She looks more like a Black even then Lily. Of course she's got some of the Potter build and her father's eyes. I don't think James ever had that grey at the rim, though. Laura, this is Isabelle Potter, the girl-who-lived. Her family are in Auror custody and I want to see if she has any other family out their. If I can, and if she wants me too, Ted and I will become her gardians."

"Really, you'll let me live here?" Isabelle asked.

"Absolutely. _ NYMPHADORA,_ come down here." Andromeda hollered. The little girl came bounding down the stepps.

"Yes, Mum?" she asked.

"Nymphadora, meet Isabelle. Isabelle, meet my daughter, Nymphadora." Andromeda said.

"Oooh, are you Isabelle _POTTER?"_ Nymphadora asked.

"Yeah! Are you Nymphadora _TONKS?"_ Isabelle said, putting the same emphasis on "Tonks" that Nymphadora did on "Potter."

"Hahaha, you're funny. Come on and I'll show you my room!"

"Um...okay." Isabelle said shyly.

"I'll come up, girls. Nym, would you mind if Belle stays in your room?" Andromeda asked.

"Not at all!" she said excitedly. Andromeda smiled and the three of them went into Nymphadora's very large, very pink room. With a wave of her wand a large white wood four-poster bed with a pink spread just like Nymphadora's appeared on the opposite wall of Nymphadora's bed.

"For me?" Isabelle asked shyly.

"Yes, dear child, for you." Andromeda said. Was she really sure? Uncle Vernon once said she could sleep in Dudley's second bedroom but then she was thrown down the stairs the very next day for doing it. "I sware on my magic and my life that no Tonks will _EVER_ hurt you." Andromeda vowed. "It's late. Nymmy, you've taken a bath, right?"

"Yes, Mummy." Nymphadora said with a sigh. She was already in a pair of pink pajamas.

"All right then. Come along, dear, let's get you a bath." with those words Isabelle started to tremble.

"No...please...I'll be good I promise. I'll go back and I won't smart off and I won't do better then Dudley on my tests...just _please_ don't give me a bath." the little child pleaded.

"I won't hurt you. You need cleaned up and then you can snuggle in your new bed." Andromeda soothed as she led the little girl into the adjoining bathroom.

"Achoo...okay...achoo...Andi." Isabelle said as her looks started to change again.

"Oh dear, your potion." Andromeda said. Isabelle drank it no problem as Andromeda filled up the large pink bathtub and got bubbles in it. She helped the little girl out of her clothes, made her looks normal with her wand, and helped her in.

"This feels great, thank you." the child said with a greatful smile.

"Do you need help washing?" Andromeda asked.

"Yeah." Isabelle said in a small voice. For the next fifteen or so minutes Andromeda helped Isabelle wash herself with the washcloth and also helped her wash her hair. Once the small child was out of the tub Andromeda dried her off with a flick of her wand.

"That's pretty cool." the child admited. "So I'll be able to do that?"

"Yes you will, Belle." Andromeda said with a smile.

"Awesome." Isabelle piped.

"Yes, yes it is." Andromeda said. She then conjured one of Nymphadora's pairs of pink pajamas and helped the child into them.

"Are they comfortable?"

"Very much so, yes." she said with a happy smile.

"Good. Now let's tuck you in."

"Really? I get to be tucked in?" the child asked excitedly. "But only norm—com"

"Isabelle Lilyanne Potter, you are _perfectly_ normal. It is the Dursleys who are the freaks. Don't you _ever_ forget that." Andromeda said sternly as she lifted the far-too-light girl up and tucked her in.

"Andi...may I have something to cuddle? I left my Prongs at home."

"Of course you may. Nymmy, may Belle borrow your Teddy for the night?"

"Of course, Mummy." Nymphadora said. Andromeda smiled as she gave the small hazel-eyed child the teddy bear.

"Thank you very much." the little girl said.

"You're welcome." Andromeda said before shutting the door.

Ted arrived home about an hour later as Andromeda was helping herself to a strong cup of tea.

"How'd it go, love?" she asked as she stood up, pecking him on the lips.

"Albus tried to convince us that Petunia and Dudley are Isabelle's only living family and she should stay their but after seeing my memories the Auror squad agrees with me that she should _not_ go back to them and that they deserve along stay in Muggle prison. She will be our temporary ward. If we cannot find any other family, she will stay with us permanently. She has an appointment tomorrow with the Ministry's heritage office."


	37. Jasmine Potter

Jasmine Potter

An attempt to write more good Dursleys, who take a female Harry and leave to America. Also featuring witch Petunia and lots of other core characters, Weasleys, Tonks, Grangers, also being in the U.S…

Chapter One: The Baby On The Front Steps

On the morning of November 2nd, 1981, Petunia Dursley opened the door to put the milk bottles out when she saw a little bundle. She set the bottles down and picked the bundle up, closing the door. The bundle actually turned out to be a little baby with unruly red hair and emerald eyes, it was her niece Jasmine. She had seen Jasmine shortly before Lily went into hiding and the baby quite liked her. Lily had made Petunia promise that if anything happened to she and James that she would take care of their little Jazzy. Petunia, naturally, said she would. Sure she had been jealous of her little sister before, but that was before the war and before Petunia discovered she had her own magic and was tutored by Lily along with going to a wonderful academy in America during the year. Her husband had accepted her regardless and she loved Vernon Dursley with a passion. They had a daughter who was just a few months older then Jasmine named Daisy. Petunia saw the letter sticking out of Jasmine's blankets and picked it up. It was addressed to her. She opened it and began to read it.

Dear Petunia,

I am sorry to say that your sister was killed by Voldemort last night. James was killed first in the living room, Lily sacrificed herself for Jasmine which is why their is a lightning-bolt shaped scar on her forhead. I have her with you because of the familial wards. Remember, Petunia, that she is just as magical, if not more, then your sister! You remember what you called Lily? She is magical, a freak by your standards, treat her however you like. The worse you treat her the more willing she will be to side with me and go for the greater good, she might even hold a distaste for muggles such as yourself. Do whatever you must. Also, this girl is a metamorphmagus and has displayed some tendencies of a seer, Lily and James had her tested. They have not been so loyal to me lately but I assure you that Jasmine will.

Albus Dumbledore

Petunia was disgusted at the implications that that letter made. Did that idiot know she _was_ a witch? Didn't he know that it just took a few more years for her magic to grow? Thank goodness she had wound up going to the Unity Academy of Magic where even those considered squibs could take courses to improve their magic. Everyone was allowed their, sentaurs, house-elves, goblins, vampires, werewolves, and many other magical humanoid beings. The best part was that it was in America and under the fidileus charm, the headmaster or mistress being the secret-keeper. Speaking of which, Petunia had to make sure that Sirius Black was not accused of being the secret keeper when it was Peter Petigrew.

"Vernon, I've got to clear up some things with the Ministry, that Albus Dumbledore is meddling in things he shouldn't ah-ah-and Li-li-lily is de-e-ed!" she cried. Her husband came down at once and scooped Jasmine into his beefy arms, giving her a mustachioed kiss. Jasmine giggled and they disappeared upstairs. Petunia popped to the ministry and went right up to the minister's office, wand in hand.

"Minister Fudge!" she said. "I am coming to clear up the fact of my sisters' secret keeper. I know for a fact that it was Peter Petigrew and that he was a rat animagus. I know that Sirius will be accused and that Petigrew will probably try to fake his own death, I have some minimal seer ability. I am not registered as a British witch because I went to Unity Academy in America when I was sixteen."

"Petigrew has been killed along with thirteen Muggles, Mrs. Dursley. I will look into the rat thing and I think you have a point. I will order Sirius's release from Azkaban as long as you will give me a doccument saying Sirius was not secret-keeper and your memory of the affair." Fudge said. Petunia nodded, brought out a letter, and pulled out the strand of memory from her head, corking it in a jar.

"Very good, where should I send Mr. Black too?" Fudge asked.

"Number four Privet drive, and send Remus Lupin as well. Do not tell Dumbledore this but I plan on moving myself, my husband, my daughter, and Jasmine to America with Sirius and Remus if they'll come."

"I wouldn't dare tell that old codger _anything,_ you're secret's safe with me. We've got several families moving their since they discovered Dumbledore's true intentions. We've got the Weasleys, Augusta Longbottom and her grandson Neville, the Lovegoods, and the Tonkses to name just a few. Also, several Hogwarts teachers have resigned their posts to take open ones at Unity, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Rubius Hagrid, Pomona Sprout, and Poppy Pomfrey are the ones. Those are the ones hurt most by Dumbledore's actions. The old man also says he was a secret-keeper witness. We'll extract the memory from him and from Sirius Black. We should have him free within the day. My cousin, Lorna Enders, is the minister in America. I know I'm not perfect and a bit easily swayed but I'm working towards unity over here as well. Thank you for everything, Mrs. Dursley. Jasmine Potter is in safe hands with you!" Fudge said. Petunia smiled and left to appearate back home.

Chapter Two: Move to America

That day Vernon and Petunia packed up for America. Luckily, Daisy and Jasmine were prooving to be quite good friends. Jasmine was already showing her father's mischievous streak by turning into an exact replica of Petunia's own daughter so Petunia couldn't tell who was who. Halfway through the afternoon, their was a knock on the door. Petunia looked out to see two people she felt so bad for being so rude too before she found out she was magical, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. She thought they were just arrogant prats back then but she was so glad to see them.

"Remus, Sirius!" Petunia exclaimed as she ushered them in and shut the door. "I'm so glad they let you out so quickly, Sirius!"

"It-it was you that had them let me out?" Sirius asked.

"Yes! I'm just so sorry for the way I treated you as a stubborn, jealous brat of a girl! I am disgusted at Dumbledore, he still thinks I'm a muggle and consider you guys freaks, look at this letter!" Petunia handed the letter to Sirius who looked so mad he would hex someone into oblivion and then to Remus who looked so totally livid that his inner animal might just take over.

"I can't believe that old coot! I do _not_ want my little flower bud going to Hogwarts with that old fool around. All those families had good sense to moove out of the country!" Sirius exclaimed.

"I know! I used to think he was good but he's just been using us all this time! From what I've heard, most Order families have already left, even many of the non-order ones!" Remus said.

"That's right, they've all mooved to America where the Unity Academy of Magic is! Even your old deputy headmistress moved their and I thought she was most loyal to Dumbledore. Severus Snape has also come their along with Poppy Pomfrey and Pomona Sprout. I really don't think Severus is evil. I know the things he did for Voldemort...oh stuff it...but I can just tell his heart is good. Didn't Lils tell you I've got some minimal seer ability? Anyway, We'll be moving their too and would like you two to come if you'd like, you can even have your own rooms. I will only have one rule for you which will be to bring your girls somewhere else...cough Sirius...cough!" Petunia finished. It was then that their was an excited scream from a newly red-haired toddler.

"Unki Pafoo, Unki Mooey!" she squealed, toddling right up to them.

"Their's our little Prongslet, our Jazy-bud!" Sirius said, picking up the toddler and swinging her around.

"Where Mummy a Daddy?" Jasmine asked innocently in baby talk.

"Oh sweetie!" Petunia said. "Your parents...they can't come back. They're in a new world now, a wonderful world and you'll see them some day. You've got to promise me, though, that you won't be joining them until you're all old and grey!"

"Like Unki Mooey?" Jasmine asked with a mischievous smile.

"Hey!" Remus said indignantly.

"She's worse then James and she's bearly talking!" said Sirius.

"I know! She looks incredibly like James and like Lily. She's got Lily's delicate looks already but mainly James's shaping, Lily's eye shape, James's color, and James's hair with Lily's color!" Petunia said. "I think you've got a Marauder on your hands, her and Daisy both!"

"May I see Daisy?" Sirius asked. I'd love to see my god-niece!"

"Actually, I was thinking that perhaps you or Remus could be her godfather, we haven't chosen one and we _certainly_ wouldn't have Vernon's sister do it, she's an aweful woman who's obsessed with bull dogs, not even Vernon likes her. Sirius, you're Jasmine's godfather, so how about you, Remus, their are no limitations on who can be a godfather in America!"

"I...I'd be honored!" Remus said with a smile. "Also, Petunia, You should make sure that you are the magical guardian of Jasmine's...erm''fortune! The Potters were a very rich pureblood family and god knows how many vaults they have."

"Good idea!" Petunia said, taking her daughter and niece in her arms.

A week later the whole family was ready to go. They would be moving to a quaint little town named Crystal Springs Montana in a big farmhouse that Petunia and Vernon had bought with their combined inherritance. Their were even two little apartments, one over the newer attached garage and one over the detached garage by the barn where any and all big rigs would be kept. It had always been Petunia's dream as a girl to live on a farm and now she was. Their were two positions open at Unity, one for Defense Against The Dark Arts professor and another for Magical and Muggle Dueling. Sirius was an excelent duelist and one hell of a Muggle fighter, though his parents knew nothing about it all the way up to their deaths, so he applied and got the job. Remus was nervous at first saying that he was a werewolf and all but Petunia reminded him that the school had quite a few werewolf students so he applied and got the job. Vernon decided to go to work at a local company that made farm supplies. Daisy and Jasmine grew closer and closer.

About a year after they moved to America, Sirius anounced his engagement to the charms professor, Professor Isabel Martinez, a half veela. Not long after that, Remus anounced his engagement to the astronomy teacher, a half-vampire named Carina Youngblood. The two best friends decided to have a double wedding with Vernon as best man and Daisy and Jasmine as flower girls, it would be a magical wedding. Now, the students of Unity had Professors Black, Black, Lupin, and Lupin! Two months later Izzy, as she liked to be called, announced her pregnancy and gave birth to twins Regulus, after the brother Sirius had who he found out really was an unsung hero, and Andromeda after Sirius's cousin who was still alive but in another part of the country for now. At this point, daisy and Jasmine were three years old. A few months after the twins were born, Rina gave birth to a daughter, Taylor, and a son, John, a year after that.

When Daisy and Jasmine were five, Petunia enrolled them in Unity's day school program where they would start learning even more about the wizarding world and also Muggle subjects as well. One of the teachers for that was Molly Weasley, a woman who had become a close friend to Petunia and whose children were always up to mischief with Daisy and Jasmine. They had become especially close to the twins, Fred and George, who only they could seem to tell apart and who were just as big into mischief as they were and were passing their ways to Ron and Ginny. Daisy and Jasmine both proved very smart, especially Jasmine who always passed things with flying colors. She was an excelent artist as well and a top-notch flyer like her dad, she also needed glasses like him too. She always liked to try out outragious hairstyles like one of the Unity students, Nymphadora Tonks, who was also a metamorphmagus, although not on as high of a level as Jasmine. Jasmine could also turn into animals and other magical creatures. Once, she turned herself into a house-elf for one week and then a true elfe the next before becoming a fairy the week after that and then going back to normal. Being able to turn into all these things gave Jasmine a very high understanding of them. One thing she was _wonderful_ at was riding horses. Since she was seven she started riding compeditavely against the Muggle children in the area, many of whom were her friends including one Hermione Granger. Hermione was a sweet girl who seemed to possess some strong magical ability and was explained the world of magic, including Jasmine's status as the girl who lived, at the age of nine. Before Petunia knew it Daisy was eleven and it was almost Jasmine's eleventh birthday.

Chapter Three: Letters and a Trip to Neveah Avenue

I woke up on the day of my birthday excited as ever. I stretched out in my full-sized bed and ran a hand through my unruly red hair, a habbit Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus say I picked up from my dad, James. I got up and put on a pair of capris and a pink T-shirt that said in white letters, _I'm Cute? Tell Me Something I Don't Know!_ Today I would be turning my hair black like my dad's but with pink streaks that match the shirt. After I did that, I put my hair up into an oomphy ponytail and put my glasses on and the gold locket that was from my parents with a flower engraved on the front and alternating pictures of my parents with and without the _true_ Marauders, Petigrew having left, and on the right alternating pictures of me with my parents and the other two Marauders. I had vowed ever since I was old enough I would follow in my father's footsteps as a Marauder. Uncle Sirius has been teaching me everything he knows and Uncle Remus has been teaching me how to think sensibly and _not_ _get_ _caught._ I know a few Unity Professors a bit, Minerva McGonagall to name one, but I haven't met Sniv...I mean Severus yet. I suppose I'll give him a chance because Mum was friends with him before he accidentally called her a mudblood, but that doesn't mean I won't prank him senseless if he's being a prat. I've picked up many British insults, much to Aunt Petunia's dismay, from Uncle Sirius. I even have a bit of an accent since most of the adults I know _are_ British, I prefer it over the American accent anyway so I often talk with it. Being a verbamorphmagus, I could make my voice all American, but I don't want too, I just use my natural voice which sounds more British then not. Many people have asked me which part of "London" I came from. I say that I don't come from London at all, I come from Godric's Hollow and moved to Surry when I was one before I moved here. Then, they're all like "what?" so I have to explain that those are parts of England. I've been their a few times to settle a few things with the Ministry. All Gringots banks are linked so all I need to do to speak with British goblins is go through a special door, that's why their are so many to go through, they lead to other branches. The one door that leads underground also leads to the same underground for everyone meaning that one can access their vaults from all over the world so money is no problem. As soon as Daisy and I get our Unity letters we'll be going to Neveah Avenue for supplies because Daisy is just as much of a witch as I am, her powers have already surfaced. Aunt Tuny, as I love to call her, said that it took her until she was nearly sixteen to show any power. I bounded downstairs at the scent of Uncle Vernon's pancakes and slid into my chair next to Daisy just as Uncle Vernon slipped me a plate of chocolate chip pancakes with syrup and whipped cream along with several slices of bacon. It always was a sense of wonder to Aunt Petunia and of amusement to Uncles Sirius and Remus that I could put away so much food and still be so short and skinny.

"Just like your dad!" they always say jovially. while Aunt Petunia would say, "I always wondered where Lily put it all!" Apparently both my parents, especially Dad, were bottomless pits. One thing I inherrited from Mum as well is

my love of books. I'll read pretty much anything. My favorite are prank books either because they're really really good or really really _stupid._ I also was top of my class last year at Unity Day School with Mrs. Weasley as my teacher since Kindergarten. It's called a loop system, you have the same teacher all the way through. The Weasleys are by far my favorite family and group of friends other then my own, Uncle Sirius and Aunt Izzy, and Uncle Remus and Aunt Rina the half-vampire. I love my honorary cousins and god-siblings but they're just so young. Reg and Andi are only just eight. I couldn't wait to go to Unity next year. Fred and George would also be their along with their older brother, Percy, who would be a fifth year, and their younger brother Ron who would bea in first year like me. Fred and George would be in third year.


	38. Family

Family

An attempt to write a pre fourth year fic in which a female Harry finds out she's vela, eventually being paired off with both Fred and George, so yeah… Oh, and Lily was actually born to a French family, and Fleur's mother was/is her sister, making Fleur my female Harry's cousin… Yeah…

Chapter One: True Heritage

Tap, tap, tap! Tap, tap, tap, tap-tap-tap! Tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!

"ung...H'dwig?" I questioned sleepily, stumbling out of my bed and over to my window. From inside her cage my snowy owl, Hedwig, hooted reproachfully at me as if to say "I'm right here, you dolt!"

"Righ...s'ry, H'dwig." I slurred sleepily, opening my window. In flew a regal-looking owl with a letter tied to its leg. It was July 30th, nearly midnight. What was an owl doing here now? It wasn't even my birthday yet, that wasn't for another hour or so. Rolling my eyes at the peculiarity that was my life I sat down at my desk and took the parchment envelope from the owl's outstretched leg. He hooted and soared out the window. It had a strange seal of two crossed wands on it. I turned it over to see that it had my name and address on the back.

Miss V. L. Potter

Number Four Privet Drive,

Little Whinging,

Surrey,

England

"Hmmm, odd." I said aloud. "Who could this be from?" Sighing I cracked open the envelope and began to read the letter within.

French Ministry of Magic,

Paris, France,

Department of Inheritance,

Department of Magical Beings

Dear Miss Potter,

We send this letter to inform you of an inheritance. On the fourteenth birthday of a witch or wizard they go through a power boost and any magical inheritance from their parents or grandparents. You are registered in our books as having blood of a magical being other than witches and wizards. This blood is that of the veela. Veela are women who are quite beautiful seductresses who, despite their allure, mate for life. Either you are or you are not a veela. Veela women pass the genes down to their children and, if female, the gene usually activates. This is more probable if the child is born to a veela's life-mate. Their is no such thing as a male veela. The blood of the veela does, in fact, come from your mother's side as she came into her inheritance on her fourteenth birthday as well. However, your grandmother on your father's side was also a veela although she had a son so the gene did not activate. This makes it even more likely that you will be a veela rather than a prettier-than-average witch. Please find enclosed a portkey that will bring you to our office. As soon as you awaken tomorrow grasp the portkey and say "Liaison offices, French Ministry of Magic, Paris, France." We assure you that you will get a proper explanation when you arrive. We understand that it might be quite late on the eve before your birthday so please do turn in for the night as any inheritance process is relatively uncomfortable. We hope to see you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Ange Delataire,

Veela Liaison

Monique Dumont,

Head of the Department of Inheritance

"What the bloody _HELL?"_ I questioned myself. Hmmm, I knew I shouldn't have had those chocolate frogs before bed. I reached in the envelope, just in case, and brought out a gold galleon. Shaking my head I stood up and went back over to my bed. With a sigh I plopped down on it, closed my eyes, and fell asleep.

Throughout the night I was plagued by this strange, tingly sensation. I had felt worse pain but it wasn't exactly pleasant either. It was like growing pains or something that you might get in the legs but throughout my entire body. Also, I felt something shifting...changing within me...my very magic, it seemed. I woke up the next morning around 7:00. Ugh, the Dursleys would be wanting breakfast, I sighed. Getting out of bed I stretched myself, I felt a little tight and sore. That letter, was it really real? I spotted the galleon on my bedside table and the letter on the desk, it was true. Wait...true...the pain...oh _Merlin!_ I rushed over to the cracked full-length mirror on my closet door, noting that my movements were more fluid and graceful, and gasped. Gone was the scrawny, boyish-looking thirteen-year-old girl that I had been who had only just barely began to develop what with the pasty pale skin, overly-thin frame, knobby knees, short, four-foot-nine stature, limp, dark red hair, and bright green eyes hidden behind glasses with the lightning-bolt scar standing out on the middle of my forehead. In that girl's place stood an entirely new girl, so different but still me. I imagined this was somewhat what I should have looked like if I had grown up in a healthy environment. My skin was no longer pasty pale from years of not being in the sun but a soft, light golden color. My cheeks were even a bit rosy and my face didn't look half so thin now, it was more filled out as though I had eaten properly all my life. My lips were full and pink, my nose was the same, button-like, my cheeks still could be seen as high. I was developed with breasts nearly C-sized as best I could tell and just the right amount of curves. I was taller, barely, about five feet. Blech, I guess even as I should have been without growing up half-starved I was destined to be a shrimp. My scar looked even more a part of me, if possible, a slight pink on my forehead. My eyes weren't just green anymore, they were a bright emerald color that seemed to simply sparkle, large and almond-shaped, no longer hindered by glasses. All my senses, including sight, seemed to be much sharper. My hair was thick, wavy, and an even richer dark red with faint highlights of gold. Everyone said before I look like my dad but for my eyes and hair but, after seeing pictures of them and looking at my new self, I realized that except for my ears, cheeks, and chin I look like Mum the most. I'm even short like her, maybe shorter, she was five three. Ah well, I'm still growing. I'll never be the five-foot-ten, freakishly-tall, super-model kind of beauty but I don't really mind the five-foot, petite, fragile sort of beauty I have. It'll make people under-estimate me. A beautiful silvery aura seemed to surround me.

"_GIRL!_ Get down here and make us our _BREAKFAST!"_ came the shrill voice of Aunt Petunia. I grimaced and shook my head, gimme this, gimme that, gimme gimme gimme say the Dursleys. I smiled and began rifling through my clothes for something half-way decent. I eventually chose a dress that Aunt Petunia had once worn that no longer fit her. With the exception of a few things my clothes are mostly cast-offs from my _BOY_ cousin, Dudley. The dress wasn't too ugly, really, a soft yellow flower-print. Once I was dressed completely I put on a pair of sandals as well. I then went into the bathroom, combed my hair, and brushed my teeth. Oh boy oh boy oh boy...what were they going to say about me? Shaking my head, lips quirked into a slight smile I strode casually downstairs and into the kitchen.

"There you are, girl, it's about time you were—com" but my aunt suddenly cut off what she was saying. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water and her murky blue-green eyes were wide and startled-looking. Trembling somewhat she leaned against the counter for support.

"You were saying?" I quipped, smirking.

"So you're like her, are you? Can't even be normal in your own world, can you?" she sniffed derisively. I hid my wince and scowled at her.

"Jealous that you didn't get the good veela looks, Auntie? I don't blame you, they are quite nice." I retorted.

"Just help with the breakfast and stay out of Vernon and Dudley's way. They'd be on you like dogs to a juicy steak in seconds." she sniffed.

"Joy...rabid doggies...now my birthday is complete. I'll be taking a port-a-thingy...whatever the letter said it was called...to the French Ministry of...erm...my lot, you know, so I'll be gone for the day." I said, taking eggs and cracking them into a pan.

"Fine. Just finish breakfast." she said before sweeping out of the kitchen. Whistling a happy song under my breath I whipped up a large breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. Once I was done I putt it all on a serving tray and walked into the dining room. As I sat it down I was acutely aware of both my cousin and uncle staring at me like I was some sort of goddess.

"Hey good-lookin', what's cookin?" Dudley said in a flirtatious tone of voice.

"Food, wise-guy. What's with the two of you? You're looking at me like I'm something amazing." I shrugged.

"But you are...you are...I'll be Prime Minister some day, just you wait and see, beautiful." Dudley breathed, reaching his hands up and squeezing at one of my breasts.

"Get your filthy hands off me, you fucking pervert!" I snapped, slapping his hand away.

"But he's just making sure to have the finest girl in town." my uncle drooled. Aunt Petunia sat in her chair, stiff and disapproving, sipping tea through pursed lips.

"Perverts, filthy perverts the both of you." I said, shaking my head.

"But you're so _BEAUTIFUL."_ they chorused.

"It's just me, Violet, the "freak" of Little Whinging." I protested.

"But you're too beautiful." Uncle Vernon sighed.

"Yeah." Dudley said dumbly. Humphing, I swirled around, stalking angrily from the room. Damned horny males, I thought to myself, stomping up the stairs. I entered my room to see the galleon glinting on the nightstand. Sighing, I picked it and the letter up. Making sure my wand was in my pocket just in case I squeezed the galleon tight and said the activation phrase.

"Liaison offices, French Ministry of Magic, Paris, France." I felt a jerk in my naval and I was pulled off into a swirl of colors. I was spinning and spinning and spinning, I felt sick. Then, with a jolt, I landed in a heap on a softly-carpeted floor. I was in a reception area of some sort with comfortable-looking chairs, tables with magazines, and cream carpet. Someone spoke laughingly in a language I didn't really understand but could tell was French. I looked to see that standing in the doorway was a woman with chestnut hair and chocolate brown eyes.

"Excuse me?" I asked, picking myself up off the floor. "I don't understand."

"Oh, I am sorry. What I said was zat everyone falls like zat zeir first time weeth a portkey. Can you please state your name and beesneess 'ere?" the woman asked.

"Erm...Violet Potter to meet Ange Delataire, veela liaison, and Monique Dumont, head of the department of inheritance." I said, stepping forward.

"Oh, 'ow seely of me; Ange said zat you would be coming soon. My name ees Michelle Montrosse, I am ze liaison to ze French werewolves." the woman laughed. "Eet ees a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle Potter."

"It is nice to meet you as well, Madam Montrosse. I've a question for you, are you a werewolf as well?" I asked. Michelle's brown eyes flashed.

"And so what eef I am, Mademoiselle? Need I remind you zat ze French meenistry ees much more progressive weeth magical beings than eets Breetish counterpart? Zis is one of ze reasons why you 'ave been brought 'ere and not to your own people." she said haughtily.

"No...Madam...you misunderstand me. I was just curious because I have a friend who is a werewolf, he was one of my father's best friends and taught Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts last year. He, might I add, was the finest instructor of the subject I've seen yet. As a matter of fact I've seen him during a scuffle on the full moon without his potion, the incident you might have heard of with Sirius Black, and nobody was hurt. I'm not like the British government, I really don't care that Remus is a so-called "dark creature," the British ministry disgusts me on those issues. Now that feeling is stronger because...hell...I barely know what _I_ am." I protested, waving my hands about and blushing. Michelle's face softened a bit.

"I am sorry for jumping to conclusions, Mademoiselle Potter, but eet ees a touchy subject for me. Yes, I am a werewolf. I was beeten by ze Breetish werewolf Fenrir Greyback on holeeday in Eengland when I was seex years old. I still thank God zat I am a French ceetizen or I would 'ave 'ad to follow Breetish protocol. Anyway, please come weeth me. Ange and Monique are waiting for you." she smiled. I nodded and followed Michelle down the hallway and into a large office. their were bookshelves filled with books and their was a small conference table in the center surrounded by comfortable-looking leather chairs.

"I 'ave Violet Potter 'ere to see you both." Michelle said, motioning me into the room. Sitting on the other side of the table were two women. One looked like any other witch with olive skin, dark gray eyes behind oval spectacles, curly black hair in a bun, and a business-like expression on her face. The other, however, looked as her name suggested, an angel with fair skin, flowing gold hair, and bright blue eyes.

"Hello, Mademoiselle Potter." she said. "Please sit with us so we can talk. Michelle, thank you for bringing her in."

"You are welcome, Ange. I will see you later." with that, Michelle swept out of the room and shut the door. Taking a breath I sat in one of the comfortable chairs across from the two women.

"Erm...bonjour? As you know...erm...I'm Violet Potter...and I think I became a veela last night." I stammered. The blonde, Madam Delataire, laughed.

"That you did, young lady. I myself am a veela. My mother is a French veela and my father a British Muggle, my mother's mate. Since veela are technically witches this makes me a halfblood in the eyes of your ministry. As we said in our letter your mother was a veela and your grandmother on your father's side was as well." she informed me.

"But...but how could Mum be a veela? She was Muggle-born, wasn't she?" I stammered.

"Not according to ze records and ze confirming blood-tests zat we deed on your mozer on 'er fourteenth beerthday." said the other woman, Madam Dumont, her accent thickly French. "According to zem your mozer was born to one Sabastian and Amarante Darkmoon on 27 January, 1960 in Paris, France. Sabastian Darkmoon was a alfblood wizard weeth a Muggle-born mozer, Chandra Darkmoon nee Evans, and a pureblood fazer, Jean-Pierre Darkmoon. Amarante Darkmoon nee Greenbriar was a veela woman weeth a pureblood wizard fazer, Luke Greenbriar, and a veela mozer, Jacintha Greenbriar nee Volaire. When your mozer was seex months old 'er fazer was keelled by an amateur dark wizard 'oo called 'eemmselff Paire D'etoile."

"The way that veelas work is that when the mate dies or mates die, depending on who you're talking about, the veela woman slips into a depression and dies soon afterwards, they are like the other half of a veela's soul, we cannot live without them once we have found them. Because of this, Amarante died when your mother was a year old. Your mother had an older sister, Rose. Rose was a year older then Lily. When the courts were looking for places for the girls to live they only found two. First, there was your grandmother's cousin, Francois Volaire. He was already married and had a child of his own, a son called Felipe. He and his wife felt as though they could only have one child more so they took Rose, the older of the two." Madam Delataire explained.

"We would not 'ave allowed eet eef not for ze fact zat the only ozer fameely could only take een one girl as well. Zey were Jason and Rose Evans. Jason Evans was your grandfazer's cousin. ee 'ad a daughter already, Petunia, 'oo was Rose's age. Zis ees 'ow "Lily Evans" came to be and she never found out any different." Madam Dumont explained.

"But how? If you're able to tell me all this stuff why weren't you able to tell my mum?" I asked curiously.

"Finding out one's blood ties ees not quite as seemple as putting one's blood on parchment and saying ze mageec words, Mademoiselle Potter." Madam Dumont said. "Eet took our department all of seven years to go through all ze old records, many of which were disorganized and out-of-place because of the franticness of ze war. Also, some records were damaged by magical fire. Such a chaos 'as not 'appened een our meenistry seence ze war weeth Greendelwald. By ze time we 'ad found out eet was too late, your mozer was dead, and zere was nothing zat we could do. We deed not know where you were and ze next possible time we could 'ave talked to you was if you stepped into France or, as you see, right now on your birthday."

"All I could do was tell your mother that she was from a magical family and was probably adopted because something happened to her parents for all veela are extremely protective of their children. So now you know just how your mother is a veela. As we said before your father's mother was as well. Her name was Mariela Vasquez and she was from Spain. From what I understand your father grew up bilingual. Though his English name was James I happen to know that Mariela nicknamed him Jaime. Our mothers were good friends, you see, so I saw James around sometimes though I went to Beauxbatons." Madam Delataire said.

"Wait...you knew my dad? You...you're _HIS_ _Age?"_ I blurted out.

"If by "his age" you mean thirty-four then yes, I am thirty-four. The aging process of the veela is one of the best things, it's graceful. That also spreads into our mate or mates. I myself have a mate named Damion." she explained.

"Wait, Madam Delataire, you keep talking about mates...what do you mean?" I asked.

"Call me Ange, dear, and I'm sure that you can call her Monique. It is entirely possible for veela to have more than one mate. This is especially prevalent in those who have veela on both sides of the family going back several unbroken generations save your own father, which you do." Madam Delataire...erm...Ange explained.

"Oh bugger...not normal among not normal among not normal. I don't suppose I'm going to be one of those lucky ones am I?" I asked.

"It is entirely possible. On the bright side, most doubles are siblings...or twins...those are the best." Ange laughed.

"Gee, I'm so reassured." I drawled sarcastically. "And you can call me Violet."

"Zat ees very good, Violet, but we need to talk to you also about eenheritance from your grandparents. Zey were quite well-off and leeved een a large manor 'ouse. alf ze 'ouse went to your aunt, ze ozer to your mozer. Also, 'alf zere possessions, money, and eenvestments went to Rose while ze ozer 'alf went to Lily. Seence your mozer ees dead zoze go to you now. Also, as you are ze last leeving Potter and Vasquez you receive all of ze things from zoze fameelies as well." Monique explained.

"So I've a bit more money now?" I asked uncertainly, Monique chuckled.

"my dear, weeth ze money you 'ave you could buy off zat joke of a Breetish Meenister and put 'eem een your pocket ten times better zen Lucius Malfoy ever could. Ze Potter, Vasquez, Greenbriar, Volaire, and Darkmoon families are all very old and very rich. On top of zat you are ze last member of two of zeeze five fameelies." she explained.

"It is quite true, Violet. You are, as the Muggles put it, _LOADED."_ Ange laughed.

"Oh...wow...weird. So my Aunt Petunia...she's my second-cousin once-removed? I have another aunt? But Dumbledore said that I had to stay at, and I quote, my _AUNT'S_ house for blood protection. Wouldn't it be stronger if I was with my _REAL_ aunt or something? Can you tell me about my aunt?" I rattled off.

"Of course we can." Monique laughed.

"I was just about to get to that. Yes, it would be best for you to live with your _CLOSEST_ blood relatives because the blood wards are valid. In fact, I hope you don't mind but I've already arranged an appointment with your aunt and uncle. I'd like to see how you get along." Ange explained.

"Also, because of your French 'eestory and ze fact zat your mozer was born een France we 'ave granted you duel ceetizeensheep to ze United Kingdom and France. You can leeve freely 'ere. I think zat you will like your aunt and uncle very much." Monique said.

"Erm...why do you say that?" I asked.

"Violet, dear, your uncle is Felix Delacour, French Minister of magic." Ange said, laughing at the look on my face.

"Wha...my...bloody...huh...but...better not be like Fudge...my god...and to think...could have lived...wow..." I trailed off. Both women laughed.

"Zat about covers eet, yes. Our Felix ees nothing like zat joke, Fudge, of yours. ee ees fair and good-hearted, 'ee listens to people. Felix and Rose 'ave two children as well, daughters. Zeir names are Fleur and Gabrielle. Fleur will turn seventeen een September and Gabrielle turns eight een a few weeks." Monique said.

"Cousins too, huh?" I asked, awed.

"Yup. Now we have papers here that you'll need to fill out. There's papers from Monique to claim all your British and French inheritance and papers from me to add you to the French veela population and, unfortunately, to add you to the British veela registry as you are a British citizen." Ange explained.

"Veela registry? Sounds like the werewolf registry somewhat. Why must I "register" as a veela like some sort of dog? Why don't they just have "population lists" like you guys have?" I asked.

"You make a valid point, Violet, but the truth of the matter is that we are seen as dark creatures as well. Not only do we, and I quote, _FORCE_ men to fall in love with us but all men who are not in true love lust after us. Also, we are very temperamental, possessive, and, when extremely angered, we take a different form. This is a partial avian form with morphed faces and wings grown out of our back. We are feared for that." Ange said.

"Well that's idiotic." I huffed, taking the first paper and signing it with a flourish. "But I'm a veela and I'm proud to be one now, just like my mum and grandmums."

Chapter Two: Lunch with the Minister

By around noon I was finally done signing all of the papers. I had received a certificate with my citizenship information on it as well as an identification card. I was even given a magical/Muggle passport. The last thing I was given was the British ID identifying me as a veela.

Name: Violet Lily Potter

Age: 14

Status: Creature

Type: Veela

Generations: 50 (mother's side) 50 (father's side)

Day Turned: July 31, 1994 (14th birthday)

"Now that we're done here let's get going for lunch, I've made a reservation at Marie's for 12:30. Marie's is a restaurant in our version of Diagon Alley, Le Avenue de Magique. Minister Delacour and his wife will be meeting us there. You might meet Fleur and Gabrielle later." Ange said, smiling. I nodded and got up, self-consciously flattening the wrinkles in my dress.

"Ange, do I...erm...look okay? This is my aunt's dress and...erm...it's the best I own. It used to be way too big for me in the breast and it's still too long. She's, like, five six and this dress was meant to go to her knees." I said, twisting a few silky strands of hair around my fingers.

"Trust me, dear, you look great. If you want I can shrink it to fit you well but it will only last so long. Perhaps Rose can take you shopping after lunch, she's a shopping nut." Ange laughed.

"Okay. Can you shrink it, though? And perhaps make it blue? I like blue." I said. Ange laughed and, with a flick of her wand, the dress was made small to fit my petite frame and colored a soft blue. Ange and Monique led me out and through the elaborate hallways of the French ministry. Eventually we reached the large, glass-paneled front doors in the grand atrium which led out onto a bustling street much like Diagon Alley.

"Unlike ze Breetish Meenistry, wheech ees underground een Muggle London, we are een ze Avenue, we feel zat we are most approachable zis way. One should not 'ave to go een to Muggle Paris just to get to the Veesitor's Entrance like one 'as to do in London. We 'ave a Muggle entrance as well but eet ees much more eenconspeecuous." Monique explained as we walked out onto the cobbled street. I found myself gawking at the Avenue just as I had done at Diagon Alley three years ago. It was just as beautiful as Diagon Alley, perhaps more so. It had that timeless French charm all about it. Further down the street I could see a large white marble building, another Gringotts. Ange and Monique led me down the street aways and into a fine restaurant. I felt very self-conscious as Ange spoke in French to the maitre-dee. I heard the words "Delacour" and "Violet Potter" and before we knew it we were being whisked off to a private dining room with a small table in the middle. Sitting at it already were two people. The first was a tall, lean man of about thirty-five years. Hmmm, a bit young for minister. He was about six feet and he had naturally tousled gold hair, bright blue eyes, and a friendly smile. He wore a casual set of navy robes. The woman next to him looked so much like my mother it was astounding. Her hair was the same rich, dark red, her face was round and pretty, her nose was the same as Mum's and mine, and she had the same emerald green eyes. She was even short, about five three. Her hair had slightly more noticeable gold highlights than I had and than Mum's pictures showed. She wore robes of emerald green. Mr. Delacour smiled at us...or perhaps just at Ange and Monique...and said something in French.

"Yes, this is Violet Potter. She is your niece. Rose, she is your lost sister, Lily's, daughter. She does not understand much French." Ange said in English.

"Ah, 'ow rude of us zen to use a language zat you do not know much of. I am Felix and zis ees my beautiful wife, Rose." said the man. He had a deep, friendly voice.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Minister Delacour, I'm Violet Potter. Don't worry about the language thing, I understand some. Bonjour, orivoir, hace-vous e ferma le bouche, mon merde, that sort of thing." I laughed, sitting down with the four adults..

"Please, Violet, call me Felix or Uncle Felix, we are fameely, after all." he said warmly.

"And you may call me Rose or Aunt Rose, welcome to ze fameely. I must say you 'ave an eenteresting French Vocabulary. ello, good-bye, seet down and shut up, and my god. I assure you zat you will learn more, especially eef you choose to leeve weeth us." the woman...Aunt Rose...said, smiling.

"Really? You'd...you'd let me live with you? But you already have two daughters and...and...and I wouldn't want...to...to be...to be a...a...a burden...a burden on you. Rose...Aunt Rose...you have barely found out for certain that...that...that you...you have a...a...a sister that you...you have never...never met. I'm just...just the unknown sister's daughter...and...I just don't...don't want to be any sort of...of a hinderance to...to you and...and Felix...Uncle Felix...he is the...the French Minister of Magic...after all...and what would Fleur and...and...and Gabrielle think?" I stammered out, blushing at the way my tongue was so tied up. The two simply smiled warmly at me.

"I do not know what zoze so-called relatives 'ave told you over ze years but you are not a burden nor are you a 'eendrance to _ANYONE._ I zink zat eet ees time to talk to cousin Petunia. I feel as zough you would be much 'appier weeth a caring fameely, yes? And also ze blood wards and ozer wards zat we 'ave will keep you safer. Believe us, please, zat we would be very 'appy to take you een." Aunt Rose said warmly.

"Thank you." I said, still blushing.

"Eet ees nothing at all. Now, let us eat." Uncle Felix said, clapping his hands together. He waved his wand and passed a menu to me. "I just deed a translation charm so zat you can read eet."

"Oh...thank you." I stammered, picking up the menu and skimming through it. In the end I chose Filet Mignon with some creamy pasta on the side and butterbeer for a drink.

"So Violet, can you please tell us a beet about yourself?" Aunt Rose asked.

"Erm...what would you like to know?" I asked.

"Your likes, your deeslikes, any 'obbies, what subjects you like and deeslike in school, what 'ouse at ogwarts you are een, just ze basics." Uncle Felix said, smiling.

"Well...I'm in Gryffindor house at Hogwarts and will be going into my fourth year. I like Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures. I dislike history of magic and astronomy. I hate divination and I loathe potions. I don't mind cooking and gardening but dislike cleaning. I hate crowds and small spaces...small spaces scare me. I enjoy Quiddich and have been the Gryffindor house seeker since I was eleven and in first year. Also, nobody really knows this but I...erm...kind of am a bit of a closet bookworm and I like to draw, snap photos, and paint and I've been told I've got a good singing voice. Have I covered it all?" I asked.

"Quite well, een fact." Aunt Rose smiled.

"Now we are going to tell you a leetle about ourselves." Uncle Felix said.

"I went to Beauxbatons starting een 1970. I was near ze top of my class and became prefect in my feefth year along weeth your uncle. Een my last year of school I became 'ead girl. I was a seeker on ze "Sirens" Quiddich team. Since Beauxbatons 'as no 'ouses zere are seex different Quiddich teams. Zere are ze Sirens, an all-girls team, ze Warriors, an all-boys team, and zen zere are ze co-ed teams, ze Blitzes and ze Dragons. I also love to sing and dance. Everyone een ze Delacour fameely enjoys reading as well." Aunt Rose smiled at me.

"Oh...erm...that's brilliant." I stammered.

"Well as for me, I started at Beauxbatons ze same time zat your aunt deed. I was ze seeker for ze Warriors and ze two of us were quite competeeteeve, almost rivals.


	39. Thunder Flower

Thunder Flower

An attempt to write a Harry Potter and Avatar: The Last Air Bender story in which the child of Aang and Toph is sent to the HP world due to Aang's death and her possibly being the next avatar… Yeah… I didn't even watch much of this series, and I'd not heard of Legend of Korra yet, or it wasn't released, so, um… Oops!

Chapter One: The Otherworldly Child

In a small tent in a village of snow and ice in the south pole sat a young woman holding a baby who was bearly a week old.

"What will I do with her, Katara?" she asked of a friend who was a native of this area that she had known for five years. "My dream was so real and right, Kaminari isn't safe here with Azula, and now that Aang is gone except for his spirit that I saw, their is no avatar and I'm afraid for her safety. If Azula gets her, she'll rip her apart! Plus, no avatar has ever had a child, that doesn't happen, it's almost like an unspoken law. I wouldn't be so nervous but since Aang died two weeks before Kaminari was born, _she_ might be the new avatar. Do you really think their is this other world and if I go to the ice cave tomorrow with my thunder flower that I will be spirited their to leave her with these...magic benders? A witch and wizard? I guess that she will be safe with them...he did say that she had power even beyond what he had. He said, Katara, that she would be the first who is a native of this world to bend the fifth element, magic, along with her native element. In this world she is going too, their's people who can only do magic, their's no other benders. Magic allows them to manipulate things almost as natural benders but they can't bend like we can. Witches and wizards can do a lot of things with magic that even benders can't. Their aren't a whole lot who can even do magic without a wand. This family, apparently, will have three children, all three will possess the bending talents that are considered extinct in that world. One child will have the ability to bend fire, the second earth, and the third water. Katara, I think Kaminari is the next avatar!" Toph was known for her bluntness, although her way of speaking had changed slightly. Katara sighed.

"You might be right. Do the elders have the toys to proove it? Will you be able to take them and bring them to this world? Somehow, I can't help but trust Aang, even as a spirit, he's never truly failed us."

"You're right, Sugar Queen, good job. I'm going to talk to the elders today and get all the toys." Toph said.

It took little convincing for the elders never went against the word of a spirit. Toph had the toys and secured them in a sealskin sack. After that, she had Katara dictate a letter for her explaining everything to the family. The next morning before sunrise, Toph woke up and gathered everything together. She had decided that along with the toys and letter she would leave Momo the winged leamer. Aang had had Momo since the first time he went back to the air temples a hundred years after he had left at the age of twelve. Technically, he was still twelve when he got Momo because he had been frozen with his sky bison Appa for a hundred years. Winged leamers lived a very long time so Momo was really quite young, only six or so. She set out on the ice, first saying goodbye to Katara and Sokka, telling them that she would be back. She went into the ice cave where she found herself falling far and fast. She hated not seeing or feeling anything, if she could see, she would be seeing a muddled mix of colors. Kaminari cried out as they fell. Toph landed surprisingly gently on soft ground.

"Hello, Toph!" came the voice of her love, Aang. "Are you ready to go to their world?"

"Sure, twinkle toes, but I've got some questions. First, is Kaminari the new avitar? Second, will she be safe? Third, will I see her again?"

"I don't know if she is the next avatar yet but I think she might be. It will be either she or one of the three Potter children. Yes, our thunder flower will be very safe. The magical world is in peace and it is the father of the children, Harry Potter, that brought upon this piece. He is a bit like me in a sence. Both of us had to overcome obsticals and fulfill destanies. _ Yes,_ you will see her again in seventeen years once she is done training her magic, maybe even before then so you, Katara, and Zuko can train her and her friends in earth, fire, and water. She will have to learn air on her own but I have the feeling that air will be her native element, maybe even both air and earth even though they're usually totally opposite, kind of like us huh? I can tell her some things in dreams when she is older too. Now come on and let's go!" Toph found herself spinning and was suddenly standing on concrete. She was in Godric's Hollow right in front of a nice, two-story house. She, feeling the vibrations of this earth, walked up the path and set the baby on the front porch along with the toys, Momo, and her letter. She whiped away a few tears. Never before had Toph Bei Fong cried as she did now, but their's a first time for everything. She felt a cooling presence around her, comforting her. She couldn't help but think of Kaminari Hana, how Katara had said she was the perfect mix. Her skin tone was somewhere between Aang and Toph's, she had Toph's black hair with some brown streaks from Aang, eyes shaped like Aang's but were Toph's green which were somehow brighter, a bit like Aang's grey ones, Toph's nose, Aang's mouth and ears, and Toph's delicate looking form already. Toph kissed her baby one more time and then was gone back to her own world.

Harry Potter woke with a start. He could hear crying in the distance. It wasn't his newborn daughter Lily's crying because she was in the bassinet by the bed. Beside him, his wife Ginny stirred. Both of them got up, put on their robes and slippers, and went downstairs. The crying was coming from right outside the door. Ginny opened it and gasped in shock.

"Ha-Harry, Their's a baby on the porch!" she stammered. Harry peered around her and gasped, she was right. Also, their was what looked like a monkey with wings trying to comfort her. Their was also a skin bag and a letter. Ginny scooped the baby up, the leamer hopping on her shoulder, while Harry gathered the bag and letter. They went inside and sat on the couch. The envelope was simple and their was an elegant address written in blue ink.

To The Potters

Harry cracked the seal and a sheet of parchment fell out.

Dear Potters,

I am Toph and come from another world, a world of benders and of just four nations. My husband, Aang, was the last of the air nomads while I, as a child, grew up as an overly sheltered child of the wealthy Bei Fong family of earth benders in the earth kingdom. In this world, their are people who are able to manipulate certain elements. Those of the fire nation bend fire, those of the earth kingdom, like me, bend earth, those of the water tribes bend water, and Aang was the last air bender. I say "was" because he was killed by a rebel leader three weeks ago. You see, in our world, their is someone born who can manipulate all four elements with practice, the avatar. It was the avatar's duty to keep the world balanced and the four nations happy. The avatar can willingly go between worlds, our world, the spirit world, and, now, your world. Aang was this avatar. He was born 117 years ago to the air nomads. They found out he was the avatar and wanted to use him for their own purposes. Aang found this out when he was twelve and ran away with his sky bison, Appa. They were stuck in an iceburg in suspended animation for one hundred years. It was my water tribe friend, Katara, and her brother, Sokka, who found him. Katara was a water bender while Sokka could not bend but was a good warrior. Together they sought a water bending teacher to teach Aang and also Katara. They traveled, with Appa, to the north pole while also fending off those of the fire nation. The fire nation had started a war at Aang's disappearance and destroyed his people. They were well on their way to driving the water tribes to extinction and colonizing the earth kingdom where I lived. Their was a prince, Zuko, son of the firelord who was after Aang to get lost honor back. He was shunned from the fire nation because he spoke out of turn in a meeting and refused to fight his father, Firelord Ozai. He just wanted honor back. Anyway, Aang learned some of water bending while Katara mastered it. A fire general was going to try and invade the south pole so they made their way back their again, Katara teaching him water along the way. They defeated Jau and went looking for a tutor of earth bending in the earth kingdom.

That's where I came in. Everyone who knew me thought me incapable, weak, fragile, dependant even though I was not. My parents coddled me and protected me so much I felt like a prisoner. I hid my true abilities. I can sense vibrations in the ground allowing me to "see". You see, I am blind. I see nothing, no darkness, no light, nothing. This is why my parents treated me as they did. I learned several techniques from the blind badgermoles of the caves and made my own style of earth bending. Also, I am the first person who can bend metal by detecting the impurities in it. Ever since I was young, I participated in an underground competition called the Earth Rumble. I went as the blind bandit and I was unbeatable. Aang, my twinkle toes, sought me out and I eventually left, against my parents' orders, to help him. I know all of the fine behaviors of high society, my family's seal was a winged boar, but I prefer to be simple, blunt, and to the point. I usually don't talk like this, but I couldn't exactly be too blunt and harsh now could I? That is my style. I'm blunt, can be harsh, and I speak my mind. I'm not afraid of fighting and have a short fuse. Aang was very tollerant of things in life and tried not to do too much damage to people. He was kind of like a trickster hero.

Anyway, The fireprince's sister, Azula, became more of a threat and rather paranoid after her friends helped us. Zuko turned to our side and tought Aang firebending. Aang, with our help, defeated the firelord and took away his bending powers using a long-forgotten art. Everything was peaceful and Zuko was crowned the firelord but we were still getting trouble from Azula and her rebels, still are. Back then, Aang and I were twelve, Katara and Zuko fourteen, and Sokka fifteen. Five years have passed and I am seventeen, Aang would be as well. Katara and Zuko are nineteen and Sokka twenty.

We are getting even more trouble from Azula. This is Kaminari Hana, her last name that I have given to her is Bei Fong since Aang has no sirname. You are more then welcome to change her last name if you wish, I merely chose Bei Fong as a formality. Her first name means thunder and her middle name flower, thunder flower. Avatars have never had children before, it's like an unspoken law. Kaminari is one week old and was born on April first. I was fearful that Azula might, if Kaminari stayed in this world, kidnap her and raise her wrong, or perhaps kill her. You see, I think that my baby is the next avatar though I do not know. Two nights ago I had a vision of Aang's spirit telling me about you and your family, your magical abilities. He is calling magic the fifth element and says that Kaminari will be the first from our world to do magic while your three children will be the first in your world to bend in centuries. It is either Kaminari or one of your children that is the avatar. Their are toys in this bag to help determine it. If one of them chooses the turtle, the hog-monkey statue, and the propeller toy, that means they are the true avatar. Those three particular toys are ones that each avatar owned including Aang. Speaking of owning, the winged leamer you must surely see is Momo. Aang found him shortly after his reawakening. Please raise Kaminari well and give her love. When she is seventeen, she must return to our world to help in a fight that will surely come. Your children might need to help as well. As the children grow, enroll them in classes for martial arts and fighting styles, get them interested in sports, they will need this. Thank you so much for everything you are about to do, take good care of my little thunder flower.

Toph

Harry noticed, as he finished the letter, that the signature was in an almost illegible scrawl. This was probably dictated to one of her friends. He wordlessly passed the letter to Ginny whose face showed a mixture of astonishment, wonder, and concern.

"What do we do?" Harry asked his wife.

"We keep her, of course!" Ginny said simply. That day, James, Albus, and three-week-old Lily were introduced to their new sister .

Chapter Two: The Next Eleven Years And The Anticipated Letter

The next eleven years passed by in a flash for all six Potters, Kaminari considered just as much of a Potter as her sister and brothers. Her parents had told her that she was left in their care by her mother, that her father was killed two weeks before she was born. When "Nari" and Lily were five, Harry and Ginny decided to do the test. They gathered all the toys, which they had had hidden all this time, together and aranged them on the living room carpet. First, they called in their oldest son James. He went straight for a toy boat, a thing that looked like a mixture between a dog and a cat, and a toy that changed shape, he was not the avatar. However, Harry and Ginny noticed, he seemed to have some fiery tendancies. When he was angered, it was almost like fire ddanced in his otherwise earth brown eyes. A few times, he had actually produced fire in his fists. This earned him the nickname of Hothead from Nari when they were a bit older who rather seemed to like giving them out.

Next, they brought in Albus who chose the wrong toys. Albus had done some things out of the ordinary as well. One time at the park, an older boy was picking on him. As Albus stepped out of the way, he flung his foot out and the boy was incased in thick mud so he could bearly move. He and his muggle family had to have their memories modified that day. Nari gave him the nickname of Twinkle Toes a few years later which reminded both Harry and Ginny of what Toph, her birth mother, had called her birth father Aang. Both wondered if that was how her mother was, did she often give out nicknames?

Next was Lily. She chose a little doll, a tiny teacup, and a winged leamer statue that looked similar to Momo. Harry and Ginny were almost certain now that Nari was the avatar. Strange elemental things happened to Lily as well. Once, when she, James, Albus, and Nari were in the pool in the backyard, James had splashed at her face as they were having a water war. _ Lily_ had huffed indignantly and shielded her eyes, bringing a wave of water in front of her and right on top of James, plunging him under and causing him to come up, coughing and sputtering for air. Lily had always been calm and gentle earning her the nickname of Mother Theresa when she was a bit older from Nari because Lily always was the nurturing, caring, peace maker of the group.

Finally, they brought in Nari. Almost on the spot, Nari chose the hog-monkey, the turtle, and the propeller toy, she was the avatar. She had shown signs of things similar to those of James, Albus, and Lily, but one other too. Once, a Muggle boy had pushed her off the top of the big play structure at the park. Instead of falling, their was a great gust of wind that carried her far out to the bench where Harry and Ginny sat where she was suddenly sat between them. Also, she always knew when someone was coming, had an extremely alert set of senses, except her vision. Her vision was their, yes, but not perfect. It was probably a might bit worse then Harry's but it was nothing a pair of glasses couldn't fix. She had never given herself a nickname, she was just Nari and that's all her brothers, sisters, and numerous cousins needed to know. When they had taken Kaminari in, Harry and Ginny had decided to let every adult in the family know as well as the Order of the Phoenix members they were closest with. When the children were old enough, they would tell them about their bending but would tell the full story to Nari and Nari only. After that, she could decide who to tell it too.

Nari had always had a tough exterior growing up. She didn't start fights and tried to resolve them at first, but when she or someone else she cared about was insulted, her temper went off. She was also very good at taunting those who annoyed her. Once, when she was ten, she had left a rather mouthy Scorpius Malfoy, who was two years her senior, lost for words when he was making fun of her at a Ministry party.

"Whacha doing, wierd name?" he had asked her. "Meditating or something? Feeling like an outsider? Maybe you should go back to where you _belong!"_ It was no secret that Kaminari was adopted. She looked enough like the Potters, yes, but her short stature, slightly slanted eyes, and overall look told everyone that she was not a Potter by birth and clearly from a foreign land.

"Hmmm, I'd rather be adopted and happy then inbred and look like you!" she had said in a bored tone. "Good thing I'm not you, Malfoy, or I would be the son of my second cousin and the grandson of my great-great uncle or something, no wonder you look like that, Ferret boy, your DNA is totally scrambled! It's like y'r a carbon copy of your father or something. Are you sure your mother didn't club him, stick him in a bag, drag him to an office, and then stick him in a magical xerox machine, oh great and wonderful, pure and noble, most annoying Ferret Boy?"

"Well...um...how...you little..." Scorpius stammered.

"Oooh, nice comeback, Malfoy, is your brain scrambled as well? Gonna stutter at me some more?" Nari taunted. Scorpius had grown red in the face. Without even thinking, his father's teachings ingrained in him, he said the first word that came to mind.

"Mudblood!" he had said coldly. Nari's emerald eyes had turned into icey jade in a split second. She looked absolutely livid and she could tell by his heartbeat that Malfoy was scared. Their almost seemed to be an angry gust of wind around her. Before she could stop herself, Nari hauled off and slugged Scorpius Hypirian Malfoy in his pointy little nose, hearing it break with a satisfying crack.

"Don't ever call me that again or, by extention, insult my parents you nasty little feret. If it's anyone who's a mudblood it's _you,_ oooh, I think I even see some brown stuff running down your face. Catch you at Hogwarts next year, mudblood!" she had shouted the last part before strolling casually out of the ballroom and into the hall. As stated before, she was usually calm but didn't take well to insults or threats. She knew the whole story by now of her parents and what weight was on her shoulders. She knew why her mother had given her up and she understood. Nari was like Aang in the fact she'd rather solve things with words rather then punches but was like Toph in the fact that she was very whitty, sharp, cunning, quick on her feet, a bit of a silver tongue meaning she was able to make things up easily, and she wasn't above fighting and fighting dirty. She had gotten in a few fisticuffs in muggle primary school because of students picking on her or someone close to her like her siblings or cousins. She was the perfect combination of her parents. Though she had sight like Aang, she possessed Toph's vibration gift in it's entirety as well as her other gifts including being able to know the truth from someone's heartbeat. This is why she was always able to catch James in his pranks. More often then not, she helped him with them. She was somewhat of a pranking expert already with James who had told her all about what he had done at Hogwarts. The Ministry party was on Christmas eve during James's third year and Albus's second. Both Albus and James were Gryffindors, big shock their! Kaminari and Lily would be going the next year. Whoever met Nari couldn't help but like her unless they were certain purebloods like the Malfoys who just saw her as a mudblood, a foreign one at that who looked like she could be from China or Japan although she was truely the daughter of an air bender and blind earth bender. She was delicate looking and seemed like a fragile flower but was fiercely independant and accepted help only when she really needed it. She had a great sense of humor and was very friendly. She had nicknames not only for her siblings and Malfoy but for her cousins as well.

Victoire: Miss Priss

Fred: Bashful

Roxanne: Rocky Road

Our story finally and truly begins in the summer of 2021. It's mid-July and everyone is sitting down to breakfast.

Nari's POV

I woke up well-rested on the morning of July 15th. I was so happy it was summer because I would be getting my Hogwarts letter soon along with Lily. Even though I knew I was adopted and my birth parents were technically muggles, I was sure I'd get in. I stretched out and got out of bed, changing into a blue T-shirt that said "What're You Lookin' At?", a pair of faded denim shorts, and a pair of blue flipflops. I went next door to Lilys room, she was already awake, naturally. She was the most annoying morning person I knew, usually waking up around six. I usually slept like the dead and needed a waterbucket, insult, trick, or a good yank out of bed to get me up.

"Hey, Lils!" I said.

"Hey, Nari!" Lily said. Lily and I were really close and I had decided to tell her, Albus, and James about my parents as well as my cousins Fred, a soon-to-be fourth year, Roxanne, a soon-to-be second year, Rose, a soon-to-be third year, and Hugo, a soon-to-be first-year like us. Lily was wearing a pink shirt that said in white letters "Cute Is My Middle Name" which was quite funny because I knew it was Luna. The pink clashed horribly with her fiery red hair but she made it work. With all the pink that girl owned, her middle name might as well be pink. Even though I was lucky enough to be able to wear pink without the hair facter, I still prefered hues of blue and green, some red and gold too. Her hair, messiness curtesy of Dad, was put up into a careful braid while my slightly unruly hair, curtesy of I-don't-know-who, was in a messy ponytail with some strands falling loose. We walked downstairs and sat at the table. James looked just as asleep as I felt, his brown eyes rimmed with sleep and his messy black hair all over the place. Albus, like Lily, was a morning person and the sleep was gone from his emerald eyes and his red hair, the only head of hair other then Mum's that wasn't a mess, was combed neatly on his head, his glasses purched on his nose. Out of the biological Potter children, he was the only one who got Dad's eye sight. I guess I got mine partially from my birth mum since she was totally blind. It was a bit worse then Al's and Dad's, but not by much. That's what I had forgotten upstairs, my glasses.

"Morning!" Mum said as she hovered two plates of pancakes and sausage over to us.

"Morning, Mum!" Lily chirped while I just let out a sleepy "mornin'" All of us started to eat, both me and James eating quickly and hungrily. Both of us were bottomless pits while Lily and Albus were a bit more refined in their eating. Halfway through my second pancake, four owls zoomed through the open window and right to the four of us. I grinned excitedly at the letter.

Miss K Bei Fong-Potter

Second Kitchen Chair

Godric's Hollow, England

In the wizarding world, if a kid is adopted the original last name has to be plastered on before the adopted last name. This meant that even though I was casually known as Nari Potter, or more formally Kaminari Hana Potter, I was known in all records as Kaminari Hana Bei Fong-Potter. I didn't really mind it, it gave me a mysterious heir to those who didn't know me. I squealed with excitement and tore open the letter with Lily. Both of us read it through rappidly and jumped up out of our seats, dancing around.

"We're going to Hogwarts, we're going to Hogwarts!" we squealed with glee.

"Daaaddy, can we _please_ go to Diagon Alley today?" Lily begged with her puppy-dog brown eyes. Just because she was sweet didn't mean she couldn't be a bit sneaky at times.

"All right all right!" he said with a grin. Lily and I jumped for joy, Mum and Dad just smiled knowingly.

In the next few minutes we were ready and out the door, me having put on my glasses. We took the Muggle car down to London and parked outside The Leaky Cauldron. We all got out and walked inside to a bunch of people greeting Dad, Mum, and the four of us.

"Ah, Harry, bringin yer last two to Hogwarts?" asked old Tom the landlord.

"Yep, that's right!" Dad said.

"Well good luck to ya!" Tom said as we went outside to the little backyard. Dad whipped out his wand and tapped the correct bricks making the arch appear. Both Lils and I have been to Diagon Alley before but never for our own school supplies so we were both absolutely thrilled.

"Gringots first!" Mum said as she walked towards the huge building. We all followed behind and went in to the huge building. Dad took out the keys for each of our school vaults and showed them to a wizened old goblin with white hair sprouting out of his ears.

"Very well, Mr. Potter!" he wheezed. "Follow me!" We all did as he asked and followed him all the way through a door and into a cart on a track. The cart whizzed along and I was having a blast, I loved this sort of thing. We stopped at the first vault, James's, and he got out to fill his bag with galleons. Next it was Albus's vault where he filled up his bag as well. After that we got to Lily's vault for the first time and she filled her bag full of the coins. Lastly was mine which was just as full as any of the biological Potters' vaults, naturally, and I felt overwhelmed at the sheer size of it.

"You gonna stay their gawking at it all day or are you gonna fill your bag?" James, my pranking partner in crime, asked.

"Oh shut up, Hothead!" I said playfully as I shoved galleons, sickles, and knuts into my bag. I stepped out and we made it to the surface once more.


	40. Lestrange Twins

The Lestrange Twins

An attempt to write OC daughters of Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange, raised by the Tonks family, who aren't evil! Yeah… another unnecessary character insert fic!

Chapter One: The First Years

In an old, dark manor, their lay a panting young woman. She had a vice grip on her husband's hand and was flinging out enough cuss words to make Lord Voldemort blush. She should know, she was practically his right-hand gal. Bellatrix Lestrange let out a shriek as the head of the first baby came out followed by the rest. The mediwitch, another faithful death eater, of course, took the child. After four more agonizing minutes, the second came out. Bellatrix flopped back on the bed, exhausted.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange, you've got identical twin daughters!" the mediwitch said as she handed them over to Rudolphus, Bellatrix's husband and the father of these children. The babies were adorable. Their hair was mahogany brown like their mother's but as curly as their father's. It was smooth and already thick. Each of them had the Lestrange nose, small and cute, button-like. They both had the full, pink lips and high foreheads famous in the Black family as well as the high cheekbones. Their faces both looked heart-like. This reminded Bellatrix of her sister, the blood traitor Andromeda who besmirched the Black family name by marrying a mudblood. The only thing was that her babies didn't have that ugly widow's peak. Apparently, Andromeda had a halfblood brat of her own, Nymphadora or something like that who was almost five now. Actually, they both seemed to have many of the characteristics Andromeda carried, heart-shaped face included. The first one and then the second opened up her eyes. Both babies had a set of grey eyes inherited from Bellatrix along with the aristocratic shape. Both of them were already long and slender for babies with creamy skin a bit lighter then their mother's. Also, Their lids were not so heavy looking. The firstborn baby sneezed and her hair turned a violent shade of green. Bellatrix and Rudolphus stared on at this. A few seconds later, the second baby sneezed and her hair turned an Albus-Dumbledore's-robes shade of purple. Both babies giggled and their hair turned a shade of golden blonde before they fell asleep in their daddy's arms, hair going back to brown.

"Ah, at least that halfblood brat of Andromeda's isn't the only metamorphmagus, these two shall serve the Dark Lord well. Imagine, Roodie, they could easily impersonate _any_ order member they want!"

"I know, Bella! It's fantastic! What will we name them?" Rudolphus asked.

"I know just what!" Bellatrix said. "The firstborn in your left arm will be Demitria Walburga, Demitria after your mother and Walburga after my dear aunt. The second born will be Emilia Druella, Emilia after your mother's sister and Druella after my mother...if only they were still here to see this!"

Yes, those names are perfect, Bella! These daughters will be quite useful!" Rudolphus said with a sly, Slytherin smile.

Demitria Walburga Lestrange

Father: Rudolphus Orillius Lestrange

Mother: Bellatrix Nova Black Lestrange

Born: January 1, 1978 at 12:08 AM

Emilia Druella Lestrange

Father: Rudolphus Orillius Lestrange

Mother: Bellatrix Nova Black Lestrange

Born: January 1, 1978 at 12:12 AM

Bellatrix was very pleased to get back to work for the Dark Lord, oh how she missed throwing around the cruciatus. It was the only thing that seemed to work as a release for her. The imperius was fun because you could make your victim act like an idiot, but their was nothing satisfying about it and the avada kedavra, as far as she knew, was a quick and painless death. With the cruciatus, she got to torture, got to see her victims suffer, see their pained faces, see them writhe, hear them scream, get the satisfaction of it all. Pathetic mudbloods, filthy muggles, disgraceful halfbloods like that brat of a niece, blood traitors like her filthy dirty sister, they all deserved it, _EVERY_ _LAST_ _ONE_ of them! Soon, Bellatrix would teach her own daughters this and they would enter the service of the Dark Lord when they were old enough. Ah, how satisfying it would be. Bellatrix knew that the Dark Lord would triumph, knew that this world was only meant for the pure. No mudbloods, nobody in between, and no filthy blood traitors like her sister and her Gryffindor cousin Sirius Black...both of them disgusted her, besmirching the name of Black, they'd get their's in the end she was sure, the Dark Lord would have his way in the end and the world would be all the better because of it.

The next couple of years went smoothly, or as smoothly as they could go. Bella started taking her daughters with her whenever she went to do something for the Dark Lord. Oh how they started to anger her. When she would do anything they would scream or cry or try to get her wand out of her hand. After awhile, Bella decided to take disciplinary actions.

"I will not have my daughters acting like a couple of wimps, softies, goody-goodies!" she ranted to her husband one night in the spring of 1980, a few months after their second birthday. "They need to know who _really_ belongs! They need to know the Dark Lord's power!"

"I agree!" Rudolphus said. And so Bellatrix decided that she would be a bit more forceful with her values. She'd be damned if her babies turned out like blood traitor filth like her sister and cousin.

They had a mission that evening, to torture and kill the McKinnins. Bella went upstairs into the nursery and scooped up her daughters. Demitria had green hair that evening and Emilia had purple.

"Change back that ungodly hair!" she snapped at the toddlers.

"Buh Mummy, me and Emmi wike dis!" Demitria protested.

"Yeah, in't it cool, me and Demmi dink dat it's pwetty!" Emilia said.

"I don't _care!"_ Bella yelled, giving both of her insolent brats a whap on the face. Both girls sniffled and reverted to normal.

"Now let's go, Mummy's going to do her work again!" Bellatrix vanished with a _crack_ and they landed in a house where their were two people eating dinner.

"Marlene McKinnon! Having a last meal?"

"Oh, very brave, come to finish us off with your _children_ in toe, I can't believe you, Bellatrix!" Marleen snarled, pulling out her wand followed by her husband.

"Watch Mummy at work, babies!" Bellatrix said with an evil snarl. She set her daughters down and bellowed, "crucio!" Marleen McKinnin screamed and writhed in pain along with her husband. The two babies screamed and tried to get the wand away from their mother.

"Stop whining, you brats!" Bellatrix snarled.

"Buh Mummy you mean!" they cried.

"Shut up! I'll deal with you when we get home!" their mother snarled and then threw the deadly words at the trembling couple on the floor, took her screaming brats, and vanished with a crack. "How dare you brats! You need more respect, don't you! Not to worry!" She roughly rolled the frightened toddlers onto their stomachs and pulled up their shirts. "Sectum sempra!" a little gash appeared on each of their backs and they cried out harder.

"Shut up! You brats need manners, you brats need to know what the price of being a traitor is! Now you're going to lay their and think about this. Any more insolence and you will get worse, understand me?"

"Ye-yes, Mamma!" the little girls sobbed. Bellatrix smirked and left the room.

That's how it always went. By the time the girls were three, they had little scars criscrossing all over their backs from that curse. Also, they had been subject to the cruciatus curse on a number of occasions. When the girls were a few months shy of four, Bellatrix's lord was defeated by a brat younger then her own. She had heard of the prophecy and thought the other couple would know. She, her husband, and some other Death Eaters would go to the Longbottom house and get the info out of them and maybe have some fun with their brat.

That night, Bellatrix went into their bedroom and opened the door to find Demitria with bright scarlet hair and Emilia with hair the color of gold.

"Gryffindor colors, get them out you brats!" Bellatrix screached.

"Mamma dey're pwetty!" Demitria said.

"Gwiffi colors awe way better dan Swivwin colors!" Emilia said.

"No they're _not!"_ Bellatrix hissed, backhanding both of them who looked scared. They nodded and turned back to normal with the exception of some white streaks meaning they were still afraid.

"Come on now!" she grabbed each of them by the arm and they appearated outside the Longbottom home with the other Death Eaters. They barged in through the door.

"Why is the Dark Lord gone?" Bellatrix asked of the couple who were sheltering their one-year-old.

"We don't know!" Frank Longbottom said icily.

"And if we did, we'd never tell you!" Alice said.

"Of course you know, filthy blood traitors! Tell us!" Rudolphus hissed.

"Never!" the Longbottoms said defiantly. the Death Eaters all laughed.

"Babies, watch and see what _really_ happens to traitors!" Bellatrix cooed as she let go of their hands. All of the Death Eaters raised their wands and shouted "crucio" at the same time before the Longbottoms could counter. Frank and Alice dropped to the floor, writhing in pain.

"Mummy you _awe_ mean!" Demitria yelled.

"Yeah, I don't wike you no more!" Emilia said. Bellatrix gave them each a powerful slap landing the three-year-olds on their rears. She stopped with her curse and flipped them over on their stomachs like so many times before. "Sectum sempra!" she bellowed. Yet another gash appeared in an unscarred patch of flesh on each of their backs. After this, she yelled "crucio" and the little girls squirmed in pain. Bellatrix let up and pointed her wand back at the writhing couple on the floor, casting crucio as strongly as she could. Their brat, Neville, was screaming and crying. Demitria and Emilia crawled, because they were too sore to walk, over to the boy.

"I'm sowwy bout dem!" Demitria said.

"Yeah, dey mean!" Emilia whimpered. "What your name?" the boy just cried and uttered something that sounded like "Nevv...nevi...ne..."

"Nevvi then!" the twins chirped.

"I'm Dem-ee-tree-ah!" Demitria said.

"Yeah and I'm Eh-mih-lee-ah!" Emilia said.

"Demmi, Emmi!" Neville babbled.

"Right, Nevvi! We'll pwotect you!" Demitria said.

"Yeah, we'll pwotect you!" Emilia said.

"Pwotect Nevvi always!" the twins said together, hugging the sniffling boy close. Neville smiled and cuddled up against his two friends.

Right then, their was a big bang and a bunch of people came in, stunning the Death Eaters. The Longbottoms lay still on the floor and Demitria and Emilia held Neville closer.

"You're all under arrest!" a man bellowed, then he saw the twins holding Neville who was crying, all three of them were crying and the two girls were bleeding through their shirts.

"Oh my!" a man said. he stepped forward and motioned towards the kids.

"Emmeline, it looks like Bellatrix brought her daughters and then injured them when they got upset. Here's the Longbottom boy too, I want you to take them to St. Mungo's along with Frank and Alice!" A woman nodded and stepped forward, scooping up Neville and the twins. She grabbed onto Neville's parents and they vanished out of sight.

Emmeline landed in the lobby of St. Mungo's.

"Please help! Frank and Alice Longbottom have been hit very hard with the cruciatus. Also, their son is obviously suffering emotional shock and these girls were brought along by that Lestrange woman, they're her daughters! They've got gashes on their backs and they show signs of being crucioed." the woman behind the desk looked horrified.

The Longbottom adults were put in a ward for curses and the children were put in the pediatrics ward where they were each given calming drafts which also allowed the girls to turn back to normal after having pure white hair and big, scared silvery eyes. The girls were also given some dittany for their cuts and all three were finally given sleeping drafts and fell asleep in the baby beds.

The next day, their was a trial and all of the Death Eaters at that house the night before were imprisoned in Azkaban. The Wizengammot then had a meeting to decide what to do with Neville Longbottom and Demitria and Emilia Lestrange.

"I feel," Albus Dumbledore said, "That Neville needs to go with his grandmother, she is his closest family member." the Wizengammot muttered in agreement.

"I and my wife would be very pleased to take young Demitria and Emilia!" Lucius Malfoy said.

"Ah, that is a possibility, but what about Andromeda and Ted? These girls are metamorphmagi and so is their daughter, Nymphadora!" Dumbledore said. The wizengammot talked a little bit before a tall, eligant woman with a heart-shaped face stood up.

"We'd be delighted to take them and Nymmi's always wanted a little brother or sister but I can have no more children. Also, from pictures I have seen, they look a bit more like me then they do Cissy so it might be easier for them and they might feel a bit more like they're part of a family!"

"But you haven't _nearly_ as much money as we, Andy!" Narcissa Malfoy, an aristocratic-looking woman with flowing platinum hair versus Andromeda's light brown hair said.

"I vote that we let the girls decide!" Dumbledore said. The two families looked appeased by this and the wizengammot filed out soon after this. Madam Amelia Bones, head of Magical Law Enforcement, would be taking the Malfoys and the Tonkses to St. Mungo's to see their nieces.

Meanwhile, Demitria and Emilia were playing with some toys provided by the hospital. They acted like they had never seen a toy in their lives. Madam bones walked in followed by Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy carrying their son Draco and Andromeda and Ted Tonks with their eight-year-old daughter Nymphadora. Neville Longbottom had already been taken out by his gran earlier that day.

"Hello, Demitria, Emilia." Madam bones said. "I'm Amelia Bones, head of magical law enforcement. Your mummy and daddy were put away today because they were bad."

"Yeah they were bad!" Demitria said angrily.

"Mummy and Daddy _mean!"_ Emilia said just as angrily.

"They hurt us and followed that snakey man!" they finished together. Andromeda, Ted, Nymphadora, and Madam Bones flinched at the thought of the name.

"We're here to see who you'd like to live with." Madam Bones said. "Their's your uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa with your cousin Draco and also your Uncle Ted and Aunt Andromeda with their daughter Nymphadora, why don't you get to know each other?" Nymphadora scowled at her name. The twins spotted her and her pink hair, coppied her look, and grinned.

"Oooh! You a morphy too!" they squealed, hugging Nymphadora.

"Yeah!" Nymphadora said. "And don't call me Nymphadora, I don't like it! Call me Tonks or Dora or something!"

"Nymmi, Nymmi, Nymmi!" the twins chirped. Nymphadora sighed. Her mum called her that sometimes and that got on her nerves, but these two were cute when they said it so she smiled. The one-year-old boy, Draco, wailed in his mother's arms, flailing around.

"You spoiled!" Demitria said.

"Yeah, Demmi, he spoiled, we wike Nymmi and Uncky Teddy and Aunty An...an...Andy better!" Emily said.

"Looks like they've spoken!" Madam Bones said. Lucius and Narcissa sniffed in displeasure and stalked out.

Chapter Two: Life with the Tonks Family

Later that day, the twins went home with their aunt and uncle. Andromeda and Ted had decided that if the twins wanted too when they were older, they would adopt them and change their names to Tonks. They got along really well with Nymmi and she was like a sister to them. At first, they were weary of huggs and signs of affection from their aunt and uncle and were very shy but they came out of their shells in time. Most days, Demitria, Emilia, and Nymphadora wore their hair in strange colors and styles. Demitria loved having blue hair while Emilia was big into turquoise hair and Nymphadora loved bubble-gum pink. Actually, these three colors were all top favorites for the three, just in different order. The older the twins got, the more mischievous they became. Nymmi was always happy to help them in whatever they were concocting. Before either of them knew it, it was February 1984. Nymmi was turning eleven on the twenty-second and the twins had turned six a month ago on New Year's Day. On her birthday, an owl flew through the window and the letter was deposited into Nymphadora's lap.

Miss N Tonks

The Pink Room

Number Seven Dogwood Lane,

London, England

Nymmi yipped with pleasure and ripped the envelope open.

"I'm going to _Hogwarts!"_ she squealed, her hair turning blonde with excitement.

"We knew it, Dora!" her father said.

"You'll be great!" Andromeda assured.

"Mummy, Daddy, when can we go?" Demetria asked.

"We wanna go with Nymmi!" Emilia finished. Andromeda and Ted knew from early on that these two had a very close bond and could probably read each other's minds and talk to each other like that. The twins had been calling them Mummy and Daddy ever since their birthday-New Year's when they were five. They felt like they always belonged and they almost didn't remember their birth parents anymore.

Several months later in September, the family was seeing Nymphadora off to Hogwarts.

"We'll miss you, Nymmi!" the twins said, hugging their cousin-come-sister around the waste. A few yards away, a set of red-haired twins were doing the same thing to a boy Nymmi's age and a boy two years older then him.

"Pull lots of pranks for us, Nymmi!" Demitria said.

"Yeah, that castle will be really big and you'll have a blast!" Emilia said.

"Just don't go to Slythrin!" the girls finished, still butchering the house names.

"They're all mean!" Demitria said.

"Yeah, take our old mummy and daddy for instance!" Emilia said using a word she had just gotten the grasp of. Both girls were very smart for six-and-a-half-year-olds and always talked above their age level.

"Hey, not all of them are mean!" Andromeda said. "I was one and Ted here was a Hufflepuff. Come to think of it, though, only reason I wasn't sorted into Hufflepuff or Gryffindor was because I didn't want disowned, but that happened anyway!" They all hugged Nymmi one last time and she jumped on the train where she met up with the younger red-head boy from earlier and started talking as the train chugged away.

The next Tuesday, Nymmi sent a letter to everyone and Demitria and Emilia were first to read it.

Dear Mum, Dad, Demmi, and Emmi!

Hogwarts is so amazing! It's absolutely _huge_ and it's _so_ pretty! GUESS what? Guess what house I got sorted into? _SLYTHERIN,_ slimy _SLYTHERIN!_ Hahahahaha, just kidding! I'm in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart and it's totally awesome. I'm becoming friends with a boy named Charly Weasley...don't freak out, Dad, it's not like I'm dating him. Anyway, hope you're all doing fine. Oh yeah, Demmi, Emmi, I'll give you some prank ideas, keep 'em on their toes while I'm gone, huh? Anyhow, I love ya all and...dang! I've been writing this in the Great Hall and the potions guy, Snape, is starting to harp on me for having ink near food or something...arg! I'd better deal with ole greasy here, got to go!

Love Always,

Nym

Demmi and Emmi snickered at this and showed the letter to their parents who smiled and laughed along with them.

The next few years flew by. On January first 1989, an owl delivered two letters to Demmi and Emmi at the breakfast table. Nymmi was home on holiday from her fifth year at Hogwarts and she was a Gryffindor prefect. Her friend, Charlie Weasley, was Quiddich captain for Gryffindor and his older brother, Bill, was head boy, also a Gryffindor. Charlie's next brother, Percy, was in second year, then their was Fred and George who were Demmi and Emmi's age, Ron who was two years younger then them, and then Ginny, the only Weasley girl other then their mother who was a year younger then Ron.

Demmi and Emmi picked up the letters from their laps and red.

Miss D Lestrange

Blue bedroom on the left side

London, England

Miss E Lestrange

Blue bedroom on the right side

London, England

Demmi and Emmi scowled at their last names. They were considered Tonkses at home but hadn't gotten their last names changed at the ministry yet. They ripped open the letters and jumped for joy, they were going to Hogwarts.

"We're going to Hogwarts, we're going to Hogwarts!" they chimed, dancing around in a circle.

"I knew it!" Nymmi, who was now mainly known by Tonks at school and Nym at home, other then their dad who called her Dora and mum who often called her by her full name, said.

"Of course we knew it!" Ted said with a big grin.

"You guys will have so much fun their!" Andromeda said, Nym nodding in agreement.

"That brings up another question!" Ted said.

"We're technically your aunt and uncle, as you know, but we were wondering if you wanted us to officially adopt you. Now we think you're old enough to choose!" Andromeda said.

"Of course!" the twins said excitedly, hugging their parents and sister.

They did the paperwork that week and Demitria and Emilia were officially known as Demitria and Emilia Tonks, not _LESTRANGE._

That summer when Nym came home from her fifth year, the whole family decided to go to Diagon Alley. Their, they would be getting their school supplies and anything extra they might also want. Demmi and Emmi were really excited about it.

Demitria's POV

My twin sister, Emilia, and I woke up bright and early on July 10, the day we were going to go to Diagon Alley. Both of us dressed in similar outfits, as was our custom, and did our hair in the same style just to confuse everyone. We could also alter our faces, but we saw no need. The both of us wore sneakers with faded bluejeans. I wore a light blue T-shirt with a sparkly butterfly in the middle while Emmi's shirt had a flower. Both of us did our hair in one of our favorite styles, bubble-gum pink and in a casual disarray down to our shoulders. We walked downstairs to meet Nym, also with pink hair which was short and spiked, and the three of us went into the dining room to eat breakfast. Emmi and I were eating rather quickly and hardly noticed Mum reprimand us.

"Demitria, Emilia, that's no way to eat your food!"

"Om swy!" we both mumbled through mouthfuls of toast.

"We're serious, girls, keep eating like that and we might just leave later!" Dad said. We knew that he was joking after a minute but at first we had no clue. In our defense, Dad always catches us off guard with that sort of thing. Emilia almost choaked on a bite of sausage and I, being the spas and klutz that I am, spewed pumpkin juice across the table and in Nym's face. Of course, all three of us are rather spastic and clumsy, it's like a Tonks family thing. You know you're a Tonks when you're a spasy klutz. It's funny, really, because _technically_ they're our aunt and uncle and Nym is our cousin, our birth last name being the very _strange_ name of Lestrange, _gag!_ Both of us hate it! Even though we don't show it, we still remember a bit. We remember the pain, the screams of others, the slaps, and we still have the scars to proove it when we let them show. With our abilities, we can hide them but they're always their. At first, most people don't even notice we're those Lestrange twins, but then they look closer and we turn our hair and eyes back to normal and they know. Our eyes are really a stormy grey, but we like to keep them an opalescent shade of blue.

"Hey! I already took a shower, thanks!" Nym said indignantly.

"Ah well, Nymmi, looks like you got gum in your hair anyway!" I said.

"Ha ha ha, and what about your hair? Both of you look like you blew a Drooble's gum bubble in each other's hair except for the texture!"

"Yeah, us Tonks girls are just wierd like that!" Emmi said.

"You can say that again, I'm surrounded 24-7!" Dad said jokingly.

"Deeeear? Do you want the sofa again?" Mum asked.

"Course not, Dromeda love!" Dad said.

"That's good, Teddy bear!" Mum said. That was basically how Dad was. He was pretty tall, but gentle, loyal, and had a good sense of humor.

We left a few minutes later by floo powder and wound up in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Ah, 'ello, Ted, Andromeda, does young Nymphadora 'av another year of school?" asked the barkeep with very bad teeth and a head shaped like a wallnut.

"We should do that for Halloween!" I whispered, forgetting about our mind link so Nym could hear us.

"Yeah, just imagine, The Great and Noble Ladies Walnut!" Emilia whispered back, both of us started laughing as quietly as we could.

"We could even do that voice, or a female version of it, 'ello their!" I said. You see, when we were about six, the two of us realized we could also do any voice we wanted to, so could Nym. This often went hand-in-hand with being a metamorphmagus, people who could do this were called verbamorphmagi, but we only used this talent for pranks. Both of us wanted to be aurors some day so it would be really useful. Nym had already decided that that was what she wanted to do, hopefully her potions OWL would be all right, like us, she was dead clumsy.

"Yes, it's Nymphadora's sixth year and our twins' first year!" Mum said.

"Oy, Mum, it's Tonks here, or at least Dora or Nym!" Nym said with a frown.

"Twins? Ya couldn't mean those Lestrange girls could ya? A right shame that is, heard their mother crucioed them real bad and used that sectum sempra on 'em!"

"Actually it's Tonks now, thank you very much!" the two of us, as we often did, said together.

"Yeah, our middle names—com" I started.

"Might as well have been—com" Emmi continued.

"Sectum—com"

"And Sempra—com"

"Or Cruci—com"

"And Atus!" Emmi finished. The bartender looked gobsmacked at our tennis match speech as Nym so kindly calls it.

"Uh...erm...have fun in Diagon Alley!" Tom stuttered.

Mum and Dad led us back to a yard behind the pub and Mum tapped the right bricks which formed an arch. It wasn't our first time in the alley, but it was still exciting. First, we headed to Gringots. Today, we would be looking at the Lestrange family vault as well. The goblins had made sure to check for any dark objects and so the vault was safe to go in. We both knew that the Lestrange family was one of the oldest families in Britain as well as our birth and adopted mother's maiden family, the Blacks. We would be seeing the Black family vault as well because our birth mother was the oldest Black followed by our current mum and Aunt Narcissa who we hadn't met. Sirius Black, their cousin, was in prison, Mum (Andromeda) had been disowned so even though Nym was older she couldn't access the vaults, our little cousin Draco was two years younger then us so we were the ones to be the heiresses of Black and Lestrange.

"Good morning, Guntac!" Mum greeted a goblin behind the counter. "We would like to visit the Tonks vault. Also, we have our twins, Demitria and Emilia who are heiresses of the Black and Lestrange vaults. We don't have the keys so you'll need to do the blood thing!"

"Very well, please put forward your arms, young ladies!" the goblin said. Emmi and I did so and he drew a few drops of blood which fell onto two sheets of parchment. The blood spread out to family branches.

"Ah, Black and Lestrange, also distantly related to the Weasleys and Prewetts, though very very distant, not close enough to be able to open their vaults. That is very good, very good!" the goblin said. "Ranclaw will take you down to your vaults!" at that moment, a little goblin came out from behind the counter to meet us.


	41. Liliana: Strong and Quick

Liliana: Strong and Quick

An attempt to write… I don't know what! It's like an American and Dragon and Twilight sort of crossover thing in which a dragon/sorceress/siren hybrid thing, the British Dragon, from the 1700s is badly hurt, turned into a vampire… What was wrong with me, and WHERE was I going with this…?

Chapter One: The Changing.

It was July 22nd, 1700 at 11:00 PM. I, as my duty as the British Dragon (the first female one ever, yay me), was trying to keep some pesky troll away from the center of London and from terrorizing and killing the humans. It had only been three months since my father had passed the torch to me. The Dragon Counsel had been wary of a female but I had shown them my worth and convinced them that I was a better choice then my cousin David. I was doing just fine until this pain-in-the-ass troll had come along. It aimed a punch at my soft underbelly, the most vulnerable part of my dragon form.

"Ah, one of the Huntsies, now? They promise you somefink _special_ if ickle twollykins could take out de big bad Bwittish Dwagon, a wittle giwly who's _kicking_ _your_ _ass!"_ I taunted in a baby voice as I launched at him. I had always been known for "talking in such an unlady-like fashion, cussing like a man, taunting, saying what I thought. He roared with anger and we circled each other, doing a mad dance, predator and prey, prey and predator, prey was predator and predator was prey in this strange dance. I was bearly keeping my composure, I was scared senseless and I knew it. It was then that I thought of something. "_You're half sorceress, dummy, cast a spell!"_ I thought to myself. I had just as much magic as my sorceress mother but I sometimes forgot to use it.

"Although Ol Trollsy and I are having such fun, bathe him in a beam from the light of the sun!" I gasped out as he hit his rock-hard fist to my chest. I went flying back off the roof we were doing our predator/prey dance on at the time. Before I hit the cobbled street below, I could see a beam of sunlight come from nowhere and hit the troll. Before it could even scream it was turned to stone. I gave my wings a feeble flap before involuntarily turning human and slipping unconcious, the last thing I remembered was falling onto the cobblestones with a _thud._

Sylvara's POV

I was walking through the streets of London on my way back to my home. I had just come back from out of the city on one of my hunting trips. If I ate like most of the other vampires I had met I would've had enough blood in this city to keep me going for years. As it were, I did not share the diet and philosophy of most vampires. I prefered to call myself a "vegitarian", a vampire who only feeds from animals. It was then that I smelled a very strong stench like mildewed rock and something sweet that rather reminded me of lilies, jasmines, and roses. I looked up to see two figures fighting on top of a store. One was a huge thing with greyish skin. The other was only what I could describe as a dragon. It was a shade of medium blue with a bronze stomach and piercing green eyes. On top of it's head their was what looked like long red hayr flying out. Down it's back their were several red spikes at even intervals and her tail ended with three curved ones. It and the other thing, I'll call it giant for lack of a better word, were throwing punches at each other, both of them were dancing a dangerous dance I could only describe as predator versus prey though I could not tell who was who. The giant creature threw a punch at the dragon's underside and it gasped in a purely feminine way before glaring at the grey giant.

"Ah, one of the Huntsies, now? They promise you somefink _special_ if ickle twollykins could take out de big bad Bwittish Dwagon, a wittle giwly who's _kicking_ _your_ _ass!"_ she taunted in a baby sing-song voice. The troll, for I now knew that that was what it was, roared in outrage and charged the dragon who I was sure now was female. A look of dawning comprehension appeared on the dragon's face and I took a quick peek into her eyes which showed me the way into her mind so I could know what she was thinking. "_You're_ half sorceress, dummy, cast a _spell!"_ she had thought before raising her head Heavenward and speaking aloud in a clear soprano voice. Although Ol Trollsy and I are having such fun, bathe him in a beam from the light of the sun!" Just as she finished saying that, the troll's fist connected with her chest, knocking her backwards off the roof. As she was falling, I saw a beam of sunlight from nowhere hit the troll and turn it to stone. I was so entranced by these strange happenings that I did nothing to stop her descent. She feebly flapped her wings which brought her about three feet above the ground before something amazing happened. In a swirl of bronze, the petite but perky dragon turned into an equally petite human teenager as she fell in a crumpled heap onto the street.

I rushed over and turned her onto her back. She was wearing a fine dress of midnight blue, her family must be well off, her shoes were a pair of simple flats. She was petite, I could see that she was exactly four feet ten inches but she was slender and muscled. Her skin was fair but not in a bad way, more like soft cream. She had a few freckles on her cheeks and going over the bridge of her nose. Also, their was a peculiar red dragon-shaped birthmark on her lower right arm. I pealed her eyelid back to see the same piercing emeralds I had seen when she was a dragon...this girl was a dragon! She had wavy flame-red hair that fanned around her head in a halo. She was quite injured, her heart was having trouble beating. I scooped the girl up and ran at vampire speed home to talk to Anthony, my mate. I burst through the door, shut it, and laid the girl on the setae.

"Anthony!" I said. Anthony rushed down from upstairs and to my side. He was a vegetarian as well but had hunted the week before. I proceeded to tell him everything of the night's occurance.

"I feel as though she should be saved, Anthony!" I said.

"I agree but the child needs a choice." Anthony said. It was then that we noticed the child start to stir.

Lily's POV

I ached all over. I could feel myself on a comfortable couch. I blinked my eyes open to see the concerned face of an angelic-looking woman hovering over me. If I was an ordinary human I would think she was an angel and that I was in heaven but I knew, being the British Dragon, what vampires looked like. I also knew of the legends of the ones who lived among humans, vegetarians.

"Vegetarians!" I croaked out. "And I thought you were just legends, bite me then."

"What?" she asked. Her gold eyes widened in surprise and a strand of her caramel hair fell between them.

"I'll explain in three days, you have my permission!" I said simply. Their were a lot worse things to be then a vampire. Plus, I would be a vamp with benefits, vampire, British Dragon, daughter of the last British Dragon and the most powerful sorceress in Britain, oracle, and part siren. I might not be able to keep my post as British Dragon since I could technically hog it forever but that was all right, I could help all over the world where I was needed. The woman nodded and her face came closer and closer until I felt her teeth sink easily into my neck right above my collar bone. An eruption of fiery pain made it's way slowly, like deadly poison into my system. I couldn't help but wimper out a bit. When I'm in pain or stressed my powers kind of go haywire. As I screamed I could feel my dragon fire coming out of my mouth like a volcano. It also sounded like it was my siren's scream, the danger song which happens when a siren, or part siren, is in pain. What it does is it makes the nearest man just want to comfort me, I'd have to watch out to make sure the kind woman wasn't angry for casting such a charm on her mate who I could also see. The fiery pain thrummed their in my heart for a long time, three days. On that third day it started to recede from my fingers and toes, It all started to ball up and hurt ten times worse. My heart began to frantically stutter and it then stopped. I opened my eyes to see everything, the swirling grains of the beams in the cieling, the little dust mites floating around, and, much to my chagrin, the exact shape of the charred hole in the ceiling.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry about your roof!" I said as I stood up gracefully. My voice was still the same, light, a bit high-pitched, but it sounded like musical chimes now. "I'm also sorry if my screaming took a strange hold over your mate." My creator, the kind caramel-haired woman, stepped over to me. She was around five feet five inches and looked as though she was frozen in her mid-twenties. Her face was slightly round, as was mine, and filled with warmth. Her golden eyes were filled with a mother's love. Her caramel hair was up in a bun with a few loose strands framing her face. It was then that a man came in. He had to be at least six feet with broad, powerful shoulders and severe features. However, their was one thing that gave him away as a gentle soul, his laughing, twinkling, merry eyes.

"It's okay, dear girl!" the man said with laughter clear in his voice. "I am Anthony Strong, this is Sylvara, my wife!"

"Pleased to meet you!" I said with a smile. "I'm Liliana Quick but you may call me Lily!"

"Ah, Lily, that is such a pretty name!" Sylvara said gently with a smile, her voice even sounded like that of a mother's. "So you know what we, and now you, are?"

"Yes! As the British Dragon it is my duty to know everything I possibly can about every magical creature. You see, their is a magical counsel that keeps watch over the magical community. Us dragons are like gardians, we were created to watch over the magical world and fight when needed. Also, I am a sorceress, my mother is classed as the most powerful one in the country. Their is also oracle and siren blood on both sides of the family and I have come into those powers as well, they tend to skip generations. That's why my scream was like that. I am the first female Brittish Dragon. This does not mean that I am the first female dragon but I am the first one to be given all of the responsabilities. Female dragons are just starting to be taken seriously though I know that the door to them will be open before long, sorry, I'm a bit cryptic when an oracular flash pops up. Anyhow, we're just starting to be taken seriously and I'm the first British Dragon to be female, I've been in this position for three months, I am thirteen. My birthday is September 29th and that is when I will turn fourteen. I will go home today after I have hunted and talk with my family. I think I'll give my position to my cousin David, I can't hog it forever and it isn't fair. I can help dragons all over the world. Anyway, I hope you're okay with this. Also, I'd like to join your...coven doesn't sound right...your family, your family, be a daughter of sorts. Until and after they die my parents shall always be my parents but I will need you in the centuries ahead!"

"I follow!" Anthony said.

"You're more then welcome to join us, dearest Lily!" Sylvara said as she enveloped me in a gentle hug.

Chapter Two: The Present

October 3rd, 2010

I had come to an agreement with the Dragon Counsel those three hundred and ten years ago, I would be like a dragon ambasador, helping where I was needed, I was relieved to find out that my dragon form hadn't disappeared and I still looked the same in that form, if I was just seen in my dragon form nobody would know I was a vampire. I had only slipped up a few times with my diet but was still a solid vegetarian. It turned out that all of my powers had increased ten-fold and I had gained an amazing new one, the ability to mimic any power I saw, make it my own without stealing it from the other vampire. The Volturi had tried to get me to join up several times but I refused point-blank. The only good thing about having my last face-off with the entire guard where they tried to make me join was that I had been able to absorb all their powers so we were on an even playing field. Plus, I could breathe, and now also summon to my hands, fire. I had received a new assignment just a few days ago. Their had been a lot of magical trouble in New York City and it was hard for the American Dragon, even with his grandfather and little sister, to manage. Sylvara, Anthony, and I would be their the next day.

Jake's POV

I woke up on October third not really feelin' it today. I could tell it was going to be a wack day. I got up, grabbed my clothes, and ran to the bathroom, hoping I'd be able to make it first before my little sister. Unfortunately, Haley was already their and she was takin' her sweet and dandy time about getting out.

"Tuh, man, c'mon, Haley, I've gotta get ready!" I said through the door.

"You can wait, can't you?" Haley asked. "Plus, I go to school earlier then you!"

"Awe man, Haley, can't you cut your bro some slack?" I asked. Haley came out a few minutes later and I went in. I took a quick shower, dried off, dried my hair, and gelled it up into it's spikes. I then put on my clothes, ran into my room, slung on my backpack, and grabbed my skateboard before running downstairs.

"Bye!" I called out before I left. I jumped on my skateboard and started down the street. I met up with Spud and Trixie on the way to school.

"Hey, Jakie, how ya doin?" Trixie asked.

"Eh, I'm ite!" I said.

"We got Rotwood's class first, dude!" Spud said. "I think he's starting a new unit today!"

"Awe man!" I groaned to myself. I really wasn't looking forward to that class. We eventually got to the school and went in to go to our lockers. I stuffed my board into my locker and headed to the second floor for Rotwood's class. I sat down at my usual spot in the back and Trixie and Spud sat on either side of me. The entire class eventually filtered in and Rotwood started to talk.

"Good morning, class. Today ve vill be starting on a new unit—com" he was cut off as their was a knock on the door. "Vat, vat do you vant!" Rotwood said. It was then that a girl came in. The minute my eyes caught sight of her only three words were cycling through my head, _drop_ _dead_ _gorgious._ She was petite, far shorter then most girls in our grade but her posture, the way she dressed, one thing went through my mind, feisty. She only looked to be about four ten and she had a round face. Her nose was slightly upturned, her lips full and pink, and their were some freckles that I had to strain to see. Her skin was the palest skin I had ever seen, like creamy white chocolate. Her hair was down to her waste, wavy, and flame-red and her eyes were a beautiful, mesmerizing shade of bright gold. She wore a pair of black and red Vans, faded jeans with a patch over the right knee, and a black T-shirt that had arching red letters over a little devil character that read The Devil Made Me Do It.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, sir, but I'm new!" she said in a melodic soprano voice that was like wind chimes as she shut the door.

"Fine, yes then, introduce yourself!" Rotwood said.

"I'm Liliana Strong, you can call me Lily, I'm from England, and I'm wondering what the hell kind of class this is, _magical_ _theory?"_ I could tell just by listening to her that her accent was 100 percent British. I was amazed at how bold she was to talk to him like that, maybe she could tell that he was just as wack as I knew him to be. Maybe, just maybe, their was more to this Liliana girl then she was letting on. I remember hereing some things in lessons with Gramps, pale skin, incredibly graceful, but I couldn't quite pin it.

"Fantastic, one of you mouthy ones!" Rotwood muttered. "Go sit down in front of Mr. Long their, the kid with the spiked hair and bad attitude!" The girl smiled at me and sat in the seat in front.

"Right, as I vas saying before I vas so rudely interrupted, ve vill be starting a new unit. This unit vill be on vampires." I could've sworn that I saw Lily stiffen in her seat before she relaxed and turned around.

"Are you sure," she whispered loudly, "that he means vampires and not _wampires?_ By the way that man's talking I must say otherwise."

"Have you got something to say to the class, Miss Strong?" Rotwood demanded and then muttered, "Strong and Long, just great, they even rhyme."

"No, just to Jake here and his friends!" she said sweetly. "I'm sorry if I so _rudely_ interrupted your little tyrade, though, Mr. Rottooth...no it's Rotiron...nah—com"

"I am Professor _ROTWOOD!"_ he snapped.

"Wormwood, right, gotcha!" Lily said.

"Rotwood, R-O-T-W-O-O-D!" Rotwood shouted. The whole class, including Trixie, Spud, and I, were laughing hysterically. "As I vas saying, ve vill have our new unit on vampires! Also, tomorrow, ve vill be having a quiz on the last unit, dragons!"

"Awe man!" I moaned. I could here Lily in front of me moan something a bit loudly.

"Ah damn, why do I always transfer to a new school just as they're about to give out these damned quizzes?"

"That will be enough of your potty-mouth, Miss Strong!" Rotwood snapped.

"Potty-mouth? I don't believe my head's turned into that of a toilet so how can I have a potty-mouth, oh great and noble Mr. Wormwood?" Lily asked innocently as she sent the whole class into fits of laughter again. "I do believe that I just use some slightly different vocabulary. Apparently, in your old country, their was no such thing as freedom of speech. Oh well, at least I know one thing, I'm good at annoying totally weird teachers. Oh yes, and by the way, why don't you just tell the principal you're infatuated with her even though you think that she won't notice a scientist who's failed to capture anyone's interest several times, all this pent-up anger isn't good for you!" The whole class was clutching their sides in laughter now. Rotwood in love with the principal, I should have known but how did she? Rotwood went into a stammering, yammering fit and fell off the desk he was sitting on making the class laugh even harder.

"Mahamanaminya, how did you know?" Rotwood demanded making us all laugh harder still including Lily, her laugh was like little bells ringing in harmony. Rotwood streightened himself out and glared at the girl. "That's it, Strong, detention. Also, Long, you can take it with her for being so obnoxious!" I frowned but kept back my "awe man". It was then that the bell rang and we filtered out of class. Rotwood stopped Lily in her tracks.

"How do you know so much?" he demanded of her.

"I just do, Rotwood. Also, it would be wise to respect your elders because I can tell you for a fact that I'm _way_ older then you. I'll leave you that little bit to chew on." She smiled and flounced into the hallway, I followed her.

"Sweet job on Rot today!" I said.

"Yeah, girl, that was awe-some!" Spud said.

"Yaya, we need some other girls like you around!" Trixie said.

"Yeah, it's fun to mess with teachers like him. Other then in his class I'll do just fine, get A grades and all, but I'm going to get an F by saying the truth, not what he believes. I'll see you around, American Dragon, I've got French next!" With that, Lily flitted down the hall. The one question running through my mind was "how did she know?".

Lily's POV

It had been so fun to mess with that whackjob of a teacher, he never would figure out what I was, or at least, not all of it. I mean, how many dragon/oracle/siren/sorceress/vampires are their in the world? Also, taunting the old fart (as if I'm one to talk) had focused me on something other then the scent of the kid behind me, Jake Long, the American Dragon. He smelled like hair gell, charcoal, and skateboards, it was like someone had flung a flaming dagger into my mouth and pushed it down my windpipe. I could tell right away that the American Dragon was my singer, no blood would ever smell better to me. He seemed nice though and maybe we could team up in our lovely little detention to get on old Wormy's nerves. I had to meet with some old guy, the old Chinese dragon, at some shop he owned and Jake would be going their too as well as Pippa, my five-hundred-year-old sassy talking poodle animal guardian, Mum, and Dad. I had been calling Sylvara and Anthony that for a long time now. I rushed into my French class without a moment to spare and slipped into a seat.

"You're in my seat!" said a bitchy-looking blonde with ice blue eyes who was wearing a way-too-skimpy cheerleader's uniform. Ah, if only I was again in the time when a girl dressing like a total slut was the town scandal. On the other hand, I wouldn't be able to wear my jeans and I wasn't giving them up for anything.

"It's not your seat anymore!" I said nonchalantly. "Plus, I don't see your name engraved on it, find another seat!" The girl huffed and sat in the only vacant seat left, the seat right to my left.

"Class, we've got a new student today. Miss Strong, why don't you demonstrate how much French you might know!" the teacher, Mrs. McGovern, said. I could here a snort from the girl and whirled around to face her.

"What seems to be the problem, little miss barbie-doll? Think that I'm an uncultured _moron?"_ I asked her in fluent French, not stuttering over a single word, not even sounding as though it was my second language. I had known French more then 300 years, this girl had nothing on me. Also, that was exactly what she was thinking.

"No, not at all. I just simply thought that judging by your purely _pauper-like_ appearance you'd not know so much!" she, Stacy judging by her mind, said. Stupid girl, she thought she was all that with her french but she still sounded purely American, her pronounciations on several words incorrect.

"Oh yes," I spat, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "and having accounts adding up to several million pounds makes me a pauper _how?"_

"Oh nothing, nothing. It's just the way you dress, it's tacky and unseemly, like you don't give a care a bit for your looks. You look like a pauper, act like a pauper, dress like a pauper—com" I had had enough of her thinking she was all that, the stupid little wench. I jumped up, shaking with irritation.

"Oh I'll _pop_ you, you bitch!" I yelled as I switched back to English and loomed over her.

"That's quite enough, Miss Jones, Miss Strong!" Mrs. McGovern said. I frowned and plopped back down into my seat, scowling at Stacy who scowled back.

The rest of French went all right and I was soon going off to gymn. I entered the locker room and changed into my gym clothes, every girl glancing enviously at my perfect vampire body. I ran at human speed out and into the gym to see Jake and his two friends.

"Hey Jake, um...you guys!" I called as I joined them. "Jake, I was thinking that we could use our detention to get more on old Wormy Rotty's nerves. And by the way, I've got to meet with you, your grandpa, and your sharpay this afternoon, Mum and Dad won't be happy that I'm late, though. After so many years of me being their daughter they ought to get used to it. I'm not telling you what I am, by the way, you'll have to be patient as will your human friends here. I see they know the secret. I'm not a threat, just a friend. By the way, who's that bitchy blonde in the skimpy cheerleading uniform?"

"That's Stacy!" the girl said. "I'm Trixie by the way."

"Yeah, Stacy is the most popular girl in school!" said the boy with the backwards baseball cap. "I'm Arthur Spudinski by the way, people just call me Spud."

"Most popular?" I scoffed. "More like the most bitchy. She basically tagged me as a poor tacky pauper in French today, her French isn't even that good. She mispronounces everything and she sounds distinctly American." Spud looked a bit offended. "Ah, genius-pretending-to-be-dumb skate kid _likes_ the bitchy popular snothead Stacy, hmm?"

"How did you—com" Jake started.

"You'll find out after school. I think the teacher's about to start talking so let's shut up, hmmm?" I said as we faced the teacher.

"Today we'll be doing relay and group races in laps around the gym. Captains today are Jake Long and Brad Morton." Jake and a big, beefy guy that looked at least sixteen stepped forward.

"Stacy!" Brad said.

"Spud!" Jake said.

"Lacy!" Brad called. A brown-haired girl wearing the same outfit as Stacey stepped up.

"Trix!" Jake said.

"Tracy!" Brad called. A black haired girl stepped up, she too was wearing the uniform.

"C'mon up, Lily!" Jake said. I smiled and lined up behind Trixie. I could here some thoughts in other people's heads like "He used to reserve that spot for Rose before she left" and "What's with Long's obsession with girls with flower names?". I knew what they were talking about, Rose had been Huntsgirl but had escaped the Huntsclan and found her family again, they were now living in Hong-Kong. I had had many run-ins with the Huntsclan both as a human and vampire, I was somewhat of a legend to them, the dragon that couldn't die. I had the birth mark of the clan members as well but they never thought to look among magical families. The mark was still just as vibrant in my vampire form as ever. I was shocked that Jake hadn't noticed it yet. Before I knew it, everyone was in different lines. The relay race went well, it wound up being Jake versus Lacey, Trixie versus Tracy, and Spud Versus Stacy. I had opted to be the last one to go, the most important. When it came my time to run around the gym I found I was up against Brad Morton. He smirked at my petite form, ugly, beady eyes checking every inch of me out, but I'd kick his ass. We started off and Brad gained a spirt of speed. I took my time knowing that I could still beat him without giving away my secret. When he was lumbering around the corner of the gym I picked up my pace and was soon in step with him. He was breathing hard and fast, I, though nobody would notice it, wasn't breathing at all. WHEN humans run, their scents fly all around and it tempts me. I sped past him running as fast as I could without arising suspicion, about as fast as an olympic runner, and stopped at the back of my line while Brad was still a length behind me.

"Amazing, Miss Strong!" The teacher praised. No student has been able to beat Brad here before. You should join the track team!"

"I'm not a sports person, I was just _made_ fast!" I said as I looked meaningfully at Jake to see if he could figure it out. Plus, I'd feel bad joining a team full of humans.

The class was soon over and I started to head to lunch, Jake, Trixie, and Spud behind me. I got some lunch, just for appearance sake, and sat down with my new friends. Lunch was half over before Spud noticed something.

"Girl, you like, don't eat!" he said as he looked at my plate and the bagel I had picked apart.

"I can't!" I answered truthfully. "I can only drink!"

"Then why not drink your milk?" Trixie asked.

"Not that kind of drink. Jake, if you haven't figured me out yet then you need to pay more attention to your gramps's lessons. Think, what creatures can't eat human food?" I sighed irritably and put my face in my hands. It was then that Jake spotted it.

"That's a huntsmark on your wrist! You aren't one of them, are you?"

"No, no I'm not. They don't think to look into magical families, just human ones." I said. Lunch was finished in silence and it was soon time for English, my favorite.

The rest of the day was pretty boring and it was soon time for old Wormy's detention. I met up with Jake and we made our way to Rotwood's classroom.

"Ah, today you vill right lines, I won't backtalk in Professor Rotwood's class!" Rotwood said. "I vant one hundred." I smirked and started to write at human speed. I will always back talk in Mr. Wormwood's class. I will always backtalk in Mr. Wormwood's class. Soon enough Jake and I were done and heading out of the classroom.

"Awe man, we're fifteen minutes late!" Jake moaned as he grabbed his skateboard from his locker. I opened my locker which was right next to his and pulled out mine as well.

"We won't skate then!" I said as I magically shrank my board and put it in my backpack which I then magically shrank and put in my right pants pocket. I did the same thing with Jake's board and bag before he could protest and stuck them in my right pocket.

"You're a sorceress, aren't you?" Jake whispered.

"That's part of it. We'll be faster if we run, come with me." I grabbed Jake's arm and led him outside. I smirked and threw him onto my back before he could say anything. "Close your eyes!" with that, I started running at vampire speed so fast that nobody could've seen or heard me. I came to a hault in front of the shop and opened the door, carrying Jake in. He seemed very dazed and when I tried to set him on his feet he nearly fell until I pushed him into a chair.

"Aia! Jake, what did I tell you about being late!" a little old man demanded, not even seeing me. Jake rubbed at his eyes and stood up a bit woozily.

"Liliana Jade Quick-Strong! What did i tell you this morning?" Mum demanded.

"Not to do anything like that without warning and to not be so darn mysterious!" I deadpanned.

"And also _NOT_ _TO_ _BE_ _LATE!"_ Mum said.

"Yeah yeah! By the way, I'm sorry, Jake, it was fastest. Everything will be explained soon." I pulled out our stuff and enlarged them, plunking them in a pile on the floor.

"Hey, something I miss?" Pippa asked as she pushed open the door to the shop.

"Nice for you to join us, Pippa!" Mum said.

"Nice? _NICE?_ C'mon, Mum! You just yell at me about being late and here's Pippa later then me!"

"You're one of the main topics of this conversation!" Dad said in an exasperated tone of voice. It was then that an old, grey, wrinkly, rather fat sharpay came walking in from the back room.

"Hey, kid, is their something I missed?" he asked and then saw Pippa, my plump, curly-haired white poodle. "Philippa? Is that you?"

"_FILIPPA?_ Oh that's rich, what a name!" Jake laughed.

"Oh shut up, you!" Pippa said. "Is that really you, Fugimo?"

"And you think Fillippa is bad? Fugimo is the wierdest name I ever heard and that's saying something since I lived in both China and Japan for twenty years!" I said, momentarily forgetting that Jake didn't know how old I really was.

"Wait...you're fourteen, how could you have lived in Japan and China for twenty years apiece?" Jake asked as I mentally slapped myself with my full vampire strength.

"Have you ever heard legends about the World Dragon, did Rose ever tell you about the Huntsclan legends of the dragon that couldn't die?"

"I've heard of him but how do you know about Rose?" Jake asked.

"Him, _HIM?_ Honestly, people are almost as sexist as they were back in seventeen hundred. Do I _look_ like a _him_ to you?" I asked incredulously without thinking.

"Lily!" Mum warned.

"Sorry, I am easily distracted sometimes, that's a weakness." I said.

"Could you please explain?" Jake asked.

"All right. First off, I'm physically frozen at two-and-a-bit months before my fourteenth birthday. I was born on September 29, 1686. This means that I am approximately 324 years and four days old. My father, Richard Quick, was the British Dragon at the time. My mother, Luria, was the most powerful sorceress in the country. At the time their had never before been a female British Dragon, the counsel didn't take them seriously. From the time I was little both of my parents trained me in martial arts of all types so I would be a formitable fighter even when I was not in my dragon form. When I was four, my oracular powers began to develop, their was oracle blood on both sides of the family and the trait tended to skip generations. When I was five, I began to sing but it was soon realized that my songs had a power over boys my age, even older men. That was when it was discovered that I had inherrited the family's siren trait. That tended to skip generations as well but I was considered of full power both as a siren and as an oracle. Even today my power is only matched by the oracle twins Sarra and Karra. Lastly, when I was six, my dragon and sorceress powers started to develop. My father became my dragon master and my mother my magic master. When I was thirteen, Dad was about ready to step down as the British Dragon and was more then ready to pass it on to me. However, his brother thought that his son, David, would be a better choice since I was a girl. Ah the oppinions of seventeenth and eighteenth century sexist pigs. I beat my cousin David in a test the Dragon Counsel set up because they thought I, because I quite frankly am as petite a dragon as I was a human, would lose. Boy did I proove them wrong. I might be petite but even as a human and dragon I was fast, very fast which transfered over to how I am now. I not only beat my cousin but I kicked his—com"

"Liliana!" Mum said reprovingly.

"What! I was going to say butt!" I said innocently hoping that she wasn't looking into my eyes. "Anyway, I was made British Dragon. Three months later, in the middle of the night, I was fighting a troll that liked to terrorize the humans in an affluent suburb of London where I lived. It hit me right in my underbelly and I realized that the Huntsclan must have told him that if he was able to capture or kill me they'd leave him alone. I taunted him, he got mad, I thought to use a sunbeam summoning spell, he thwacked me in the chest, and I fell off the roof of the store we were fighting on. My heart was having trouble beating and I was bearly alive from the fight. When I fell unconcious I became human again. Mum, I mean Sylvara here, found me and brought me to her home. She talked with Dad, I mean Anthony here, and they decided to give me a choice on whether I should be saved. I knew what they were so I let them. Three days later I awoke and told them of myself. I then went to the Dragon Counsel and talked to them. In my position, I could easily be British Dragon forever but that wasn't fair at all. We came to an agreement, them coming to respect me, and I became World Dragon, helping where I was needed when I was needed. I've heard of the trouble their has been here and I've come to help. Four dragons are better then three. Lastly, what I became when Mum saved me was a vampire. We're super fast and strong, don't have blood, our skin's as hard as stone but smooth as silk, we're all extremely graceful, beautiful, and have nice voices, we sparkle in the sun, and we're vegetarians. That means that we just drink animal blood. Most vampires drink human blood which makes their eyes red. Our eyes are gold because of our diet. their are only two other families like us. One currently lives in Alaska and the other in Washington state. Also, no vampire can sleep, we've got expanded mental capacities, we don't have to breathe, and some of us have gifts. For example, Mum can read minds if she looks in your eyes and Dad is an empath but can block it out. all of my powers increased ten-fold and I gained an amazing new one, the ability to mimic any vampire gift I see, make it my own without stealing it from the other vampire. With all the vampires I've met, I have many gifts but I can lock them away if I want too. That's about it, how do you feel about all this?" Only one thing came out of Jake's mouth as the almost tangible shock rolled off him in waves.

"Huh?" I poured calm into the room and he eventually relaxed but still stared at me, open-mouthed and slack-jawed.

"Sorry if it's a bit much." I said. "But you needed to know. You can tell your human friends too, by the way."

"Er...thanks, I think." Jake said.

"Not a problem. I have a few plans on what I want to do. Firstly, I want to infiltrate the Huntsclan's academy. I have the mark and if I magically mask myself it's no problem."


	42. Lily Long goes to Sky High

Lily Long Goes to Sky High

An attempt to write some sort of American Dragon and Sky High crossover… thing… in which the daughter of Jake and Rose goes to Sky High with the daughter of Spud and Trixy…

Chapter One: Sky High A week before I was to start high school at Thomas Jefferson High in New York City, we received a very interesting guest. She said her name was Principal Powers and that she ran a school for kids with powers named Sky High. She said that they knew about my abilities because of the amount of strange energy coming from the house and from me that they had detected. Dad was freaked out at first but then she assured him that they knew of the magical world since they were deemed part of it years ago. After that, Dad and Mom were thrilled that I was accepted at this school. I would still have dragon training with Dad after school just like Dad did with his grandpa. Apparently, Mom and Dad were afraid that I might not get the powers. For one thing, my mom is completely human, for another thing, my grandpa on my dad's side was human, and finally, the powers had skipped my grandma's generation. My powers had started to show themselves when I was seven, about when Aunt Haley started showing hers. It seemed that girls got their powers earlier then boys because my little brother Ryan was already eight and he had no signs yet.

Perhaps I had better explain what I'm talking about. I'm Lily Cassiopeia Long. My parents are Jake and Rose Long. It's funny how they met, before Mom knew who Dad was, she tried to kill him because she was in this group called the Huntsclan who hunted magical creatures. All of them had a dragon shaped mark on their right arm at birth that went almost up to the elbow and looked a bit like a tatoo. I was actually born with this mark, but the Huntsclan is non-existent now. My dad was the first American dragon, his grandpa was the Chinese dragon before moving to America. The job of the American Dragon was to protect the magical world that nobody knew about. I kind of freaked out when Mom and Dad told me, but I got over it. When I turned thirteen, Dad stepped down as the American Dragon and I took his place. That's not to say he still doesn't fight. Luckily, their was no chance of the title going to anyone except me, Ryan, or Aunt Haley's twins Cameron (girl) and Carson (boy)" My dad's cousin Gregory was so snide and rude that he never found a wife.

So here I am outside waiting for the buss to Sky High, my blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail with a blue rubber band, dressed in a pair of blue jeans, sneakers, and a baby blue top. I felt a little bit sad because I knew Trista, my best friend, wasn't coming. She was going off to some genius private school. I sighed and flicked a piece of my still-growing-out bangs out of my dark brown eyes. It was funny, really, I had my dad's _everything,_ even hair texture, but I had Mom's hair color, dragon mark, and Dad says I have her personality mostly. Just as I was pondering this, a yellow school buss pulled up. I got on and smiled at the bus driver.

"Hello." I said with a smile.

"Hello! I'm Ron Wilson, bus driver. May I ask what your name is?"

"Oh, it's Lily Long."

"You mean the daughter of the American Dragon?" the old driver asked.

"Yeah, but he's not the American Dragon anymore, He passed the figurative torch to me a little over a year ago."

"Oh, well have a nice day, Miss Long." Ron said.

"You too!" I said before walking into the isle and looking for seats. I saw the last one by the person I least expected to see. With her kinky brown hair pulled through a baseball cap, fairly dark skin, trademark denim shorts, Vans, and her favorite blue and white Yankees jersey, their was Trista. I squealed in delight and ran over to my best friend.

"Trista, I thought you were going to that Einstein Academy!" I said as I sat down.

"Yeah, and I thought you were going to the Isle of Draco to do some intensive training along with having school, Lils!"

"Nope! Principal Powers explained that I counted and that it was all right if I went and was able to do my dragon thing and get in more practice here! What about you? I didn't know you had powers!"

"Well, apparently Dad's got some magician ancestors and the dormant blood awakened in me. I'm a telekenetic and a technokenetic. That means I can move things and control technology."

"Awesome!" I said. At that moment, the bus sped towards an unfinished bridge with a CAUTION, NO ROAD AHEAD sign. I freaked out. As we neared, some belts strapped themselves around me and Trista and the bus took off into the air. After I knew we were safe, I stopped clutching the seats and put my hands up in the air and yahooed with the select few that weren't screaming, those select few only including me, Trista, and some guy in the back. Right when I wasn't expecting it, their was a big lurch down and the buss hit solid ground.

Everyone got off the buss and started towards the building. As Trista and I got about a yard away from the step, an arm rapped itself around us. I looked to see that it was some guy that looked two years older then us who was standing a good five feet away.

"Hey, beauty, I haven't seen you round here before!" said the ugly boy.

"Duh, because I'm a freshman!" I said. "Now let go!"

"I don't think so! You're far too pretty. You've got all of the characteristics of an Asian, and yet you've got blonde hair, why is that?" he asked, pulling me closer.

"Because I'm half Chinese, jerk! Now _LET_ _ME_ _GO!"_ I demanded, he just pulled me closer. "Ugh! _THAT_ _IS_ _IT!"_ under my breath I muttered, "Hands of the dragon." My human hands changed into my red dragon ones complete with sharp claws. I lifted my claws up and slashed at his arm, making him retract it. After that, I aimed a hard karate kick to his balls, such strength and moves curtesy of Mom's martial arts training that she had first learned as a member of the Huntsclan.

"That's what you get for messin' with a New York raised American Dragon, daughter of Jake Long, the last American Dragon, and Rose Long, ex-huntsgirl!" I hissed. Then, I walked towards the school, Trista following.

"That was awesome, Lils, but should you have used your dragon powers on him?" she asked.

"Hello, even though Supers keep to themselves and fight amongst each other most of the time, they're still part of the magical community and that boy was about to strangle me with those snake arms."

"Yeah, I guess you're right!" Trista said. As we got into the building, we saw a sign that read: _ALL FRESHMAN GO TO THE GYM FOR Power PLACEMENT._

"Hmmm, where _is_ the gym?" Trista asked, rolling her eyes.

"Dunno, ear of the dragon." My ears then turned into my big red dragon ears.

"Where's the gym?" I heard a shy kid ask down the hall.

"Oh, just take a right, a left, go to the end of the hall, and you'll see it." I retracted my dragon ears to be replaced with my human ones. We followed the instructions and found ourselves in a huge gym with bleachers half filled with students. We sat down on the top bleacher.

"My name is Coach _BOOMER!"_ said a man who was somewhere between the age of my parents and the age of my grandparents. Secretly, I thought he looked as old as my great grandpa Lau-Shi. "Some of you might also know me as Sonic Boom, some of you might not. Regardless, I am here to determine whether you are placed in hero or sidekick classes. Now, let's start. Lium Amherst!" The shy kid that I heard earlier walked down.

"What's your power, kid?" the coach asked.

"Um...well...I can shapeshift into a dog and I can shoot lasers from my eyes." he said quietly. Then, he shapeshifted into a big St. Bernard and shot lazers at a target at the other side of the gym.

"If it wasn't for the lasers, you'd be a sidekick, but you're a hero." Boomer said. "Now, Ashley Bowman!" A stuck-up looking girl walked up.

"I make things explode!" she said snidely. Then, the girl faced empty bleachers and screamed. "Aaaaahhhhh!" THE bleachers exploded in a shower of sparks. Then, she shot her hand out towards the targets making them explode.

"Hero!" the coach said. The girl batted her lashes at him and flounced off the stage. He called up several more kids before calling up, "Lily Long, come up here!" I set my bag in my chair and walked down.

"WHAT can you do, kid?"

"Well, I'm a dragon, kind of. I can turn into one. I'm the American Dragon." I said. Their were whispers all over like little hissing snakes about to pounce. "I can turn full dragon, or I can just turn a part of myself into one."

"Show me your parts first and then go full formed!" the coach ordered. I nodded.

"Mouth of the dragon!" I said loudly. Then, I blew fire at some new targets which were charred immediately. Then, I returned to my human mouth and gained my red, scaly, dragon tale. I took it, wrapped it around a beam, and lept up onto it. After that, I jumped from the beam, got my wings on my back, and flew down. Then, I shouted "Dragon up!" with a swirl of fire, I was my red boddied, gold stomached, blue eyed dragon self. It was funny because when I was like this, my eyes were the same color as my mom, sapphire blue. "Hey, coach!" I said. Then, I flew around the room once.

"How strong are you?" the coach demanded.

"Strong enough to throw a troll!" I said.

"Okay, _car!"_ at that moment, a car fell from the cieling. I caught it and threw it across the room at an empty set of bleachers, bashing a hole in the wall.

"_LOOOONG!"_ the coach boomed. "What were you thinking, putting a hole in my _wall?"_

"Sorry!" I said as I became human again.

"Humph, hero, dragon girl!" the coach grumbled. I smiled and went to sit down by Trista.

"Awesome job!" Trista said. "That coach is a real grump!"

"Thanks. Him calling me Dragon Girl reminds me of the stories Mom and Dad would tell me. Mom used to call Dad Dragon Boy!"

"Yeah!" Trista said. After several more people, it was Trista's turn.

"Trista...haha...Spuddinski?" the coach said with a laugh.

"Damn! Why didn' Mom make Dad take _her_ name!" Trista grumbled as she got up.

"What do you do, Spuddinski?"

"I'm a telekinetic and a technokinetic, Mr. Shorty Shorts!" Trista said cheekily. It was true. His shorts bearly covered him and the jersey was _way_ too big.

"She's right, you know!" I hollered, wanting to get back at him for giving me that nickname already. Like I wanted some old fart calling me Dragon Girl. "You look like you stole those shorts from a pixie and that jersey from a troll!" Some students laughed while others looked between me and Trista incredulously.

"Don't sass, just show! And Long, you and your friend are already on my bad side! Right then, _computer!"_ the coach said. An ordinary computer lowered on a table from the ceiling. "Crack the password to get in and hack into the Sky High web site." the coach said.

"Easy stuff! I've been all over that sight since I learned about this place!" Trista said. Then, the computer turned on by itself and the log in screen came up. It took Trista no time to get onto the computer and even less time to get onto the web site. She did all of this with her mind too. She was quite the genius just like her dad Arthur and a tomboy like her mom Trixy. Then, she lifted the computer up with her mind and threw it into another set of bleachers so hard it made another hole.

"Spuuuddiiinskiii? What were you _thinking"not_ only did you destroy a computer, you destroyed another wall."

"Oh, sorry, they're still a bit hard to control!" Trista said.

"Gruh! Hero! Now go sit down, Potato head." Boomer said angrily. Trista looked furious!

"Don't call me _that_ and _don't_ call my best friend Dragon Girl!" she growled, lifting the coach into the air and flipping him upside down before flipping him back up and dropping him and sitting down with me.

"Okay, that's enough, lunch next, then you'll come back here!" I sighed with relief as we headed out of the gymn.

We basically followed everyone else to the cafeteria. We got some food that looked better then New York school food and looked for a table. After a minute of wandering around, I saw a red haired girl with green eyes clad all in green wave to us. She and her friends looked nice enough so we went and sat down.

"Hi, my name's Layla, Layla Wiliams." she said.

"Oh, hi! I'm Trista. I'd tell you my last name but you'd all probably laugh!"

"Oh, are you that girl who called Boomer Mr. Shorty Shorts?" asked a light brown haired boy in a red T-shirt. "I'm Will by the way."

"She was, how did you find out? That was a few minutes ago." I said.

"News travels around this place like a wildfire!" said another boy who had linked arms with a girl wearing black and purple with purple streaks in her inky hair.

"Oh! Well anyway, I'm Lily Long." I said.

"You mean like the daughter of the American Dragon and some human woman?" Will asked.

"Yeah! But don't call my mother that. I think she's a blackbelt in, like, most every martial arts style. You see, she was Huntsgirl back around 2005, she was twelve. The Huntsclan took her from her mother at the hospital right after she was born because of this." I stuck my right arm out and pointed to the mark. "She was a twin. She only met with her sister, Violet, after she and Dad graduated high school. That's when her parents learned she was alive. Before she knew who Dad was, that her friend Jake Long was the American Dragon, she tried to capture him on several occasions. When she found out, though, she helped him and they started to date and she double crossed the Huntsclan and led them to their downfall. The Huntsclan doesn't exist now, except maybe for a few escaped members, but that's it."

"Wow, a villain turned hero. Wish my dad would do that." said a quiet boy in black and red with black hair and eyes and a red streak in his hair.

"Who's your dad? You don't have to tell but—com" I started.

"It's okay. I'm Warren Peace and he was Barren Battle. Last year, I had a real thing against Will here because it was his parents who captured him, but that was probably for the best. He was a good dad, but not a good man. I just wish he was as good to the world as he was to me. He's in prison now."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Warren!" I said. Trista, who was usually a chatterbox, was silent.

"So was it you who made that gaping hole in the gym wall with the car, Lily?" Layla asked.

"Yeah, how did you know?" I asked.

"Because as I was walking to my next class, I turned the corner to see the car plow through the wall. I even heard Coach Boomer yell "Looooong!" at you. He's really loud. Then, on my way to the next class, I could hear you all so I stopped to listen. Coach Boomer called Trista up and she called him Mr. Shorty Shorts?"

"Yeah, I did. His outfit should be illegal." Trista said, cracking a smile.

"Yeah, then you told him that he looked like he stoll the shorts from a pixie and the shirt from a troll, do those things exist?" Will asked.

"Yeah. Pixies are really sweet little creatures, but trolls are a pain in the ass to fight, but I've been training for a good six years." I said. "So, how about some intros?" The rest of lunch was just talking and finding out who everyone else was. Layla was in hero classes and could control plants, Will could fly and was super strong, A black boy named Ethan could melt, the purply girl was named Magenta and she shapeshifted into a gerbil, her boyfriend, Zack, could glow, and Warren was a pyro, which was the nickname that I gave him on the spot. I heard about the Royal Pain incident that happened last year and I also heard about how Will's powers didn't develop until a few weeks into class making him a sidekick at first. Layla didn't want to show her powers so she got made into a sidekick. The rest of them still would be sidekicks this year if they hadn't helped, except Warren. He was a hero from the start. Soon after that, lunch was over and we returned to power placement.


	43. Lilyanna

Lily

An attempt to write… yet another unnecessary character insert fic! This time, it's a girl who has read the HP books who turns out to be Harry's hidden twin… Ah, hell…

Chapter One: _WHAT?_

I was just having an ordinary, normal day at school when I noticed their was a coin on the desk in front of the computer that I always used. I picked it up to get a closer look at it. It was large and gold, no quarter or silver dollar, that's for sure. In the next second I felt a jerk from behind my navel only described in books. I landed in a chair in a strange room with instruments whizzing all around. In front of me behind a grand desk sat a tall man with a silver beard and hair long enough to tuck into a belt. Only one name came to mind.

"Albus _DUMBLEDORE?"_ I asked.

"So you know my name, my dear?" he asked merrily. I was sure just by his voice that his eyes were twinkling.

"But you-you-you're supposed to be in _books,_ not _real."_ I stammered.

"Yes, so the Muggles think. I am quite real. I believe those books were written by a seer but she didn't get the _entire_ story. Look around." Dumbledore said. I did just that. There was a boy with bright emerald eyes and unruly black hair with a scar in the middle of his forehead.

"What am I doing here?" I asked.

"That's what I want to know." the boy, presumably Harry, said. "Who is she?"

"I will explain. When Voldemort fell you were not the only one to bring him down, Harry. Their was another, your sister—com"

"But she looks nothing like me!" he protested.

"She is glamoured. As I was saying, your mother's protection was for both of you. You have grown up with a Muggle family living a Muggle life with fond memories of your family. You were placed with your family, your parents believing you truly are their daughter who was killed by Voldemort. You were given memories of the real Anne-marie's life to protect you. Your magic has been blocked but strange things might have happened anyway. We had to protect you, your family is distantly related to the Potters. I will now remove the glamours and tell you your name. Glamouro evanesco!" Dumbledore waved his wand and I felt this tingling feeling. I put my fingers up to my face and felt it was round and pretty, my eyes were almond shaped. I brushed some hair into my eyes to see it was a rich, dark red and curly. My fingers brushed against a scar then, it looked like a crescent moon.

"Yes...well...that's that. Anne-Marie Simon, age fourteen, born March 2, 1980, you are truly Lilyanna Jamie Potter, age thirteen, born July 31, 1980, youngest of twins. Your parents are, in fact, Lily and James Potter.

"_WHAT?"_ Harry and I exploded.

"But how could this even be possible? What about my family...my poor mom and dad?" I demanded.

"They will be obliviated." Dumbledore said gravely. I stood up then, toppling my chair to the floor.

"_YOU_ _WILL_ _ABSOLUTELY_ _NOT_ _DO_ _SUCH_ _A_ _THING!"_ I thundered.

"They are Muggles, how do you explain something like this to them?" Dumbledore asked. I could feel my temper rising. It was like all the air around me was crackling with electricity.

"We will _find_ a way, damn it!" I ground out. "You expect me to just _come_ here? Completely forget my old _life?_ Let you obliviate _EVERYONE_ I care about? _THAT_ _AIN'T_ _GONNA_ _HAPPEN!"_ all around me things were starting to explode. His little silver instruments became piles of silver splinters, all the papers on his desk were now on the floor all around, portraits hung crooked from the walls.

"Dear girl please calm down, have a lemon drop." Dumbledore tried to soothe as he held out a bowl filled with yellow candy to me.

"_I_ _DON'T_ _WANT_ _YOUR_ _DAMN_ _LEMON_ _DROPS!"_ I yelled. I took the bowl and hurled it at the wall. I wasn't acting quite myself but my entire life had been a lie. The bowl hit the wall with a thud and it broke into a million glass shards. The lemon drops had themselves exploded and covered a large portion of the wall with yellow goo.

"I want them to know everything. Their magical heritage, who I really am, and I want their memories unmodified. They deserve to know the truth. I love them." I said heavily and tearfully as I sat down.

"You are quite right. I will have to obliviate people you are not close too, however." Dumbledore said.

"That's all right, I guess." I sighed.

"I'm glad." Dumbledore said.

"Right then. Do I have to stay at the Dursleys?"

"Yes, for now. So you may learn all the proper spells for first through fourth year, I have set it up with the Ministry that you may both do magic in your house from 6:00 AM to midnight. I expect you to learn at least up to second year material by the time you see us again. I will explain everything to your parents later today. Now, Miss Potter, I should have you sorted." Dumbledore said as he reached for an ugly old hat. He slipped it on my head then and it began to talk to me.

"Interesting, very interesting. You are courageous, yes, and powerful—com"

"But I'm not courageous, I didn't even have the nerve to be honest about my grades in school." I protested.

"But you always take responsibility. You are willing to break up a fight, cuss someone out, and play a good prank yes? But their is the deceitful side to you. You will keep your secrets for personal gain, you will do whatever it takes to be independent and prove yourself. Perhaps Slytherin?"

"Oh no, nonononono! Not Slytherin, please not Slytherin!" I begged. "I want to know my brother, his friends, everything." I protested.

"Are you sure? well then it had better be _GRYFFINDOR!"_ the hat shouted out. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to twinkle even more.

"Very well. Allow me to transfigure your clothes. I will have your clothes from home delivered to you soon. Also, Mr. Olivander has left this wand for you, it is twin to Harry's in every way. Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches." The wand felt just right as I took it with my right hand. I put it in my pocket then and stood up.

"Sur, can I see myself in a mirror?"

"Of course, dear girl." in the next second a full-length mirror was in the middle of the room. I stepped in front of it to see myself. I was a bit shorter, about five six, and in a pair of black Hogwarts robes with the Gryffindor crest on them. I had all the right curves in the right places, a skinny waste, long legs, my feet were about a size ten now, my breasts were a little smaller, and my shoulders were like they used to be, petite. My face was roundish and kind-looking with full, pink lips, a cute nose, and a few freckles. My eyes were a startling emerald green like Harry's. My hair was a rich dark red that was curly, somewhat unruly, but silky going in curls down the middle of my back. I, Lilyanna Jamie Potter, am very pretty.

"Um, Professor? I still have blurry bits in my vision. Did you do the spell completely?" I asked.

"Yes I did. You clearly inherited James's eyesight." with a wave of his wand Harry's wire-rimmed gold glasses became two pairs. I picked up the one on the table and put them on my face. My vision cleared right up and I thanked him.

"Not a problem, dear girl—com" but he was cut off by me sneezing. achoo, achoo, _ACHOOO!_ With the first sneeze my hair turned black, With the second sneeze it turned bright blue, and with the third sneeze it became emerald green to match my eyes. I could tell, however, that my eyes didn't change. Dumbledore looked elated.

"Ah yes, you are a metamorphmagus. I almost forgot."

"How do I become normal?" I asked frantically as I tugged at my green hair.

"Just think "normal" and you will be." Dumbledore said. I did just that and my beautiful red hair was back.

"The leaving feast is in a few hours. Why don't you both go to Gryffindor tower?" Dumbledore asked.

"Sure but one more question, who's my godfather?"

"Your godfather is Sirius Black." Dumbledore said. Harry, who had been silent, and I stood up. I suddenly found myself in a tight embrace.

"I have a sister, I have a sister!" he muttered. "It's so...so nice to meet you again, Lily."

"You too, Harry, you too."

Chapter Two: A Prank, The Feast, and The Dursleys

Harry and I walked out of Dumbledore's office hand-in-hand.

"_I'm so glad to have a twin. Is this why I've always been so interested in them?"_ I thought to myself.

"What?" Harry asked aloud. "Did you just talk to me in my _head?"_

"Er...yeah. You heard me? Awesome." I piped.

"Yeah, yeah it is." Harry agreed.

"So where's Gryffindor tower?" I asked.

"It's on the seventh floor, follow me." Harry said. On the way up we each talked briefly about our lives. He learned about my life in America in Washington State and I learned about his Hogwarts adventures. We eventually reached a portrait of a fat lady dressed in pink.

"Password?" she asked.

"Fortuna Major." Harry said. The fat lady nodded and the portrait slid aside to show the Gryffindor common room.

"What did Dumbledore want?" asked a bushy-haired girl as Harry was surrounded by six people, her and five red-heads.

"Everyone, this is my twin sister, Lilyanna Jamie Potter." Harry said.

"You have a sister?" Ron asked.

"Oh honestly, Ron! Don't you read? She's just as famous as Harry but nobody knew what happened to her, just that she lived." Hermione said.

"Oh wow!" the smallest red-head, a girl, Ginny, said in awe.

"I know, wow. I grew up as Anne-Marie Simon, a Muggle living in America in the state of California with her two parents, Jason and Isabelle. The real Anne-Marie was killed by Voldemort." I said as I became my old self for a second before reverting to normal.

"How did you do that?" the youngest red-haired boy asked.

"I'm a meta...meta...oh yeah, a metamorphmagus." I said. "This magic stuff is new to me. I've read it in the first three Harry Potter books but that's it."

"Harry Potter books?" asked the oldest red-head who had hitherto remained silent.

"Yeah, some seer is writing them, JK Rowling." I said.

"Amazing!" the bushy-haired girl piped.

"I know. So I'm a Hogwarts student now, a proud Gryffindor lion." I said. "Now I want to make sure I've got your names. Oh mighty head boy their is Percy, you doubles are Fred and George, you with the long nose are Ron, you with the long red hair are Ginny, and you with the bushy hair are Hermione."

"Right." Harry said.

"Do you like pranks?" the twin red-heads asked together.

"Me? Pranks? _GASP!"_ I mock-shuddered.

"Awe!" they moaned.

"We were hoping that—com" Fred started.

"You could help us with—com" George continued.

"Our end-of-year prank!" they finished together.

"I really don't like to associate myself with such nonsense!" I said, fighting hard to keep a straight face. Hermione and Percy looked pleased.

"But you're a Marauder's daughter, surely?" Fred asked.

"Harry here just gets into trouble on his own, that's it for him but you?" George queried desperately.

"Absolutely not, how _juvenile."_ I said with a role of my eyes. The twins looked like they were about to cry and I couldn't hold back any longer, I burst out laughing. "Hahaha, hahahahahaha, haha-heehee-hee-haha-hee, heeeeheeee!"

"What?" the twins asked as I continued to laugh.

"Haha-hee-hee-ha-ha-ha!" I continued as I grasped my sides in endless laughter.

"Mate, is your sister...um...mental?" Ron asked.

"I have no idea." Harry said. I straightened up immediately.

"Hey, I'm not mental. I just pranked the pranksters, I _LOVE_ pranks!" I said. Hermione and Percy frowned but Fred and George looked like Christmas had come early.

"Excellent!" they then preceded to drag me over to a corner of the common room away from the prying ears of the rest of the now gaping Gryffindors.

"We were thinking of giving the Slytherins gold skin, eyes, and red hair that would last twelve hours along with charming their robes Gryffindor colors." Fred said.

"We can do the spellwork but the house elves are too used to us and don't do what we ask as much, that's where you come in. We need you to give them the color-changing potion we've made." George said.

"Sure, no problem but can I make a suggestion?" I asked.

"Yes?" the twins queried.

"Why not prank the entire student body? Let's do what you said to the Slytherins because they hate Gryffindors but also to the Ravenclaws because they probably think Gryffindors annoying and reckless, right? Then we can give the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs silver skin and green hair with green eyes and Slytherin robes. We'll do it to the Gryffindors because they hate Slytherins and to the Hufflepuffs because they're probably afraid of Slytherin. We'll also include ourselves in the prank so nobody suspects us. I do want to do something extra, though. Let's cast the terantalegra jinx on Snape and transfigure his outfit into that of Neville's grandma's outfit, the dress lined with that fur and the vulture hat. As for the kitchens, why don't I see if I can transform into a house elf?" the twins looked utterly awed by me.

"Lilyanna Potter, you are my hero." the twins said together as they clutched at their hearts.

"Your plan—com"

"Is totally—com"

"Brilliant! Are you sure you're not a Slytherin?"

"Almost was, but no. I'm not a slimy snake. Lions rule." The twins looked like they might kiss me but thought better of it. I stood up then and thought about elves. Let's see, clean, smooth skin, big, blue eyes, pointed ears, about three feet...boom, I could no longer see over the table.

"Do I look like a house elf?" I asked.

"You look like one but you don't sound like one." Fred said.

"Try and change your voice." George urged.

"Hmm, hem-hem, does masters Weasley need anything?" I asked in a high, squeaky voice that was nothing like my own.

"Brilliant!" they said excitedly. "So what's your name?"

"I is Aqua the house-elf, sirs. I is a free elf that old Headmaster Albus Dumbledore asked to work in the kitchens on these special occasions to make foods for all the little peoples that leaves tomorrow." I squeaked.

"_NOW_ you are my hero." Fred said, George nodding in agreement.

"In all seriousness, I'd better get going. They'll probably want me to help them or it will look suspicious."

"Not in that outfit." George said with a wave of his wand. I looked down to see I wore little red shoes, a red skirt, and a gold shirt.

"Perfect." I said as they handed me several vials of potion.

"I wonder...can I use their magic?" I asked. "You know, so I can do that in-school appearition thing?"

"Dunno, try it out." George said. I closed my eyes and focused on the kitchens. I got this really tight feeling before realizing that I was where I want to be.

"Who is this weird house elf?" a male house elf in a Hogwarts tea towel asked me, stepping forward. "I is never seeing you before."

"I is sorry, head elf. I is being Aqua, a free house elf. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore has asked me to help make all the foods for all the little peoples that leaves tomorrow. He also gave me these special treaties that are to go in the pumpkiny juice. May I be doing that?"

"It is very nice to meet you, Aqua, you may be doing that. We is almost done but you may do what dumbles asks. I is Bobo, the head Hogwarts elf." For the next few hours I helped the house elves with dinner. Near the end, I poured the appropriate potions in all of the right pitchers of pumpkin juice.

"I is thanking you, Aqua, you was a good help although you is a dunce at magic." Bobo said as I popped out.

"I is new at magic, sur, I is new. My old masters, they made me do things the Muggle way just to be nasty. They was the Mal...the Mal...the Mal...bad Aqua, bad Aqua, bad Aqua." I chastised myself lightly slapping myself on the forehead. I could see two tennis ball sized green eyes staring incredulously at me.

"I must go." I said before popping to a side alcove near the Great Hall. Just as I was morphing back to normal the elf with green eyes stepped out of the shadows. He took one look at me and gasped.

"You is the great Lilyanna Potter! Lilyanna Potter is very naughty, oh yes, Lilyanna Potter is no house elf. Lilyanna Potter should be punished." he said. "But you is a very good actress, Lilyanna Potter, oh yes you is."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I is Dobby the house elf, Lilyanna Potter." he squeaked.

"_PLEASE_ don't tell the others? I want to be able to do my pranks with the Weasley twins. Promise?"

"Oh, Dobby will do anything for the great Potter twins, _ANYTHING."_ Dobby said gleefully.

"Oh thank you, Dobby!" I said gleefully as I wrapped the startled elf in a hug, picked him up, and spun him around before setting him back down.

"You is welcome, Lilyanna Potter, you is welcome. Dobby will do anything for Lilyanna Potter."

"Can you transfigure my clothes into Hogwarts robes again? I'm in Gryffindor. Also, I have a bit of an extra plan for a prank on Severus Snape." I said. I then relayed to him my plan. He nodded and smiled.

"I will do that, Lilyanna Potter, and let me change your clothes." With a snap of his fingers I was back in my old outfit.

"Dobby has one suggestion for Lilyanna Potter over the summer."

"What is it?" I asked.

"That you practice your elf magic, you is horrible, Lilyanna Potter, but you is powerful." Dobby said.

"Thanks, Dobbs. And by the way, it's Lily, just Lily." I said. Dobby cried with glee and hugged me before popping away.

"Oooh, elfie and Potty in the alcovie, I think that Peevsie will go and get Filchie!" came a voice from above.

"Hello, Peeves, nice to meet you. So you know my name? I tell you what. You don't snitch on me or my friends _ever_ and I'll help you with every single prank, the Weasley twins can attest to that. I just pranked the entire school, it'll be brilliant." Peeves smiled wickedly and nodded.

"Potty Potty Potty, just like your ickle Daddykins, are you?" Peeves asked.

"Damn right. Is it a deal?"

"You bet!" Peeves said with a cackle as he zoomed away. I smiled and made my way towards the Great Hall. As I entered I noticed that not everyone was inside but Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and Hermione were. By around 6:00 everyone was in the hall except Snape. The dinner appeared and everyone began to eat, drink, and change. The Ravenclaws looked annoyed, the Hufflepuffs looked scared of their own shadows, and the Gryffindors and Slytherins looked pissed off to the extreme. I could feel myself changing and realized that I had fallen victim too, that was good. Everyone howled in outrage in between laughs at their rival houses. Fred, George, Ron, Harry, and I roared with laughter.

"Lily, did you do that?" Harry asked.

"Fred and George did the before stuff, I just became Aqua the house elf and slipped the potions in the pumpkin juice, watch now, Snape's entering." I said. Just as soon as Snape came in to a very strange sight, his shoes became high heels, his robes became a knee-length red dress with a gold, moth-eaten fur collar showing off his ghost white arms and white, hairy legs, his hair went up in tight curls, and a red hat with a stuffed vulture on it materialized on his head. When that was done Snape started dancing like a drunken fool and began to sing in a high pitched voice.

"I'm too sexy for my robes, too sexy for my robes, too sexy for my robes, oh yeah, yeah. I'm too sexy for my pants, too sexy for my pants, too sexy for my pants, oh yeah, yeah. I'm too sexy for you all, too sexy for you all, too sexy for you aaah-aaall! Seeexy, I'm so seeexy! Seeexy, I'm so seeexy! I'm too sexy for these shoes, too sexy for these shoes, too sexy for these shoes, oh yeah, yeah." with that Snape lobbed off his heels, throwing them in opposite directions. One came right towards my head but I caught it easily. "I'm too sexy for my hat, too sexy for my hat, too sexy for my hat, oh yeah, yeah." off went the hat landing on a Hufflepuff's head. Everyone, even some Slytherins, were howling with laughter. "I'm too sexy for my collar, too sexy for my collar, too sexy for my collar, oh yeah, yeah." off went the fur collar landing on a Ravenclaw girl's shoulders. "I'm too sexy for my dress, too sexy for my dress, too sexy for my dress, oh yeah, yeah." And their goes the dress all the way over to the Slytherin table. Snape was just in his boxers now, being followed with laughter to the head table. "But I'm not...too sexy for yoo-oo!" with that he kissed the closest staff member which happened to be McGonagall. Snape then snapped out of it suddenly and looked horrified.

"_WEASLEY!"_ he thundered.

"Hey, don't credit them for my genius, they just did some of the work." I shouted, standing up as I morphed back to normal. He almost seemed like he might faint at the sight of me but then he regained control.

"Lilyanna Potter...the missing Potter brat-who-lived...Potter...Weasley...detention...next year...until christmas!" he gasped before running out of the hall amidst gales of laughter.

"That was the best prank in the history of Hogwarts!" piped a dark-skinned boy. "I'm Lee Jordan. So you're the girl-who-lived?"

"I'm the girl-who-died, of _course_ I'm the girl-who-lived. Yeah, it was brilliant. It was my masterpiece. I would have pulled it off myself if I knew any magic. If it wasn't for a certain house elf named Dobby who made Snape do the stripper thing and for Fred and George doing the rest of the spells and making the potions it wouldn't have happened." I said proudly.

"I can't believe you did that!" Hermione quipped.

"Loosen up, Herms. You gotta have fun, you know." I said.

"Yes but not like that!" Hermione said.

"Lil, you're the best twin sister I could ask for!" Harry said as he put an arm around me. I hugged him back and we spent the rest of dinner in a comfortable silence.

Soon enough it was time to go back up to the Gryffindor tower, Gryffindor had won the house cup. I, and to a smaller extent Fred and George, was being praised by all the Gryffindors for a prank well done. Just as I was about to leave someone tapped Harry and I on the shoulder.

"Yes?" I asked, spinning around to see a man in shabby clothes, his hair streaked with bits of gray.

"Professor Lupin? I thought you had left!" Harry said.

"Not yet, Harry, follow me, the both of you." Lupin said. He led us out and up to the fifth floor and into a small office that looked to be packed away for the most part.

"I'm so glad you're back, Lilyanna." he said suddenly, giving me a tight fatherly hug, I hugged back. "It's just too bad Sirius has already left, the poor guy. He's been wanting to know where you've been."

"In America with distant relatives, Jason and Isabelle Simon. I've gone under the alias Anne-Marie Simon, their daughter who was actually killed by Voldemort when she was a baby." I said.

"Brilliant prank, by the way. Sirius will love hearing about it and your dad would be so proud. Your mum might be angry though, Snape was her best friend through fifth year even though they were in rival houses. You look almost exactly like your mum but you have your dad's hair style, all over the place though I must say it seems to go in neat curls since it's long. If you cut it to your chin I bet it had do the same thing as Harry's."

"I can try!" with a pop my hair was almost as short as Harry's but stuck up just as much. I smiled and made it it's normal length again.

"Wow, you've already figured out how to change your appearance willingly." Lupin said amazedly.

"Yeah, I can even become a house elf and use their magic, I was able to do their elf appearition thing I read about and everything. I do love to read, if I'm reading a really good book you won't be able to drag me away."

"Elfin magic?" Remus asked in awe. "And the books? Looks like you are Lily's daughter after all, she would go mental if you tried to rip her away from her books."

"Yup, that's me." I said. Seeing that Harry seemed to feel a bit left out I brought something else up. "Professor, do you think Professor Dumbledore might have blocked some of Harry's power like he did mine and just forgot to unblock it?"

"Hmmm, that's a thought. Harry, when you were a baby your hair and eyes changed just as much as Lilyanna's. Let me firecall him." Remus said. Ten minutes later we were in the headmaster's office and Dumbledore was doing the power unbinding spell on Harry.

"I am truly sorry, my boy, I forgot I even did the spell. I must have intended to block it until you came to Hogwarts or I retrieved your sister." Dumbledore said.

"That's okay, Professor...achoo, achoo, _ACHOOO!"_ Harry sneezed. With the first sneeze it became red, with the second sneeze it became bright blue, and with the third sneeze it became emerald green.

"Ah yes, your power is equal, both of you." Dumbledore said. "Now why don't you go back to normal?" With a shrug and a pop Harry's hair was black again and we left the office.

"You wouldn't believe it!" Harry said as we entered the common room and were met by a still silver-skinned, green-haired Ron and Hermione.

"How did you get normal?" Ron asked him.

"Dumbledore forgot to unblock the rest of my core, I'm a metamorphmagus like Lily." Harry said. "He says we're equal in power.

"That's wonderful! Metamorphmagi are really rare, their's usually only about three born every ten years." Hermione said. "It's getting late. Why don't I show you to the girls' dorm, Lily?"

"That'd be great, Hermione." I said with a grin. "By the way, what's your favorite book? It can't be Hogwarts: A History either."

"Oh that's easy. Nobody knows this but I love Alice in Wonderland. All of the logic that the author uses is just fascinating. It's a bit silly, sure, but I love it. Alice Through The Looking Glass is great too. My next favorites are the Chronicles of Narnia, they're excellent. What about you?" Hermione asked as we reached the bedroom door.

"I love those books too. I also think A Wrinkle In Time trilogy and the following Polly OKeef series is excellent."

"Yes, I quite agree." Hermione said as we entered the beautiful bedroom. I was very happy to see that their was an extra bed and a trunk was even at the end with a note on it. The trunk was a beautiful blue and had LE carved in gold above the lock. I went over then and picked up the note.

Lily,

This trunk belonged to your mother. You are her same exact size. It has her Hogwarts robes, her clothes, books, and everything. Her wand which was salvaged from Godric's hollow is in their as well. This trunk has five compartments, one for robes, one for supplies, one for books, one for misc things, and a room that can hold many things. You and your brother may have magic practice down their if you wish. Harry's new trunk is set up the same way and their is a door to the room in Harry's trunk. I hope that you enjoy going through it. I have left your brother a present of James's school trunk and salvaged wand as well. I will have your things from America to you in the next week or so. Also, please find yourself a new friend on your pillow.

Take care,

Albus Dumbledore

I was completely touched. This man was so kind and noble. He made mistakes, sure, like leaving me in America too long but that was it. I went up to my pillow to find the cutest little kitten their. It was black with some red strips perpendicular to it's head on it's back and it had one hazel and one green eye.

"Awe!" I cooed as I picked the kitten up and looked at the gender. It was a girl. Hmmm, what would I name her? She seemed very frisky and happy to be in my arms and like she could cause no small amount of trouble. Ah yes, what about Marauder? Marauder, the perfect name for a Marauder's cat.

"Do you like the name Marauder?" I asked. The silky kitten nipped at me affectionately and purred.

"Who's that?" Hermione asked, coming over.

"Dumbledore left her for me. I've named her Marauder. This trunk was my mum's, I'll be using her clothes for now." I said.

"_MARAUDER?_ Honestly, Lilyanna." Hermione sniffed as I heard two other girls coming in.

"Hi!" they chimed.

"I'm Lavender Brown." said one girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"And I'm Parvati Patil." said a girl who looked to be of Indian descent.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Lily." I said with a smile.

"Wasn't your mum named Lily?" Lavender asked.

"Yeah, that was her full name but my full name is Lilyanna. I like being called Lily because I think it honors Mum's memory, I'm not going to not be called Lily just because that was Mum's name. I'm certainly not going to go by Anne or Anna. Lily suits me, delicate but deadly." I said with a smile.

"The family honor thing makes a lot of sense. Padma and I are named after our grandmothers, Padma Patil and Parvati Kon." Parvati said with a smile. I yawned tiredly then and said my good-nights before bending down over Mum's trunk. I unlocked the first lock and opened it to see clothes which were well-folded and organized. In one corner was a pile of summer and winter pajamas. I took a yellow nightgown out and quickly changed into it. I then folded my Hogwarts uniform and put it on top of my mum's. This nightgown must have been from when Mum was older because it was a bit big but it was very comfortable. I smiled and climbed into my bed, putting my wand in my bedside drawer and pulling the red and gold velvet curtains around my bed except for the right side which I left open to the window. With that, I curled up and fell right asleep, Marauder curled up on my pillow, using my hair as a blanket.

"Lil, Lils, Lily, Anne, Anna, _LILYANNA!"_ the next thing I knew I was being shaken awake by a very annoyed looking Hermione.

"wha the hell?" I muttered sleepily. Everything a dream? am I really Harry Potter's twin sister?"

"Breakfast has almost started and then we have to leave, get up!"

"Don't wanna!" I muttered.

"Honestly, Lily, are all Americans this stubborn?" Hermione asked.

"All Potters and red-heads are." I said sleepily. "Okay okay, I'll get up." I yawned and stretch before my bare feet hit the cherry floor. I opened my mum's trunk, searching for toiletries which I found in a bag in one corner. I then went into the bathroom and took a long shower before getting out, drying off, and brushing my teeth. I then went back to my trunk to find something to wear. Near the bottom I found a pair of cut-off capris and a light blue shirt trimmed in white. I pulled out a pair of blue flip-flops with white straps. In a small slot was a brush that was clean of hair but looked to be in good shape. I tackled my wet hair and managed to brush it straight.

"Hermione can you do a drying charm on my hair?" I asked. Hermione nodded and waved her wand, saying some sort of incantation. My hair sprang together in curls but at least they were neat curls and not too tangled.

"Thanks, Hermione." I said. She nodded and smiled. I tried to pick my trunk up but she stopped me.

"No, Lily, the house-elves will get it." she said. "But you can take Marauder if you want, their's a carrier on the floor their." I smiled and put the carrier on the bed.

"Come in, Marauder, come into your carrier." I coaxed. The kitten nodded _no_ stubbornly.

"Come on, I'll give you a bunch of tuuuuuna!" I said. The cat looked appeased and hopped in. I smiled and lifted the carrier. Making sure my glasses were on my face and my wand was in my pocket, I headed downstairs.

"Hey, Lily." Harry greeted me.

"Hi, Harry." I said, smiling. "Will my kindly big brother escort me to the great hall?"

"Er, sure." he said. I smiled and gave him a one-armed hug as we went out the portrait hole and down the many flights of stairs. We eventually reached the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Breakfast was quite delicious and enjoyable and soon we were heading to the train station in Hogsmeade. Everything went well until Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I were trying to find a compartment on the beautiful scarlet train.

"Think you're all that now you know your sister, Potter?" came a drawling voice.

"Sod off, Malfoy." Harry muttered.

"Ooh, very clever. I see that hasn't changed now you've got Potty-dumber with you." he sneered.

"Potty-Dumber? You must be Malfoy, I've heard all about you, naturally. So you feel good having your gargoyles backing you up on this? Afraid if you're outsmarted they can at least make quick work of whoever does it?" I taunted, receiving a warning look from Hermione. Harry and Ron, however, looked eager to see my first confrontation with the jerk.

"Think you're all that, Potty-Girl? You play a prank, you have an ugly scar, and suddenly everyone loves you? I heard you've been living with Muggles, that you don't even know any magic. I set up a bet with Theodore Knot. He thinks you won't last ten minutes into the next school year."

"Oh really now?" I asked in tones that made the Antarctic seem like the Sahara.

"Really. But _I_ said he was wrong. I think you won't last five." Malfoy bit out, laughing.

"Kiss my ass you overgrown, hairy ferret." I snapped, whirling to get a good look at him.

"I _BEG_ your _PARDON?_ What did you just say to me you little mudblood?" he growled.

"First off, I'm a halfblood, not Muggle-born. I'm just Muggle-raised. So, in fact, is Harry so their's nothing wrong with that. And you heard what I said, or are you deaf? _KISS_ _MY_ _WHITE_ _YANKEE_ _ASS_ _YOU_ _OVERGROWN,_ _HAIRY_ _FERRET!"_ I shouted, getting in his face. Before he could retort, I whirled away, "accidentally" punching him in the chest as I did so.

"Brilliant!" Harry and Ron chorused as soon as we found a compartment.

"No it wasn't, Lily could get in big trouble." Hermione said.

"Says the girl who gave Malfoy a black eye two weeks ago." Ron said.

"Whatever." Hermione humphed as both she and I put our cat carriers on the rack and opened them. Crookshanks and MARAUDER sniffed each other before purring contentedly and playing on an empty seat.

The rest of the ride passed without incident; I tried my first wizard candy, which I loved, Ron tried to teach me Wizards Chess, Harry taught me Exploding Snap, and we talked about plans for the summer. Soon enough, we were at the station and getting off the train.

"You better owl us, both of you." Hermione said.

yeah. Those Muggles had better treat you well." Ron said.

"We'll owl you, we promise." Harry and I chimed together. We walked through the barrier with our trunks and pets on a trolley to find three people waiting. Their was a very large, obese man with a bristly mustache, blonde hair, watery blue eyes, and almost no neck at all. Next to him was a tall, thin, bony woman with twice the normal amount of neck, a horse-like face, muddy eyes somewhere between green and brown, and darker blonde hair. Their son wasn't any more appealing to look at than his parents. He was his father in miniature.

Chapter Three: Summer Fun

"_He does look like a pig in a wig."_ I thought to Harry.

"_Yeah, yeah he does, doesn't he?"_ Harry thought back.

"Hello, dear aunt and uncle." I deadpanned. "I'm your niece, _Lily,_ and I'll be staying with you!" I said, putting extra emphasis on my name.

"I know, your _SCHOOL_ sent me a freakish letter." Petunia said, tight-lipped.

"Hey, you don't see me complaining do you? I just found out I was a witch yesterday." I said.

"Enough of that, to the car with you both!" Vernon demanded. I sighed as Harry and I rolled our trolleys out of the station and loaded them, without help, into the trunk of the car...or would it be a boot? Harry and I got in next to each other, him on the left, me in the middle, and Dudley on the right, squishing us together. It took me totally by surprise when Vernon started driving on the left.

"Yikes, for a second there I thought you were driving on the wrong side of the road!" I said.

"Where are you from anyway?" Dudley asked.

"Mars, genius. Where I come from people drive on the right side of the road." I said wistfully.

"Don't be smart with him, girl. She was born here in England but was raised as a Yankee, duddidims." Aunt Petunia said.

"Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony; stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni!" I sang beneath my breath, making Harry look at me curiously.

"What was that?" he asked.

"It's an American thing, I don't know where it comes from. All I know is that it's fun to sing when you're a kid, just like this. Oh beautiful oh spacious skies, oh amber—com"

"Nooooo, you degrade my country's anthem!" Harry said in a mock offended voice.

"Oh really? I thought I was born here too. This is my country too, you know." I said.

"Of course it is, let's just toss aside the fact that you sound like a Yank." Harry said.

"Would you rather I sounded British?" I asked, imitating the accent.

"Wow you're good!" Harry said.

"Thank you, dear brother." I said, still using the accent. Aunt Petunia gasped and clutched at herself.

"Aunt Petunia? Are you all right?" I asked, going back to the accent I had used all my life.

"You sound like Your mother, you have her same voice." she said.

"Oh, which accent would you prefer?" I asked as Harry thought, "_Why are you being so nice?"_

"Whichever you prefer. You still sound like _HER_ anyway." she sniffed.

"Well I'm sick of that accent myself." my uncle snapped. "I don't know what sort of freakishness you use to change it so suddenly but just keep it the same all the time around us, okay?"

"Whatever." I said, using my American accent. "I think I'll just let myself grow into it gradually. I'm still, as you said, a Yank. Speaking of which, now your core's totally unblocked, Harry, try and sound American. F-Y-I, aunt, uncle, cousin, Harry can do all the same stuff as me." I then made my hair long and straight, short, unruly, and black, and spiky and pink with neon green highlights before going back to normal. To prove my point, Harry smirked and made his eyes hazel before making them emerald green again. Then, he made his hair straight and dark red like mine, spiky and blonde, and purple with blue streaks before he too became normal.

"How was that, Lil?" he asked, his voice totally American.

"Very good, Harry, save for different expressions you could pass for an American, not a Brit." I said. It was then that we pulled into a very dull street with dozens of identical square houses with perfect lawns and gardens and shiny knew cars in many of the driveways. Uncle Vernon pulled the car up and into Number Four's drive.

"Out and up to your room, the freaks made it larger for you." he snapped. I shrugged, grabbed up Marauder's carrier, the kitten was fast asleep, and went around back. I opened up the trunk...or boot...or whatever you want to call it, and hoisted my blue trunk out as Harry hoisted his trunk out.

"Who's that girl, Petunia?" came a nosy voice from the next house as I adjusted everything.

"My dead sister's niece, the boy's twin." Aunt Petunia sniffed.

"Oh, another trouble-maker? Where's she been all this time?" the woman asked.

"With another family in America." Uncle Vernon said.

"Another trouble-maker, I expect?" she asked sniffily.

"I do beg your pardon, you don't even know me so how can you rightly assume that I constantly make trouble?" I demanded.

"Oh, American? That's answer enough."

"Hey, don't dis the country I was raised in!" I said indignantly. "I'm still technically British, I _WAS_ born here."

"Enough tongue and cheek, girl, up to your room with the both of you." Aunt Petunia sniffed. Harry and I rolled our eyes and trudged up the path.

"Sorry about her." Aunt Petunia said to the nosy neighbor as we reached the door. "She'll be going to the school across the lake from the boy's, St. Agnus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Girls."

"Your lies are incurably criminal." I said, just loud enough for them to hear as Harry and I dashed inside and up the stairs.

"This is our room." Harry said as he opened the door. It was just big enough for two beds, a nightstand, a dresser, a closet, and a desk.

"Riiight, real spacious." I muttered. Harry snickered. I let a disgruntled Marauder out of her carrier as Harry let his owl, Hedwig, out of her cage. I wouldn't unpack just yet, these were my mum's clothes and they shouldn't be disturbed. Instead, I helped Harry unpack his things. Both of us kept our wands on our person because, like Dumbledore said, we could use magic in the house.

"Boy! Girl! Get down here and fix us some lunch _NOW!"_ came the voice of my new-found uncle.

"I hope you know your way around the kitchen." Harry said. "We don't cook, we don't eat; those are the rules."

"Well if that isn't the stupidest thing." I muttered. Harry shrugged and the both of us headed downstairs and into the living room.

"Girl, we just want you to cook today; your brother can do clean-up. You had better not mess it up either." Aunt Petunia snapped.

"Don't worry, I won't. What d'you want for lunch?" I asked them.

"Duddy's on a diet. Make us something healthy." Aunt Petunia said. I nodded and went into the kitchen, Harry behind me. I rummaged through the cupboards until I found a decent pan to cook pasta noodles, another one for broccoli, and a small pan to make the sauce. I set them all on burners but didn't turn them on. I picked up the pasta pan and brought it over to the sink. Once it was filled with water, I put it on the front right burner. As the water heated, I dug around in the cabinets for some noodles. I finally found some angel-hair pasta and opened the box. I opened the fridge to see if their was any broccoli, their was. I took three stalks of it and brought them over to the sink. I washed them and snapped off all the top pieces, putting them in the empty pan. By this point, the water was boiling. Harry just watched me curiously from the doorway. I took the box of pasta and poured the majority of it's contents into the boiling water. I then turned the burner for the broccoli on and cooked that. As soon as I was done with the broccoli, I tested the pasta, it was perfect. I turned off both burners and moved both pans to the rear. From one of the cupboards I found a strainer and put it in the sink. I then took my still hot pot of pasta over and dumped it into the strainer. All of the water dumped out as I took the strainer and shook it and I found a serving bowl and dumped the pasta into that. Then, I did the same with the broccoli, mixing the two together. Finally, I found two cloves of garlic and neatly minced them into tiny little pieces. I put the sauteing pan on the front left burner and dumped the garlic into it, mixing them around, letting them cook. In the fridge their were two containers of blue cheese, thankfully, and I mixed all that in with the garlic to make a cheesy sauce.

"Wanna test my sauce?" I asked Harry.

"Er, all right." he said, coming forward. "This really is good, you might be better than me."

"Thanks!" I said, dumping the sauce into the pasta and stirring it all about. Once I was sure it was evenly spread, I dug around the cabinets for some parmesan and sprinkled it through the pasta.

"Mind setting the table?" I asked, Harry nodded. As he did that, I cleaned up my mess and washed out the pans. When Harry reentered the kitchen, I brought out the pasta and put it in the center of the table with the spoon.

"Lunch is ready." we both said, poking our heads around the door. As soon as the words were out of our mouths the two of us were being bowled aside by two very hungry hippos and a hungry giraffe. Harry and I served them each a plate of the food before taking some for ourselves and sitting down next to each other.

"This is acceptable." Aunt Petunia admitted shortly as she had a forkful of noodles. "What are the ingredients?"

"Oh, angel hair, garlic, blue cheese, parmesan, and broccoli." I answered as I ate my pasta.

"Mu-um, can I have some more?" Dudley whined as he finished his rather large pile of pasta.

"No you may not, Dudley. _ You're_ on a diet." Aunt Petunia said shortly.

"Da-ad, tel Mum I can have some, _please?"_ Dudley begged.

"You heard your mother, Dudley. At least the girl can cook like her brother." Uncle Vernon muttered as he shoved a last forkful of pasta into his mouth.


	44. Lilymie: Merge

Merge

An attempt to write something like (I think it's jburn or something) wrote with H. J. Potter, where not all of Harry lived, not all of James died, so there's a sort of merger going on. However, with my rip-off, it's with a female Harry and her mother instead… Sorry!

Chapter One: Merged Memories

"Wonder who that bloke is sleeping in the corner?" Ron asked as he, Hermione, and I settled in a train compartment. We were finally going back to Hogwarts for our third year.

"Professor R. J. Lupin." Hermione announced matter-of-factly.

"I swear that girl knows everything!" Ron said, shrugging and turning to me as he plopped down in his seat.

"It's on his suitcase, Ronald!" Hermione said with a sigh, I rolled my eyes and stretched out in my seat. "I swear that girl knows everything!" I mocked. "Sounds like you're trying to soften her up for something, anything you want to add?" I said...where did that come from? Both Ron and Hermione blushed red.

"No...stop that, Lil!" Ron stuttered, I found myself chuckling. Ever since the basilisk I had been doing things...random things...and I didn't know why. The train started to move and soon afterward we were chugging out of London. A half an hour into the ride Crookshanks woke from a nap and yowled irritably at Hermione.

"Oh sorry, Crookshanks! I'm letting you out right now!" Hermione squealed, throwing open the cage.

"Don't let that psycho cat out! He'll kill Scabbers!" Ron protested. Crookshanks yowled indignantly as he curled up in Hermione's lap.

"No he won't, Ron, and if you say that again I swear I'll kill you first!" Hermione snapped.

"Ree-oww!" I huffed, "Don't cat-claw him, Mione!"

"Well...well I...well I _NEVER!"_ she huffed. "What's up with you, Lilymie? You've been odd ever since the basilisk last year."

"Dunno...sorry." I said, suddenly meek again.

"It's okay, Lil." they both said. For the next hour or more the only entertainment was watching crookshanks try and pounce on Scabbers. Nothing interesting happened until the trolley lady came around.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" she asked.

"Chocolate!" I exclaimed, always the chocolate-lover. Ron and Hermione didn't order anything so the trolley lady started pulling out. Before the door was totally shut, however, Crookshanks pounced and chased Scabbers out of it.

"Look at your stupid cat, he's chasing Scabbers again!" Ron huffed.

"Well I don't exactly have _TOTAL_ _CONTROL_ of his actions, you know!" she huffed right back.

"Well maybe you should, he has terrible manners!" Ron snapped.

"Oh, says the boy whose pet _SLEEPS_ all the time?" Hermione snarked.

"Oh just kiss and make up already, I'll go after your stupid pets. At least Hedwig is sensible; she won't act so foolishly." I said in a fake-sniffy voice before sweeping out of the compartment. I was halfway down the hall chasing the mangy ball of orange fluff that was Crookshanks who was chasing the ugly gray rodent called Scabbers when all of the sudden the lights to the train went off and it jerked to a stop. As unprepared as I was I found myself face-down in the corridor. An icy cold crept over me like I was being slowly dunked into a tub of frigid water like Aunt Petunia would do to me during "bath time" when I was little. Flashes started to go through my mind...mistreatment at the Dursleys...near-death experiences...the night my parents were murdered...and other memories that were not my own. I felt positively glacial now, weakly I rolled onto my back to face my attacker. It was a thing in a cloak that I couldn't see under. The hands jutting out of the sleeves were rotted and boney, I couldn't see the face. It was like everything happy was being sucked out of me and I had nothing to live for. I heard my own infantile cries...my mum's defiance and screams, and cruel, high laughter. Something in the back of my head screamed "dementors" but what were they? That was the last thought that crossed my mind. The dementy-thingy pulled its hood back to show a sucker-like mouth. It bent low, plunging me in my owm miseries, the forehead-mouth growing closer to my mouth all the time. Just as it was about to kiss...which I knew was somehow bad...a silver thing drove it away. After that I knew no more.

When Remus Lupin felt the coldness on the train he knew their was trouble. Lilymie was a rather uncommon name and they seemed to be just about his Lilymie's age. Lilymie was the daughter of one of his dearest friends and he wanted her safe.

"What's with the cold?" asked the young man, Ronald by his observations.

"I don't know, Ron." said the cat-loving girl, Hermione.

"You two stay here, I intend to find out. I have a pretty good idea and I need to find your friend." Remus said, suddenly awake and no longer fake-sleeping. The two teens jumped as Remus stood. The boy had red hair, clearly a Weasley if Remus ever saw one. The girl had bushy brown hair, brown eyes, and slightly over-large front teeth.

"Please, Sir, make sure Lil is safe." Hermione begged him.

"I will." Remus nodded before stepping out of the compartment. His feet thunking in a quick rhythm on the thin carpet of the corridor, Remus rushed in the direction he had heard Lilymie go. About halfway down the corridor his eyes met a horrible sight. There was a cloaked figure, a dementor, bending down to kiss a figure who was lying splayed out on the floor, a figure with dark red hair.

"_EXPECTO_ _PATRONUM!"_ Remus roared as the dementor became even closer to kissing Lilymie's soul away. With an inhuman shriek the dementor jumped back.

"We're not hiding Sirius Black here, now _GO_ _AWAY!"_ Remus roared. The dementor swooped quickly away. Rushing over to the prone figure, Remus gathered her into his arms. He looked down at her, she was the perfect combination of Lily and James. He knew now more than ever why they had named her Lilymie Charlotte Rose, a cross between her parents, Lily Rose and James Charlis. She had most of James's facial features but she was petite like Lily was, perhaps even more. Also, she had Lily's eyes, hair, and her mouth. Adjusting the much-too-light girl in his arms, Remus rushed back into the compartment and laid her down on the bench he had vacated earlier.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"Will she be all right?" Hermione demanded.

"Yes...she'll be all right...at least I hope so." Remus said, sitting down in the spot the two made for him by the window.

"What do you bloody mean you _HOPE_ so?" Ron snarled.

"Calm down, Ronald. Sir, he just means...what happened? What happened to Lilymie?" Hermione asked.

"Dementors happened." he answered. Hermione gasped but Ron gave Remus a blank look.

"They're creatures that feed on misery, stealing away happy memories, giving the feeling of hopelessness. If they get the chance they will kiss you." Remus explained.

"_KISS?"_ Ron guffawed incredulously.

"Yes, Ronald, kiss, or suck one's soul out in other words." Hermione said sharply.

"_WHAT?"_ the red-head exploded.

"YES, well, they were patrolling the train and must have come upon Lil...erm...Miss Potter. I imagine she's quite sensative to the dementors. Anyway, I'll be perfectly honest with you two. She was just on the verge of being kissed when I came...so no...I don't know for sure that she'll be all right. Can I trust you two to look after her? I need to have a word with the conductor."

"Of course." Ron said.

"Go ahead. But do you have some chocolate?" Hermione asked.

"Chocolate? Our best friend could be on the brink of death and you ask for _CHOCOLATE?"_ Ron demanded, Remus laughed.

"Of course. And Mr...erm...Weasley, is it? Chocolate helps the happiness come back after an encounter with dementors. I recommend that you two have some as well." Remus said, handing them two large bars of Honeyduke's Finest Dark Chocolate and taking out a bar for himself. "You can split the first one but the second is to go to Lil...erm...Miss Potter and Miss Potter only, do you understand?" they nodded. Smiling slightly at their devotedness to their friend Remus left the compartment.

Lilymie didn't wake up for the rest of the train ride. She didn't wake up when she was taken to the hospital wing. Inside an hour of the train's arrival at Hogwarts every student from the most timmid first-year to the most brash seventh-year had heard about what had happened. How the girl-who-lived, Lilymie Charlotte Rose Potter, had nearly been kissed by a dementor. Apparently, so they had heard from a few murmuring professors, nobody had come so close to being kissed before being saved. The press was having a field day; the minister of magic and the headmaster of Hogwarts were being flooded with Howlers and nasty letters; it was pandemonium.

It wasn't for a week after the incident that she stirred at all. It was evening and Remus, as he had been doing, was checking on her after dinner. Quite suddenly, she jumped up, eyes roaming frantically around.

"No...no...not my Lilymie...you can't take her...you bastard...you can't...not my _LILYMIE—com"_ she cut herself off abruptly, falling back onto her bed. "But I _Am_ Lilymie...aren't I? I...I...arg...I'm confused." she put her head in her hands, shaking it slowly back and forth.

"Lilymie?" Remus asked.

"_REMUS!"_ the girl squealed, launching herself into his arms.

"You...you...you remember me?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I, Moony? But I suppose...well...I don't...but Mum does."

"Lilymie...what do you mean?" he asked.

"I...I dunno, really." she said, sitting back on her bed. "It's...well...it's...I'm confused. It's like...half of me knows I'm Lilymie, Lilymie Charlotte Rose Potter, the girl-who-lived, and all that jazz. But then there's this...this other part...this part that is all the escence and memory and feelings and everything that made up Lily Rose Potter née Evans. Everything...it's still sort of asimilating and it's like...like I...we...everything's murging into one person.


	45. Lorna

Lorna

An attempt to write a female Harry raised by a good Petunia who divorced Vernon or something… Also a bit epistolary style with letters sent back and forth… and me giving Severus Snape a first name starting with A so he can justifiably called ASS! LOL!

Chapter One: Hogwarts, Year One

Wednesday, July 31, 1991

Almost ten years, Petunia Evans mused to herself as she mixed the pancake batter for her niece's birthday breakfast. Ten years that her sister and brother-in-law had been dead, ten years since Lorna had come to live with her, ten years that Lorna had been famous for something she couldn't remember doing. Contrary to what might have been thought of her she did not treat her sister's child with contempt but with much love. She had been jealous of her "dratted" sister, that was true, and of magic up until she had been killed. Then she was angry; angry at magic, angry at Lily and James, but most of all, she was angry at herself for not protecting her baby sister. She remembered the very day that Lily had been born; she was almost three.

"Do you want to hold your new sister, Pet?" her mother had asked.

"Sissy? What her name?" Petunia had asked.

"She's a beautiful flower just like you, her name is Lily Rose." her mother had said. Five minutes later Petunia cradled her little sister who looked up with big, emerald eyes into Petunia's blue-green ones.

"I pwotect sissy always." Petunia had vowed. When Lily was accepted at that blasted school Petunia felt inadequate, like she couldn't care for her sister anymore. As she looked down into the eyes of her baby niece, so identical to her mother's own, she made that same vow and swore to herself that she would uphold that vow as long as she lived even if it came down to dying for Lorna just as Lily had done. It hadn't been easy at first, her husband, Vernon wanted to dump the child on the steps of some orphanage and when Petunia refused he wanted to lock the child in a cupboard, to treat her as a slave.

Things had come to a head two years later when Vernon had deliberately pushed Lorna down the stairs and then refused to take her to the hospital, beating Petunia when she refused to agree to his wishes. Luckily, or unluckily for Vernon, a neighbor had seen and called the bobbies on him. He had been thrown in prison for twenty years and Petunia had had no trouble filing for a divorce. Dudley was turning out much like his father but if Petunia had told the courts she wanted Dudley out of her house than they would most likely have taken Lorna away as well so, instead of having Dudley live with his Aunt Marge, he still lived with his mother but spent summers over at his aunt's house. Dudley, she was sad to say, cared more for his aunt than he did his own mother. He was still just as unpleasant a boy as he had been at four years old and Petunia was nearly to the end of her patience with him. She stayed in number four, Privet Drive with Lorna and Dudley, raising them alone as Petunia Evans, the reserved, doting ginger-blonde, blue-green-eyed aunt and mother who was not afraid to disciplin and who never spoke a word of gossip. Nobody in the neighborhood blamed Dudley's behavior on Petunia's parenting skills, they blamed it on the father. In fact, they praised her for raising such a hooligan and for having such a finely-raised little girl in Lorna. Heaven forbid Lorna had never come into her care or she might have been known as Petunia Dursley, the bottle-blonde, fake-blue-eyed, horse-faced, long-necked, gossip married to a fat wale and mother to a miniature pig who lived for all forms of gossip. Petunia shivered at the thought; oh the things she had done as a desperate young woman who felt inadequate and insecure. She was happy now, very happy even with the problems she had with her son. There wasn't anything she could do about it. Dudley had already wound up in Juvenile Hall a number of times and she vowed that if he wound up in there again she wouldn't be baling him out this time.

When her well-to-do parents were murdered by a group of wizards when Lily was sixteen and she was nineteen she had gotten half of everything, Lily had gotten the other half. She worked as an English teacher at Stonewall High now just for something to do. Neither she nor Lorna wanted for anything. Dudley, on the other hand...he could own the universe and it still wasn't enough. Petunia admited it, she spoiled her niece more than she did her own son but at least Lorna deserved it.

Her musings were broken by a cheerful little girl bouncing into the kitchen. Her hair, curly black streaked with red, went down to her shoulders in bouncy layers and her eyes, a bright emerald, sparkled behind gold, wire-rimmed glasses. Her lightning-bolt scar stood out on her otherwise blemish-free forehead and her round face shone cheerful with a happy smile. She wore a simple overall dress over a green shirt and a gold locket that Petunia had given her with pictures of her mum and dad with and without her hung around her neck.

"Good morning, Auntie!" she greeted happily.

"Good morning, Lor!" Petunia greeted, using a shortened form of her niece's name that Lorna herself seemed to like, smiling as she put two chocolate chip pancakes and strips of bacon on a plate before smothering them with syrup and whipped cream just like Lorna liked.

"Ooh, yummy! Thanks, Aunt Petunia!" Lorna said as she hopped up onto the barstool at the kitchen island and began cutting her food up.

"You're welcome, dear, and happy birthday." Petunia said as she served her niece some orange juice.

"So...a certain owl should be coming today." Lorna said happily. Petunia sighed and choked back the urge to purse her lips.

"I don't know about you going to that...that...that school, Lor. I know magic...it's a part of you...but can't you understand my view of things? I lost my baby sister to magic and that's why she's dead and I...I...I don't want to lose you, baby." she said tearfully. Lorna mulled this over as she ate the rest of her breakfast and rinsed her dishes. Finally, flinging herself into her aunt's arms she said, "I don't want to lose you either, Auntie." Petunia cried in relief and Lorna found herself crying as well for she knew she was loved.

"You can go to Hogwarts." Petunia said after the two broke apart. Lorna yipped happily.

"Oh thank you, Auntie, thank you, thank you, _THANK_ _YOU!"_ she squealed, hugging her again.

"But I want to make sure you're safe. If there's no danger you can return for second year but if there is I'll send you to a different school or hire you tutors. Is that clear?" Lorna's smile drooped a bit but she still nodded eagerly.

"Good, I'm glad we've compromised, I just want—com" but what Petunia wanted Lorna never found out for the mail could be heard flopping on the doormat.

"I'll get it!" Lorna chirped before running out into the entry way and scooping up the letters from the mat.

"It might not be—com" Petunia started but was cut off.

"Water bill...gas bill...electric bill...ooh, Yvonne sent me a package from Majorka..._yay!_ It's here it's here _IT'S_ _HERE!"_ she shouted before running back into the kitchen and haphazardly dumping the mail on the counter. Happily the child ripped open the envelope and began to read her letter.

"I got the supplies list, can we go to Diagon Alley today please, please, _PLEASE?"_ she asked. Petunia laughed and nodded, smiling.

No more than two hours later the two were stepping into the Leaky Cauldron.

"Ah, hello there!" greeted a semi-toothless, walnut-headed man.

"Tom? Old Tom? Goodness, you were here when my _SISTER_ was in school." Petunia said.

"fraid I don't recognize ya. Your daughter Hogwarts age...erm...?" Tom asked jovially.

"Petunia, sir, Petunia Evans. This is my niece, Lor." she said, Tom's eyes widened.

"Evans...Petunia...Lily? Lily Evans's sister? Than your niece...Lor...Lorna...is she really—com" Tom rambled.

"_SHE_ is a girl who doesn't want to be mobbed her first day in the wizarding world." Lorna spoke up from her spot by Petunia's side.

"Don't be rude, Lorna Lily." Petunia chided.

"No...she is quite right...do you need help through?" Tom asked.

"Yes, I am a non-magical." Petunia said. Tom nodded and led them to the back and tapped the correct bricks.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Petunia said, ushering her gobsmacked niece into the bustling street.

"It's _BRILLIANT!"_ Lorna breathed. Petunia laughed and dragged her niece up the street to the bank.

"We need to go here to the bank and see if you've any funds for school, I don't have any wizard money." she explained. When they entered Lorna gasped at the sight of the grand hall and the goblins.

"Are those goblins?" she asked.

"Yes, nasty little creatures too if you don't know how to handle them. Lily taught me some about them and I think I can handle it, just follow my lead and don't say anything out of turn. Goblins do not like human-rudeness, only goblin-rudeness which is totally different." Petunia whispered to her niece as they approached a teller.

"What, witch-human?" he barked as it was their turn in line.

"Assistance, goblin-teller. My niece needs access to her trust!" Petunia snapped.

"And why should we grant it? Have you got a key?" he demanded.

"Why ought the Potter heiress have a key! I swear to God if you do not accommodate us your head shall hang on a pike in my sitting room!" Petunia roared. The goblin grinned a goblin grin showing all his pointed, jagged, yellowing teeth.

"Very well, witch-human. Griphook will take you to the Office of Inheritance. May your enemies die bloody deaths and your gold always flow." the goblin said.

"And you as well, goblin-teller. And by the way, I am a Muggle." Petunia said before sweeping away, niece by her side and goblin in front of her.

An hour later two dazed people exited the bank. Not only was Lorna wealthy...she was filthy bloody rich. So, apparently, was Petunia. The Evans family had, apparently, been magical at one point and she and Lorna were the final members. Petunia was, technically, a Squib, not a Muggle. The first thing she had done as head of house Evans was to make Lorna her heir-apparent and to disown Dudley from the magical Evans line, reinstatement depending entirely on his own children for she was sure he would never change. Also, at the age of thirteen, Lorna would begin to take hold of her family's estate and at sixteen take the ladyship.

"Where too first?" she asked her aunt.

"I think that you ought to get your robes. I need to sit down a bit after that cart ride." she said. Lorna nodded, took the galleons her aunt handed her, and skipped off.

"Hogwarts, dear?" asked a cheery witch dressed all in mauve.

"Yup!" Lorna said.

"Oh good. I've got a young fellow being pinned up right now." Moments later she stood next to a boy with a pale, pointed face and platinum hair.

"Hello." he said in a bored, drawling voice. "Are you going to Hogwarts, then?"

"Yes." Lorna said curtly, not liking the boy very much at all.

"My father's next door getting my books and mother's up the street looking at wands. What about you, where are your parents?" he asked.

"Heaven." Lorna said confidently.

"Beg pardon?" the boy drawled.

"Heaven, where good people go when they die, you know? I suppose a pureblood like you knows nothing of Christianity."

"Oh, sorry about your parents. They were _our_ sort, weren't they?" the boy asked condescendingly.

"They were human if _that's_ what you mean." Lorna said icily.

"No no no, are you daft? I meant a witch and a wizard. I simply don't think the other sort should be allowed into Hogwarts, they just don't know our ways. I'm a twenty-second generation pureblood and the name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Lorna rolled her eyes.

"Bond, Jamie Bond and I go back to the beginning of human-kind." she said.

"No family is _THAT_ old, you lie! I've never heard of the Bond family before anyway." Malfoy said, Lorna rolled her eyes again.

"I didn't say that I was pureblood to the beginning of human-kind, just that my family goes back that far and so does everyone else's. If you want to get the version-for-bigots my father was a forty-ninth generation pureblood and my mother was born of six generations of Squibs, the first of which was born from a forty-second generation pureblood family. And you clearly don't know anything about Muggle culture, Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, or you'd know who Bond was, James bond but I had to do the next best thing, Jamie. The real name is Lorna, Lorna Lily Potter."

"That's you done, dear." Madam malcon said. Lorna gratefully hopped off the stool, took her robes, paid, and left the shop.

"How did it go, sweetie?" Petunia asked.

"Some, and I quote, "twenty-second generation" pureblood prat thought he'd spout off his pureblood nonsense. He said his name was "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy" and I said my name was "Bond, Jamie Bond," he didn't get it." Lorna huffed.

"Don't let people like that get to you, they're not worth it. And you wonder why I'd rather stay out of the magical world." this last part Petunia said to herself. In the next hour they stopped off at all the other shops they needed. They got ingredients at the apothecary, a telescope, a cauldron, scales, and files, and then books of all sorts at Flurrish and Blots. It took fifteen minutes for Petunia to drag her book-happy niece away. Lorna got her wand from Olivander's, brother wand to the man who killed her parents, and finally she was done with all of the necessary shopping.

"I think it's time for a birthday gift." Petunia said, smiling as they had ice-cream after a hearty lunch.

"Really? What? Where?" Lorna asked excitedly.

"I think a pet would suffice, don't you?" Petunia smiled.

"Oh yes, yes _yes_ _YES!"_ Lorna squealed, jumping up. Petunia simply smiled and followed her beloved niece.

Sunday, September 1, 1991

"You take care of yourself, Lorna, and write as much as you can." Petunia said, drawing her niece into a tight hug in front of the bright red Hogwarts Express.

"I will, Aunt Petunia, I promise." Lorna said, beaming at her aunt. "And you take care of yourself as well and don't take any of Dudley's bullocks." Dudley had been home for a week now and was spending the day being watched by the couple of police that lived next door, the only people that could handle the wayward boy. "Make lots of friends, get good marks, and for heaven's sake, Lorna Lily, stay safe and out of trouble." the ginger-blond woman stressed to her blackfire-haired niece.

"Awe, Auntie, you wound me ever so much. When have I been known to get myself in trouble? Scratch that, when have I been known to get in trouble for no good reason?" Lorna asked sweetly.

"Cheeky brat, you go have fun now. Write me tonight if you don't forget, that owl's meant for more than looking pretty." the "owl" hooted indignantly at that.

"That _owl's_ name is Hedwig and you'd better take good care of Fifi for me." Lorna said. Fifi was the oh-so-adorible krup puppy that Lorna had insisted they get because she was all alone and just _SO_ cute. "Just think, Auntie, you'll need someone other than Dudley to keep you company and she's so sweet. And don't worry about Dudley hurting her, from what I've been reading about Krups it'll probably be the other way around." Lorna had said. Petunia had to admit that the little krup, which was something like a magical counterpart to a dog, was very sweet. Apparently there were certain breeds of krups as there were dogs as well and Fifi was like a poodle-krup, white and fluffy with big brown eyes, her fur streaked with apricot. "I'll call her a Kroople!" Lorna had proclaimed. She looked perfectly normal except for the forked tail and had already made it quite clear she was _LORNA'S_ dog although she didn't mind Petunia too terribly much.

"I will, I will. Oh, there's the whistle, you'd better go!" Petunia said, hugging her niece one more time. Lorna reciprocated the hug easily before parting, grabbing up her stuff, and bouncing towards the train. Petunia's eyes didn't leave the train and the carriage her niece was in until it left out of sight. She sighed pitifully, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, as she reluctantly turned away.

"First time?" came a voice to her left. Petunia whirled around and looked into the warm, kind brown eyes of a plump, red-haired motherly-looking woman. She nodded, sighing.

"I was hoping this day would never come, you know? All this time...a small part of me hoped the letter would never come...but it did. Magic...her heritage...I couldn't deny her of it even if I wanted too, I just wished it had denied itself. Magic has taken everything from me but her. It took my sister and her husband, it's the reason my husband is in prison, it's the reason my son hates me, he's always getting into scrapes and winding up in Juvenile Hall for them. I hate it, I hate it but I love it, I resent it because I can never do it but accept it because she can. Oh...forgive a woman's ramblings, this is just hard." Petunia stammered out.

"Oh I understand, dear. During the last war there were days when I just wanted to be a Muggle, to have never known about magic, I lost my twin brothers because of it. It does get easier, though. I'm sending my sixth to Hogwarts this year, Ron. Ginny here starts next year." the woman said.

"At least you've the magic to defend yourself and your family, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't defend her." Petunia sighed.

"Every loving mother would do anything to protect her child, call it the Lily Potter instinct." the red-hared woman said. Petunia burst into tears at that. "Oh dear, I'm sorry, is it something I said?"

"No...nothing...Lily...oh god...Lily was my baby sister...my only sister...and I never could protect her! If I couldn't keep her safe...then...then how can I protect her daughter? Oh never mind me...I'm just a bit emotional today." Petunia sniffled.

"Oooh, you're Lorna Potter's aunt? What's she like? does she have the scar? Is she—com" the little red-haired, brown-eyed girl piped before her mother shushed her.

"Ginevra, don't be rude!" the woman hissed. "I'm very sorry...erm...my daughter is...er...a bit of a fan of your niece's." the woman said.

"Petunia Evans and it's all right." Petunia said.

"I'm Molly Weasley and this is my daughter, Ginny. It was nice meeting you but we had best be going, owl if you need anything, or better yet, floo." the woman, Molly, said, smiling.

"I will. It was a pleasure." Petunia said before striding through the barrier.

The drive home seemed to take no time at all and Petunia found herself in a house that was missing something, Lorna. Dudley, thankfully, was upstairs blowing up aliens on his computer and not out making real trouble. Fifi rubbed miserably against Petunia's leg and whimpered.

"I know, girl, I know." Petunia sighed, sitting down on the couch. She sighed again and picked up a book, might as well do...well...something.

By the time 9:00 came around Petunia was getting ansi. Finally, a speck of white appeared in the distance. Hedwig winged her way closer to the house and through the open window. Petunia happily untied her niece's letter, gave Hedwig a treat and some water, and began to read.

Dear Auntie,

Hi, how are you? I'm absolutely splendid! When I got on the train I met up with these two boys, Fred and George Weasley, they're such fun and pranksters too. I sat with them all the way to the station and we had great fun. I even helped them fine-tune there beginning-of-year prank, they're really very nice. They see me as Lor, not as Lorna Potter: the Girl-Who-Lived, I can just tell. They're both in Gryffindor. We talked about the houses and they and their friend, Lee Jordan, another Gryffindor, tried to convince me that you got sorted by a troll. If you fought it head-on you were a Gryffindor, if you tried to befriend it you were a Hufflepuff, if you went to look up something about it you were a Ravenclaw, and if you tried to get it on your side and use it you were a Slytherin. I, of course, didn't believe them and told them that the real way was in Hogwarts: A History. They said that it had worked on their little brother, Ron, and he was scared to death. I said he must be a bit dim to believe that tosh, they agreed. I promised I'd not tell Ron the truth, though. In fact, I reinforced the belief. That same bratty Malfoy kid came to try and tell me who the "right sort" are but I wouldn't have it, I told him to get lost or I'd hex him. Just as he left another girl came in, her name's Hermione Granger and she had asked if we were fighting, we said no. She then asked if we'd seen a toad and that a boy named Neville's lost one. I told her she could use the summoning charm, accio, and her eyes lit up like I had suggested the most _BRILLIANT_ thing. She then went on about how she'd read all the Hogwarts course books for the first year and memorized them by heart. The rest of the train ride we rode up chatting about books and the twins and Lee gave a lot of input.

Hermione and I got in a boat with the Neville boy she had mentioned as well as Ron Weasley. When I told him who I was he started prattling on about me and Voldemort or, "You-Know-Who," and if I remembered what he looked like and if I had the scar and all sorts of other bull. By the time we reached the other shore of the lake I was about ready to slap him. One good thing about the boat ride was the view of Hogwarts. Oh Auntie, it's really pretty, no, it's stunningly _BRILLIANT!_ I absolutely _LOVE_ it! We were greeted by Professor McGonagall, she seems real strict but fair too and she took us into a room to wait for the sorting. Ron mentioned the troll and I sort of told him that you told me _ALL_ _ABOUT_ the trolls. Neville lamented that he would probably be in Hufflepuff and how disappointed his gran would be but I told him there was _NOTHING_ wrong with Hufflepuff and his gran ought to be proud to have a strong, loyal, friendly, hard-working grandson. Well the sorting finally came and we were led into the great hall with the beautiful enchanted ceiling. Hermione was sorted right away into Ravenclaw, I was happy for her. Then it was Neville, he was sorted into Hufflepuff but he actually looked really proud. Let's skip me for a minute so I can tell you where Ron went, it was Gryffindor, of course. All right, now me. The hat said I could have gone into any house but my best fit was...da-da-da-daaaaa, _RAVENCLAW!_ So here I am in the house of the eagles and I'm _LOVING_ it. Everybody's really nice and there's always some sort of debate going on all throughout the meal. After the feast was done the fifth-year Ravenclaw prefects, Andrew MacFusty and Penelope Clearwater, led us to Ravenclaw tower. The entrance is a door with a bronze eagle knocker. When Penny, (she insists we call her that,) knocked the eagle he came alive and asked a question, what came first, the phoenix or the ashes? I answered it right and said neither, it's all a part of the circle of life! Ravenclaw common room is so cozy with book shelves and comfy chairs and tables to work at, it's blue and bronze. I have four roommates, Miranda "Mandy" Brocklehurst, HERMIONE Granger, Padma Patil, and Lisa Turpin. Mandy's like super-hyper but really cool and funny, Hermione's really nice, Padma has a twin in Gryffindor but she's outgoing and she loves music and dance. She even invited us girls to join her in dancing off all the dinner we ate and she showed us some Baliwood stuff, and Lisa is rather shy and Muggle-born like Hermione but she'll be all right. Oh boy, I'm getting sleepy. I'd better go to bed, big day tomorrow. Give Fifi my love. I love you, Aunt Petunia.

Love,

Lor

Petunia smiled as she laid her niece's first letter aside and stroked Hedwig's head feathers. Getting up from her seat she went over to the roll-top desk in the living room, sat down, and began to pen a reply.

Monday, September 2, 1991

Eager for her first day of classes Lorna was out of bed early the next morning and in her Hogwarts robes by the time the rest of the girls were up. Stuffing all her school books into her backpack she rushed down to the common room, smiling happily.

"In a hurry, Lorna?" asked Penelope Clearwater as Lorna flopped into a chair.

"I'm just really, _really,_ _REALLY_ excited. This is my first day, you know, and I really hope I do well." Lorna rambled.

"Don't worry, you will. And remember that we have tutors if you need them, all right, and study hour every day from six to seven." Penny assured the smaller girl.

"Thanks, Penny." Lorna said, relieved.

"Any time, Lor." Penny said, smiling kindly. About a half hour later the other four first-year girls as well as the first-year boys, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Steven Cornfoot, Kevin Entwisle, and Anthony Goldstein came down from the dorms.

"All right, you lot, now you're all down here we'll take you to breakfast." said Andrew MacFusty, the more aggressive of the fifth-year prefects.

"The other houses don't even bother taking their firsties down and everyone gets lost, it's just easier this way. Okay, boys behind Andrew and girls behind me." Penny said as the two stood facing the door.

"Boot, Corner, Cornfoot, Entwisle, and Goldstein in that order!" Andrew said.

"Miranda, Hermione, Padma, Lorna, and Lisa in that order behind me." Penny said. The ten Ravenclaw firsties lined up as asked before the two prefects opened the doors. They were led through twisting corridors, down jumbled staircases, and were turned about in a very confusing manner before they finally reached the Great Hall. As they entered Lorna noticed that not many students were up and there were no first-years at all. Lorna sat down between Hermione Granger and Anthony Goldstein and began to eat.

"I do wonder what classes we have!" Hermione prattled excitedly.

"I heard from my mother charms was quite good, our head-of-house teaches it." Anthony said.

"My auntie said that my mum was brilliant with charms and potions and my dad was a transfiguration and defense whiz but I don't know what I'll be good at, I'm really nervous." Lorna admitted.

"You'll be fine." Lisa TURPIN said timidly. "I haven't any magic heritage to speak of, I bet I'm the worst." her hazel eyes were beginning to fill with tears and her red-brown hair was put in a messy ponytail that was starting to fall out.

"You'll be brilliant, Lisa. I don't know much more about magic than the average Muggle-born myself, my auntie's a Muggle...or at least she thought she was...she's actually a Squib." Lorna said comfortingly. Just then the small form of Professor Flitwick came bouncing up the isle carrying a stack of time tables that nearly covered his beaming little face.

"Here you go!" he squeaked as he passed them out to the first-years. Lorna took hers and sighed, potions first with the Slytherins. She didn't know what to think about the professor, Severus Snape. He had been her mum's best friend until he called her a mudblood. He had been bitter rivals with her father; would he see her for her or for who her parents were? Her thoughts were broken out of as hundreds of post owls came soaring through the open windows into the hall. Through them all she spotted Hedwig with a letter and a small package. The graceful snowy soared down and landed on Lorna's arm, stealing some bacon from her plate.

"Is that from Aunt Petunia, Hed?" she asked, Hedwig simply hooted. First off, she untied the letter and began to read.

Dear Lorna,

I am _so_ proud of you. Not only have you managed to make friends but you're in a good house. Your mum was almost a Ravenclaw, you know? I think that it suits you quite well. As far as the pranks go please be careful and if you must _PLEASE_ don't get caught. I don't want to here from your head-of-house or the headmaster that you've...you've blown up a toilet or made an alliance with Peeves...or something like that. Have fun, work hard, and be careful. You'll find a fresh package of cookies that I—-

"_HEY!"_ Lorna squealed as the letter and package were snatched out of her hand.

"Tsk tsk, Potter. First day and we're already getting fan mail, are we? You know that such things are not allowed at mealtimes, they make the rest of the students feel...inadequate. Apparently your fame has made you arrogant and of the state of mind that you can flaunt it all about am I correct, Potter?" came a silky voice. Lorna whipped her head around to stare angrily into the obsidian eyes of the Hogwarts potions master.

"I haven't got any fan mail, sir. That was a package from my auntie. Draco Malfoy's got a package over there, why aren't you biting _his_ head off?" Lorna demanded.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw for your cheek, Potter, and I'll be taking this." with no further word Snape slinked away with the letter and the cookies.

"That git took my auntie's cookies." Lorna said in a small voice. "Why couldn't he leave well enough _ALONE?"_ her sadness turned right to a white-hot anger that flashed bright in her eyes. From then on Lorna Lily Potter hated Asphodelius Severus Snape, the ASS.

Meanwhile Petunia went to her first day back to work teaching upper-level English. At least she had that job to keep her busy.

"All right, you lot. I want you all to write a composition about your summer and what you expect of your new school due tomorrow." Petunia said to her sixth-grade class, the last class of the day. The students, except for her son, nodded collectively and the bell rang. When Petunia got home she was relieved to see a familiar white owl waiting on her perch inside. Hedwig looked rather ruffled and annoyed but Petunia chocked it up to flying conditions or something. Petunia gave her niece's owl some treats and water before she untied the letter, sat down on the couch, and began to read.

Git git git git, _git_ _git_ _git_ _git,_ _GIT_ _GIT_ _GIT_ _GIT_ _GIT_ _GIIIIIT!_ Snape is a _BLOODY_ _GIT!_ Oh Auntie, you wouldn't believe what Snape has done. I now know the answer to what Snape thinks of me and he only sees my dad, not my mum and _CERTAINLY_ _NOT_ _ME!_ I got my letter and package from you this morning and half-way through it Snape snatches it out of my hands, sneers at me getting "fan mail," and when I told him it was from you and said that Draco Malfoy had his own package he deducted _TEN_ _POINTS_ from me and took my letter and package so I couldn't even _FINISH_ _IT!_ To make my day worse guess what class we have first? _POTIONS,_ right in _ONE!_ He gets to my name and sneers "Lorna Potter, our new...celebrity!" can you believe that? Then, after the roll call, he began to spout off OWL and NEWT level questions at me. Here's an exact transcript of what happened copied from Padma Patil's dictaquill.

Snape: (sneers nastily) _POTTER,_ tell me what you would get with asphodel and wormwood infused together?

Lor: (scratches her head) A mess, sir. With the propper stirring and brewing in conjunction with other ingredients, however, you would get a sleeping draft so powerful it is known as the Draft of Living Death. The only known counter is the Awakening draft which can not only awaken somebody from the Draft of Living Death but unpetrify anybody who has been petrified no matter how long. It is made by stewing mandrakes with peppermint leaves, crushed unicorn horn, and pepper.

Snape: (scowls and glares at Lor) Ten points from Ravenclaw for being an insufferable know-it-all. (Slytherins snicker). If you're _so_ _smart_ than tell me, Potter, what is a bezoar and where can you find it?

Lor: (annoyed) You could find it in your storage cabinet, sir, or in the stomach of a goat. It is theorized that other mammals carry similar stones but it hasn't been proven yet. As for what a bezoar is it can cure you of most poisons.

Snape: (glares some more) Ten points from Ravenclaw for being a know-it-all and a smart-mouth, Potter. Tell me now what the difference is between Monksfoot and Wolfsbane?

Lor: (sighs) They're the same plant, sir, which also goes by aconite.

Snape: (looking utterly furious) Twenty points from Ravenclaw for such a _SUPPERIOR_ attitude. Thought everyone'd love you more just for answering a few simple questions correctly, Potter?

Lor: (furious) Damned if I do, damned if I don't, right? You'd have deducted the points if I _HADN'T_ ansered your questions. Most first-years would have _NEVER_ known those answers, that's OWL and NEWT material.

Snape: (sneers) And you just _HAPPEN_ to read advanced potions books, Potter?

Lor: (shakes her head) Yes, sir. I've read theory up to masters level through my _mum's_ old books. Don't insult my knowledge when my mother became a potions mistress by the age of nineteen. You were how old? Twenty-one? Twenty-two? Oh, that's right, you were twenty-five. My goodness, you taught here five entire years _WITHOUT_ a _MASTERY?_ Mum was the youngest potions master since _SALAZAR_ _SLYTHERIN_ _HIMSELF_ and you're jealous, aren't you?

Snape: (red-faced and roaring) How dare you, Potter? _HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU?_ _FIFTY_ _POINTS_ _FROM_ _RAVENCLAW!_ You're just riding on your fame, arrogant as your no-good, nasty, worthless, _BLOOD-TRAITOR_ father and as imperious, all-knowing, insufferable a know-at-all as your _MUDBLOOD_ _BITCH_ of a mother. (class gasps)

Lor: (furious, magic crackling, things rattling) How dare _I?_ _HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU!_ I don't understand how my mum could have _EVER_ been friends with the likes of _YOU!_ You probably slipped her a loyalty draft before she even reached _HOGWARTS_ didn't you, _DIDN'T_ _YOU?_ It's a good thing you called her a _MUDBLOOD_ when you did or else _GOD_ _Knows_ what could have _HAPPENED._ As far as I'm concerned you deserved _ALL_ that my dad and his friends _DID_ _TO_ _YOU!_ You're nothing but a know-good, nasty, sneering, bias, vindictive, _DEATH_ _EATER_ _BASTARD,_ _ASPHODELIUS_ _SEVERUS_ _SNAPE_ the _ASS!_ (class gasps again.)

Snape) (shaking in rage) _FIFTY_ _Points_ from _RAVENCLAW_ and _DETENTION_ with _ME_ _EVERY_ _NIGHT_ and _EVERY_ _WEEKEND!_ (class gasps yet again) Now everybody _DO_ _YOUR_ _POTIONS_ or _You'll_ see the _SAME_ _FATE!_

You see, Auntie? Then, when I brew a perfect potion Snape accuses me of using an owl-level switching spell on Draco Malfoy's cauldron to get my results stating, "Clearly, Potter, if you're so _CAPABLE_ of understanding masters-level potions material from your _MOTHER_ than you could understand the same of your _FATHER'S_ transfiguration material?" then he deducts _FIFTY_ _POINTS_ and gives me a _ZERO_ for the _DAY!_ I did discover one thing about myself though, Aunt Petunia, after I left the class. Hermione pointed out, quite awed, that my hair had turned _ALL_ _RED!_ Do you remember how that one time Peers Polkis cut off my pig-tails in first grade and the next morning my hair was all grown back? I guess it's because I'm a metamorphmagus. There's one other in the school, Nymphadora (don't call me that) Tonks, or Dora, a seventh-year Hufflepuff. I met up with her at lunch and she said she'd try to train me.

Well on a lighter note I love the rest of Hogwarts and I promise I'll try and be good. Here's a little note, though, don't give me ideas. I've already made an alliance with Peeves as to the Marauders' pact, I just need to blow up the toilet (grins.) Well I love you. Take care and give Fifi a pet from me. See you at Christmas.

Love,

Lor

Petunia could barely keep back her anger, glaring down at her niece's letter. How _DARE_ that man? How _DARE_ he talk to her Lorna like that? She would send her niece some more cookies and a reply later. First, she needed Molly Weasley's help with something. Getting out a pen and paper she began to write the formitable witch a letter.

Tuesday, September 3, 1991

Lorna, much calmer, rolled out of bed early on Tuesday morning. Her aunt had sent her a letter last night telling her to look out for a show at breakfast, that she had gotten help to make a letter Snape would not soon forget. She ushered her four roommates out of bed and made sure they got dressed quickly.

"Lor, what are you on about?" Mandy finally asked, a bit miffed.

"We'll be entertained at breakfast. I don't know how but we will be." Lorna said confidently.

"Okay." Mandy shrugged. The girls didn't have to wait long once in the great hall when a non-descript owl flew in with a scarlet envelope.

"I know what that is, that's a _HOWLER!"_ Michael Corner gasped.

"Wonder who it's for?" Terry Boot wondered, Lorna smirked. The hall was relatively full by now so there were plenty of people to watch the show. The owl swooped right over to Snape and dropped the steaming letter. The longer he went without opening it the more it shook and smoked. After about five minutes it finally exploded in his face and began to yell in the unmistakable voice of Lorna's aunt.

"_HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU_ you _DISGUSTING,_ _DESPICABLE_ _MAN?_ Favoring some students over others, singling out one student because of her parents and her fame! I raised Lorna Lily Potter myself and I know without asking that she would trade _EVERYTHING_ to have her parents, a normal life, and _NO_ _FAME!_ I can't believe the way you have acted, how Lily Evans, my _BABY_ _SISTER,_ could have been your best friend _GOD_ only knows. I never could protect Lily from you, _ASPHODELIUS_ _SEVERUS_ _SNAPE,_ but I'll be _DAMNED_ if I can't protect you from _MY_ _LORNA!"_ for a good ten minutes Petunia Evan's voice, which could get quite shrill and grading when she's ticked off, tore Snape a new one and said outright if things did not improve she would pull Lorna out of his class and out of Hogwarts altogether. By the end Snape was red-faced and fuming while other people's reactions ranged from awe and respect of Petunia's yelling to amusement to anger because it was no secret that Petunia was non-magical, how could she have made a howler?

"That was ten times worse than even one of our _MUM'S_ howlers." one of the Weasley twins breathed as the students left the great hall.

"Well your mum _DID_ help make it!" Lorna said.

"_WHAT?"_ the Weasley twins gasped.

"My auntie's a Squib; how else did you expect her to make a howler? Yell at a piece of Muggle paper and expect that her shere anger could enchant the paper for her? Apparently she met your mum at the platform and they've been in contact. We'll even have a floo connection at home soon." Lorna said with a smile.

"_BRILLIANT,_ Lor!" they chimed. Lorna simply smiled and walked off to Transfiguration.

Friday, September 13, 1991

As Petunia Evans sat down to have some dinner there came a tapping on her window. Who could this be from? She'd sent Hedwig off with a letter for Lorna a half hour ago, she couldn't be back already. Sighing Petunia got up, nudging Fifi from her slumber by her feet. She opened the window and let in a rather pompous-looking owl. Petunia untied the letter but the owl stayed. The letter was sealed with the Hogwarts crest, what had her niece done now? Sighing she sat down, opened the letter, and began to read.

Miss Petunia Evans:

I am sending you a letter in regards to your niece, Lorna Potter. Today she was caught flying out-of-bounds in her flying lesson when the instructor was not present, taking a classmate who had fallen off his broom to the hospital wing. The class was Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw. Before you jump to any conclusions allow me to explain. When Miss Abbot of Hufflepuff house fell off her broom and broke her wrist she apparently lost her necklace which her father had given to her as a little girl before his death. One Hufflepuff student, a Mr. Zacharias Smith, from what I can gather, took it, said something rude about Miss Abbot, and flew off with the girl's necklace. your niece, quite angry, flew after him. This I saw myself through my window. Words were exchanged and Mr. Smith threw Miss Abbot's necklace. Lorna caught it from fifty feet, only a few inches from the ground. Gryffindor's Charlie Weasley, a recent graduate, couldn't have caught it better. I'm sure you'll have your own things to say to your niece and you can punish her as you see fit but I have not punished her too terribly severely. She has detention with me on Saturday as her detentions with Professor Snape have been nullified.

Now we get down to my primary reason for owling you. The Ravenclaw Quiddich team is in diar need of a seeker; we haven't won the cup since I was a student and a seeker myself on the Ravenclaw team and let me tell you, Miss Evans, that was some time ago. I am asking your permission for Lorna to become Ravenclaw's new seeker. I've already ran it past the headmaster and he has no problems; all we need is your permission. Also, she'll need a good broom; perhaps a Nimbus 2000 or a Cleansweep 7. Please respond as soon as you can, our Quiddich captain, Andrew MacFusty, is aquiver with excitement.

Sincerely,

Fillius Flitwick,

Head of Ravenclaw House

Petunia sighed, shook her head, and began to eat her dinner. A bundle of trouble her Lorna was but she loved her, that was for sure. Her parents would be proud. Lily had been a seeker, James a chaser. She would have to contact Gringotts, didn't she have some broom company stock? Lorna wasn't off scot-free, however, Petunia smirked as she finished her food and washed her dishes. Now where was that pot of floo powder? She needed Molly's assistance.

Saturday, September 14, 1991

Lorna settled down happily at the breakfast table the next morning. She had loved flying, it was the most exilerating feeling. She knew that her dad was a chaser and her mum a seeker and now she might be one too. She only could hope and pray her aunt approved. Near the end of breakfast she saw a brown owl with a scarlet envelope make its way in with the other post owls. Lorna's stomach plummeted to her toes as she saw it winging its way towards her. Resignedly as the owl landed in front of her she took the howler. The owl hooted and soared off once more.

"Better get it over with, yeah?" Mandy asked.

"Parvati owes me a galleon." Padma muttered before smiling innocently at her distressed friend.

"Oh I just _Knew_ you'd get in trouble!" Hermione huffed.

"Oy, Lor, it's smoking!" Michael Corner snapped. Lorna, flushing embarrassedly, tore the scarlet envelope open with much trepidation.

"_LORNA_ _LILY_ _POTTER!_ How _DARE_ you pull off such a _RIDICULOUS_ stunt? You could have _DIED!_ It was very _NOBLE_ of you indeed but honestly, you ought not have let that _SMITH_ boy gode you into flying after him. We'll discuss this more next holiday, young lady, do you _HERE_ _ME?"_ yelled Petunia Evan's voice throughout the great hall before it softened. "But congratulations on you-know-what, I'm so proud. Something will be coming for you as a reward. Stay out of trouble, Lorna Lily, I love you." and with that the howler fizzled out. Lorna, still red-faced, simply stared down into her lap. Not five minutes later a large screech owl flew in with a large square package. Lorna took it and read the note attached.

Lorna,

In this package are some home-made sweets as well as your reward. Don't open it in the hall whatever you do.

Love,

Aunt Petunia

Lorna squealed giddily and smiled before rushing out of the hall, her confused Ravenclaw friends trotting after her.

"What's up?" Hermione asked as they made it into the Ravenclaw common room. Lorna didn't answer, she simply ripped open her aunt's package.

"I'll share with you." she said as she lifted out brownies, cookies, and her favorite Muggle sweets. She squealed excitedly when she saw a stack of plastic cups and a two-leter bottle of Root Beer. Somebody had obviously helped her by putting preservation and temperature charms on the lot. In one corner of the box at the very bottom was a case. Lorna picked it up and looked curiously at it. It was peculiar, made of black wood with a bronze lightning bolt in the center on the lid. Attached to it was a note.

Tap your wand to the lightning bolt for it to unshrink, tap it again to shrink.

—Aunt Petunia—

Lorna shrugged, set the strange case on the floor, and tapped the bronze lightning bolt. Immediately the case grew and lengthened until it was rectangular, about the size of a broom. Lorna undid the three bronze latches and gingerly lifted the lid. Her friends gasped as they saw what lay inside. There, on a blue velvet cushion, lay a broom. It wasn't any old broom, however, certainly not. It was made out of a black wood whose grains seemed to glint a dark red in the light just as they did on the case itself. Some of the perfectly aligned branches and twigs were coated in a thin layer of bronze and up the side written in bronze was the name "Lightningbolt." Under the broom was a manual and above it was another note.

I got this from a company that the Evans family holds stock in. It was just released last month. It's international Quiddich standard and held in even higher regard than the Nimbus 2000. It, so they say, is the most responsive, quick, durable broom on the market. I hope you enjoy it.

Love,

Aunt Petunia

Lorna couldn't help but gasp again at the broom; it was wonderful.

"What's all the fuss about then?" Andrew asked as he and Penny came into the common room.

"Look at the broom she's got!" drooled Anthony Goldstein. Andrew looked at it, gasped, and fell into a chair, breathing hard.

"Merlin...no...it couldn't be...is it really?" he breathed.

"It is. My aunt owns some of the company stock." Lorna explained. Andrew jumped up, smiled, and grabbed the small first-year into a squeeze-the-life-out-of-you sort of hug.

"_HA!_ Now we'll see just how much boasting Flint and my no-good cousin Wood are able to do now! Ha, ha, mwahahahaha-ah-ah-ah-achoo...erm...sorry!" Andrew cackled, sitting back down. "Nobody is to know of this; it's our _SECRET_ _WEAPON!"_

"Okay, MacFusty, chill. Do we need to get you a calming draft?" Penny teased.

"No...no...I'm fine, Clearwater." Andrew sighed. "But this is gonna be _BRILLIANT!"_

Thursday, September 19, 1991

She was getting used to it, she really was. Sure it had been lonely without Lorna at first but she was making due, really she was. She didn't keep expecting her niece to walk right through the door every day at 3:00, she didn't have to keep reminding herself that she was all alone so much. Even with Lorna gone, she mused, things were still interesting. All of this Petunia was thinking as she read her niece's newest missive.

Dear Auntie,

Hi, how are you? Well as to how I am I just about had a heart attack. You wouldn't _BELIEVE_ what happened. Me, Hermione, and Neville from Hufflepuff were late for our Defense Against the Dark arts class with that total joke, Quirell. You know, the weird guy with the turban that my scar always hurts around? Well we tried to take an eensy-teensy-weensy bit of a shortcut and you wouldn't _BELIEVE_ what happened. We tried to get through this one door on the third floor but it was locked. Hermione used the unlocking charm and we rushed inside to be met with guess what? A _THREE_ _HEADED_ _DOG!_ Not only _THAT_ but it was on a trap door! Apparently we were in that third-floor corridor Dumbledore warned us against at the welcoming feast. Not only were we late to class but practically incoherent throughout the thing. Happy birthday to Hermione, eh? Oh yeah, and she wants to thank you for the sweets you sent her this morning. She really appreciates it. Well I've got some nasty homework for the ASS to do so I'd better send this off. I love you, good night.

Still quivering,

Lorna

Petunia frowned. This was just exactly the sort of danger she had warned Lorna of before she entered Hogwarts. Any more of this foolishness and she would be pulling her niece out no questions.

Friday, September 20, 1991

As Lorna began to eat her second helping of bacon the next morning at breakfast Hedwig landed gently on her shoulder.

"Hey, girl." she said gently, feeding her owl some bacon. There was a small package tied to her leg and a letter on her other leg. Lorna took the package and quickly stoed it in her bag before taking her letter, opening it, and reading it.

Dear Lorna,

What is that headmaster of yours thinking? Keeping a thing like that locked up in a _SCHOOL?_ Honestly, I always thought Dumbledore was a bit loony, really. I swear this, Lorna Lily Potter, if anything else drastic happens that could put you in danger you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say "Quiddich," do you understand me? And I know that you have no respect for Snape, and quite frankly neither do I, but you really need to stop referring to him as "the ASS," all right? I'm not sure what's worse, ASS or what your father and his friends called him, Snivelus. Oh dear, I shouldn't have given you that. Well anyway, enjoy yourself, work hard, and for God's sake, Lor, stay out of trouble won't you?

Love,

Aunt Petunia

"Your aunt's got a point, you know." Hermione said, reading the letter over Lorna's shoulder.

"What? About the three-headed dog or about ASS?" Lorna asked cheekily.

"Both, Lor, both." Hermione said, shaking her head.

"Whatever, I call it how I see it, Mione." Lorna laughed.

Friday, September 20, 1991


	46. Lyra Malfoy

Lyra Malfoy and the Fountain of Fair Fortune

An attempt to… I don't know… Rip off the Harry Potter series, using the next generation to do so? I don't know, nor do I have any comment… I had two versions of this, one with Hermione as Lyra's mother, and this one, where Luna is her mother. Yeah… I think I wrote this before I started getting into female Harry.

Chapter One: The Girl Who Lived

Mr. and Mrs. Manning, of number seven, Canis Crescent, were proud to say that they were entirely ordinary, thanks be to God. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything odd or supernatural because they would not tollerate such utter tosh. Mr. Manning was the director of a firm called Quincys, which made nails, screws, and the like. He was a short, rotund man, all fat and no muscle, with a short, thick neck and thin, wispy dark blond hair and mustache with short beard which he never bothered to shave. Mrs. Manning was short like her husband; she didn't have much of a figure, she was a stick of a woman, really, with a long, thin neck whose muscles were well-toned from craning her head through windows, around corners, through gaps in the hedges, and over fences to spy on the neighbours. Her face was thin and angular, her eyes were large, buggy, and a muddy blue-brown colour, and her hair was thick, frizzy, and mouse brown. She tried to hide its innately scraggly nature by trying to put it up in elaborate and fancy hairstyles...and she was so sure she looked good, the poor dear. The Manning's had a small daughter as well. Her name was Starr and they believed steadfastly that a finer girl couldn't be found in the whole of England, the whole of the world.

The Mannings possessed everything they wanted but, along with that, they also possessed a secret and their greatest fear was that someone, someday, would somehow uncover that secret. They didn't think they'd ever live it down if anybody found out about the Malfoys. Mrs. Manning's father was Mrs. Malfoy's mother's older brother making the two women cousins but they hadn't bothered trying to meet for a few years now. Mrs. Malfoy, in some foolish attempt to rebuild the almost sisterly closeness she once shared with her cousin, sent the obligatory birthday and Christmas cards but Mrs. Manning did not reciprocate. It was quite the contrary, actually. If Mrs. Manning was asked, she would proudly state that she had no cousin at all, no freaky aunt as well, as a matter of fact, and she never felt any remorse for doing so because her cousin and her no-good husband were as unManninglike as it was possible to be. And not to mention the aunt, got herself killed in front of her own daughter, the fool of a woman! Both Mr. and Mrs. Manning simply shivered at the very thought of any or all of the Malfoys showing up on their doorstep. Unfortunately, the Mannings knew that the Malfoys had a small daughter of their own through one of those thrice-be-damned cards Mrs. Malfoy sent out; the woman had even had the nerve to send them some of those freaky pictures along with it. Both the card and pictures had been unceremoniously tossed in the fireplace, of course. This was another good reason not to have the Malfoys over for tea; like they wanted their little Starr mixing with a girl like that?

When Mr. and Mrs. Manning woke up on the cold, blustery, overcast December morning this story starts, there was nothing about the stormy sky that would suggest that strange happenings would be taking place all over the country. Mr. Manning whistled an undiscernible tune as he picked out his most boring yet intimidating suit for work. Downstairs, Mrs. Manning chattered happily away on the telephone as she attempted to wrestle a wailing Starr into her high chair, eventually giving up and putting the phone on its cradle so that she could use both of her hands. Neither of them noticed the large, yellow-eyed screech owl zooming right past their house, easily visible through the front-facing windows. At a quarter to eight, Mr. Manning picked up his briefcase and gave his wife a quick peck on the lips. He attempted to give Starr a goodbye kiss as well but the baby was dumping her container of yogurt all over the floor.

"Mischievous little imp." Mr. Manning chuckled, smiling at his daughter. With a last wave, he then left the house. Getting into his car, a brand-new silver BMW, he backed out of number seven's drive. On the corner of the street he saw the first bit of oddness, there was a snake that was lying on a map right on top of number one's wall. It was coiled right on it, reading it. For a split second he didn't realise what he had seen but then he jerked his head around, staring at it. There was a long, black snake with green diamonds outlined on its back which was now stretched out on the garden wall but there wasn't a map in sight. What was he thinking? Hmmm, it must have been a trick of the light...a patch of sun coming through the thick cloud cover...but that seemed somehow unlikely. It looked as though it would snow any time, not suddenly and miraculously get sunny. Blinking, Mr. Manning stared right at the snake. It stared back. As the light turned green he turned the corner and drove up the next rode, watching the snake through his mirrors as he did so. It was now craning itself upwards and reading the sign proclaiming the street it was on to be Canis Crescent...that couldn't be right...'it was looking at the sign...snakes couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Manning shook his head and stubbornly shoved the bothersome snake out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of washers and nuts he was hoping to get in. Little did he know this was just the beginning of his topsy-turvy day.

Oh yes, the very _THOUGHTS_ of washers and nuts were driven out of his mind as he reached the edge of town. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited for the light so that he could finally move, a normal occurrence during the morning traffic jam, he couldn't help but notice that there were quite a few people dressed in peculiar sorts of clothes. People in cloaks and robes and other such things. Mr. Manning absolutely abhorred strange clothes; why couldn't young people these days just dress in something sensible? He did, of course, discount the fact that he was only just reaching twenty-five himself. He supposed that this was some idiotic fad, some sort of an asinine new trend that was "all the rage" this season. As the light turned green his eyes landed on a huddle of these oddballs packed close together. He saw their lips moving at a rapid pace, chattering excitedly to one another. Looking closer, he was infuriated to discover that a fair few of the cluster of weirdos weren't young, stupid teenagers at all. That woman there, she had to be older then his wife was. Wearing a bright red cloak with gold embroidery, oh the nerve of her; he thought proudly of how his wife would surely stick her nose up at such ludicrous garments. Then it hit him, this must be some sort of stupid publicity stunt. These people must be dressed like a character in one of those annoying teenage dramas, trying to raise money for some useless charity that the lead actor or actress supported. Yes, yes, that must be it. The traffic picked up the pace and a few short minutes later, Mr. Manning arrived in the Quincys parking lot, his mind back on the washers and nuts he wanted ordered.

Mr. Manning always sat with his back to the window in his office on the seventh floor. If he was facing the window, he would have, without a doubt, found it much harder to concentrate on the various bits and bobs that made up the Quincys inventory. He didn't notice all the owls swooping overhead in broad daylight but the people in the streets below certainly did; they pointed and stared with wide open eyes and mouths agape in wonder. Most of them except for the avid bird watchers among them and, though the average person didn't know it, the strange cloak-wearers, had never seen an owl at all and, if they had, never outside the nighttime. Yes, Mr. Manning had a perfectly normal, owl-free, productive morning. He gleefully yelled at seven different people, lowly underlings who were making a sorry attempt at scrabbling up the corporate ladder. He made several important and necessary telephone calls about those new washers and nuts and shouted a bit more at the poor secretary on the other end who wouldn't patch him through to her boss because he was "busy," so she said.

He was in a simply delightful mood, for him anyway, before he got it in his head he'd stretch his stubby legs and walk down the road for a sub from the deli. He'd totally forgotten about the cloaked weirdos on the street until he passed a small knot of them as he headed into the deli. He glared at them as he entered, they unsettled him. They were whispering furiously to one another and, the funny thing was, he saw no collecting tins or armfuls of useless pamphlets and brochures. On his way back past them, clutching a foot-long sub and a large root beer in a bag, he caught snippets of what they were actually saying.

"The Malfoys, that's right, did you hear—com"

"Oh yes, about their daughter, Lyra...poor dear—com" Mr. Manning stopped in his tracks. He felt icy fear creep into him. For a split second he looked back on the whisperers, contemplating whether or not to say something, but then thought better of it.

Dashing up the street he rushed into the building and over to the lift. It didn't seem to come nearly fast enough but eventually he was in his office. Snapping at his secretary not to disturb him, he snatched up his telephone and started punching in his home number. Halfway through, however, he stopped and hung the phone back up. He stroked his bearded chin in thought. He was being foolish, no point in upsetting his wife over nothing. Malfoy wasn't such an unusual name anyway, was it? In fact, it sounded vaguely French to him. He was sure there were a lot of people called Malfoy with a daughter called Lyra. He'd never even seen the kid and they'd burnt anything mentioning her, how was he to know what her name was? It could have been Lily or Lacy or Lola for all he knew.

All the same, he still had a hard time putting all this strange business out of his head. At half past four as he was leaving work he bumped into a large-boned woman who was nearly a head taller than he was, so concerned and preoccupied was he.

"Sorry," he mumbled, getting back his centre of balance. It took a moment for Mr. Manning to realise that she wore a periwinkle cloak with fur lining. She simply smiled at him, an odd, thin-lipped smile.

"Do not be sorry, good man, tis a joyful day indeed; all who know have their heads in the clouds. Fear not and be merry, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles such as yourself should be celebrating." she said in a somewhat deep, rich voice. The woman patted Mr. Manning on the shoulder, smiled more broadly, and flounced off. He stood there, feet almost literally glued to the spot, brain barely processing the encounter. He had been patted, patted in a way one would pat their dogs, no less, by a complete stranger; and what a strange stranger she was, too. And he had been called a "muggle," whatever in hell that was. He was understandably shaken. Hurrying to his car he got in, slammed the door, and jammed the key into the ignition, turning it on. As he drove home he really hoped he was imagining things which was a desperate hope, especially for him, because Mr. Manning was a firm believer in the fact that imagination was foolish and useless.

As he pulled up into number seven's drive and got out of the car the first thing that he saw, and it did nothing to improve his already foul mood, was that snake. It was curled up on the garden wall, he was certain that it was looking right at him, too. He was sure it was the very same one, it had those same diamonds and everything.

"Shoo! Hiss hiss! Get away, leave now, you pest! _HISS_ _HISS!"_ he said loudly. The snake didn't move an inch, it just gave him a scathing glare. He wondered, was this normal snake behaviour? What was a snake doing in Hazelnut anyway? Gathering himself together, he let himself into the house. He still was determined to not say a word of the strange happenings to his wife.

Mrs. Manning, unlike Mr. Manning, had had a perfectly lovely, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Across The Street's problems with her son and how Starr learned a new word ("Mine!").

Mr. Manning tried his best to act as though everything was normal. When Starr had been put down to sleep he entered the living room in time to catch the last report on the 9:00 news.

"Birdwatchers countrywide have been reporting all day that the nation's owls have been acting peculiarly. Owls, who hunt at night and are rarely, if ever, seen in daylight have been sighted hundreds of times, flying in every direction since sunrise this morning. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern. The only thing that they have come up with is the fact that a similar phenomenon occurred just over twenty years ago." The newscaster grinned roguishly. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Steve MacGinnis with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Steve?"

"Well Jake," the weatherman said, "I'm not entirely sure about that. It's not just owls acting strangely today. Viewers as far apart as Dundee, Yorkshire, and Kent have been phoning in and emailing to say that instead of the snowfall that I told them to expect today they've been getting a downpour of shooting stars instead. Perhaps people are celebrating the new year early, 2002 and all, but it's not until next week, people. But I can promise a snowy night tonight and, if it keeps up, a white New Years."

Mr. Manning sat frozen in his Lazy Boy recliner. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Malfoys.

Mrs. Manning came into the living room carrying two cups of hot coco. It was no use, he'd have to tell her. Nervously, he cleared his throat.

"Er, Blair, dear, you haven't heard from your cousin lately, have you?" As he suspected, Mrs. Manning looked angry and shocked. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a cousin.

"No," She snapped. "Why do you ask?"

"There was some funny stuff on the news," Mr. Manning muttered uncomfortably. "Stuff about owls, shooting stars, and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today."

"So what?" Mrs. Manning hissed irritably.

"I just, I just thought that it was something to do with that lot of hers." he said. Mrs. Manning sipped her coco through thinned, pursed lips. Mr. Manning decided he didn't dare bring up the name Malfoy.

"That girl of theirs, she'd be around Starr's age now wouldn't she?" he opted to say instead.

"I would assume so," Mrs. Manning said flatly.

"So what's her name again? Lila, isn't it?"

"It's Lyra. Nasty, freaky name if you ask me. And so much like her mother's name, as though the woman was nameing her own daughter after herself." she sniffed disdainfully. But the two names weren't all that similar at all, really, only that they had two syllables and started with L.

"Oh, yes," said Mr. Manning, his heart sinking from his chest to his gut, or so it seemed. "Yes, I quite agree. What self-respecting people would name their daughter such a thing? Lyra? I mean really!" He said nothing else about it as they went up to bed. While Mrs. Manning was in the shower, Mr. Manning crept to the bedroom window and peaked down into the front garden. That snake was still there. It was staring down Canis Crescent as though waiting for something to just come around the corner, at least it looked like it. Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Malfoys? If it did, if it ever got out he was related, if only in marriage, to a pair of, well, he didn't think either he or his lovely wife would be able to live with the fact. The Mannings snuggled into their warm, cozy bed. Mrs. Manning fell asleep quickly but Mr. Manning lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Malfoys were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Manning. The Malfoys knew very well what he and Blair thought about them and their kind and he couldn't see how he and Blair could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. He yawned and turned over, it couldn't and wouldn't affect them.

How terribly wrong that very thought was. Mr. Manning might have finally slipped into a restless sleep but the coiled snake on the garden wall was as awake as it ever was. It just stayed curled there, as still as a statue, its eyes fixed on the corner of Canis Crescent. It didn't budge an inch when a house door slammed down the road nor when a large truck drove past a few blocks away nor when an owl swooped overhead. It was nearly midnight when the snake so much as undid one of its coils.

It was then that a woman appeared on the corner of the street; she appeared so suddenly and silently it was as though she had popped out of the ground. The snake's obsidian eyes narrowed and it flicked its tongue in the woman's direction. The likes of this woman had not been seen before in or around Canis Crescent. She was marginally elderly judging by the steel grey of her hair which she kept in a tight knot on the top of her head. She wore a set of emerald green robes, over those she wore a long black cloak. The shoes she wore were boots of a sort of black leather, not particularly fashionable but practical all the same. This woman had eyes of a shimmering jade behind a set of square spectacles perched upon her small, upturned nose. Her face was stern and sharp but lines of worry and age crinkled it, giving her wrinkles that made her look either rather cross or rather soft, depending on what mood she was in. Now, her face just showed her to be a world-weary old woman with too much on her mind. Said old woman's name was Minerva McGonagall.

Minerva McGonagall seemed either not to realise or not to care that she had just appeared on a street where everything from her name to her robes was unwelcome. Shrewd jade eyes flicked over to the snake as though she knew that she was being watched by it. She chuckled, a dry and hollow sound, and muttered, "Now why am I not surprised?" Shaking her head, she reached into an inside pocket of her cloak and drew out what looked to be a silver cigarette lighter. She glanced at it wistfully before flicking it up into the air, opening it, and giving it a click. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. With another click, the next lamp poofed into darkness. She clicked it twelve times more until the only light on the street was the green of the snake's scales which seemed to be glowing in the winter darkness. If anybody were to look out onto the road, even sharp-eyed Mrs. Manning, they wouldn't be able to see a single thing. Putting the silver contraption back into her pocket, McGonagall set off at a brisk pace to number seven. Once she had reached it, she sat on the wall next to the snake. After a moment, she spoke to it as she would any other human.

"I wasn't sure I would be seeing you here, Professor Snape." turning to look at the coiled snake, the woman was looking instead at a tall man. He looked distinctly dishevelled and irritable. Like Mcgonagall, Snape wore a cloak, a black one with matching black robes. A scowl adorned his pale face, his eyes shone pools of obsidian black darker then the darkness of the street, and his raven black hair hung to his shoulders in a straight, slick mass, a few grey streaks showing themselves.

"Of course you would know it was me." he said flatly.

"But of course. If I didn't I wouldn't be a transfigurations mistress now would I? But I must say I don't believe I've ever seen a snake coiled quite so stiffly." she couldn't help but say.

"Well I would think that you'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor Snape irritably. McGonagall chuckled, her mind bringing her back to the events of twenty years past.

"All day? All day, my old student and friend, when you could have been _CELEBRATING?_ My goodness, I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here." Professor McGonagall chuckled.

"You're channelling him again." Professor Snape pointed out.

"I know, I know. But everyone's celebrating, that's for sure, and being quite careless about it all." she admitted.

"I agree with you; even the Muggles have noticed something's up. It was on the Muggle news." he nodded at the Mannings dark living room window.

"Yes, yes, I heard it. They were bound to notice something. I mean really. Flocks of owls? Shooting stars? What are they supposed to think?" Professor McGonagall asked nobody in particular.

"Yes; shooting stars in Yorkshire, I bet that was the Creevy brothers. Those boys never did have very much sense." Snape sneered.

"But I suppose you can't blame them, not much, anyway." said McGonagall softly. "We haven't had much to celebrate since perhaps 1970 except that decade of peace but it really wasn't peace now was it? Just a time of plotting."

"Yes, yes I am aware of that; I was in the middle of it all, after all." Snape snapped angrily. The wars of the past few decades had left their mark on the man, making him sensitive and snappy at the very mention of them. "Anyway, that's no reason for our world to act like a collective bunch of bounding, bouncing, babbling baboons! People are acting like such fools, dressed as wizards in broad daylight, swapping gossip and rumours."

"Yes," McGonagall continued, "just as I thought last time, a fine thing it would be if, on the very day Anonymous seems to have disappeared at last, the muggles found out about us all."

"So I suppose she, you-know-who, I mean, really has gone, McGonagall?" Snape asked.

"It appears to be so," said McGonagall. "We should be thankful."

"Even if You-Know-Who has gone—com" Snape began before McGonagall cut him off.

Honestly, Severus. If there is one thing that the previous war with Voldemort should have taught you it should be that there's no use fearing a name. All of this silly You-Know-Who business, and so soon after the last one, why can't people just call her by her proper name, Anonymous? It all gets so confusing if we keep saying You-Know-Who."

"I know," said Professor Snape with a sigh, "But, like Albus, you're different. You're a different kind of witch. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know...oh, all right, Anonymous, was frightened of. She wasn't even afraid of Albus and he was headmaster then. You were that girl's head of house, you never let her get away with anything."

"Enough of the flattery, Severus. That girl...woman...had powers I will never have and would never want to have." McGonagall said, shrugging.

"Only because you're too honourable a woman to use them." Snape said.

"Flattery, my friend, flattery." the world-weary woman chuckled. "I do feel that you are channelling me from twenty years ago."

"Hmph. Well you know what everyone's saying, don't you? About why she has suddenly vanished? About how she was finally stopped?" it seemed that Professor Snape had reached the point he was most anticipating, one of the reasons he had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, in the middle of winter no less, for neither as a snake or as a man had he fixed McGonagall with such a piercing stare as he did now. It seemed as though whatever they were all saying he would not believe until McGonagall said it herself.

"What they're saying," he pressed on, "is that last night Anonymous turned up in Zar's Burrow. She went looking for the Malfoys, so they say. The rumour is that Draco and Luna are...are...are...that they're dead." McGonagall bowed her head to hide the tears that trickled out of her eyes at the pronouncement. She already knew the truth, she had seen the bodies, but to here it again, it was just so horrible. Professor Snape reeled back, gasping, as if slapped.

"No...no...Draco and Luna...I can't believe this...I didn't...I don't...I don't want to believe this...Oh, oh Minerva..." McGonagall tearfully nodded her head.

"I know...I know..." she said thickly. Professor Snape's voice trembled as she went on.

"That's not all. They're saying she tried to kill the Malfoys' daughter. Lyra, that's her name. But somehow she couldn't. She was unable to kill a little baby girl. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when she couldn't kill Lyra Malfoy, Anonymous's power somehow broke- and that's why she's vanished." McGonagall nodded, her voice failing her.

"It's...it's true?" faltered Professor Snape. She couldn't just kill a little girl? It's just astounding...but are you sure? We were certain that Harry Potter, twenty years ago, had survived the same curse, the killing curse, but he hadn't. It was just another dark curse that he survived, a curse meant to make one's magic explode outward and destroy one's body, that's how Voldemort was left without a body in the first place. It was a miracle in and of itself but not what everyone thought, it had been survived before. How do you know that Lyra survived the actual killing curse?" Snape asked dubiously.

"Spells have been developed in secret over the past twenty years, spells that can decipher any magical backlash. As far as how she survived, like with Harry Potter and the magic explosion curse, we can only guess," McGonagall said. "We may never know." Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Sniffing, she pulled out a gold pocketwatch from her pocket that had once belonged to her mentor and friend before his death. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. At least she understood it now, she never could when he was alive.

"Xeno is late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"

"Yes, as it happens he did." said Professor Snape. "But what I could not get from the man, Lovegood that he is, is why we are here of all places?"

"I've come to bring Lyra to her mother's cousin and her husband." McGonagall said mournfully.

"_WHAT?_ You don't...you can't...you can't _POSSIBLY_ mean the...the...the people that live _HERE_ of all places, could you?" Snape roared, jumping up and waving furiously at the darkened house. "Minerva...Professor McGonagall you just _CAN'T!_ I've been spying on them _ALL_ _DAY!_ You couldn't find people less like us! They're the most muggly muggles I've ever _SEEN!_ And they have this brat of a dauter...I saw her...she was kicking her mother all the way up the street and to the grocers, screaming for chocolates! _Lyra_ _Malfoy_ come and live _HERE!_ What about _XENOPHILIUS?_ Why won't _HE_ take her? He _IS_ the girl's grandfather."

"I...I don't know...he said some bit about destany...it not being time...something about the warpidoodles told him not to take her yet...or something. I...I...I don't like it either but it's the best place for her." said McGonagall, sighing deeply. "Her mother's cousin and her husband will be able to explain everything to her when she's a bit older, Xenophilius and I have written them a letter. I know this reminds you of the way Potter grew up and it does me as well but where else will she go? Her grandfather won't take her yet so where? At least she will have Xeno in her life indirectly; he has promised that she will know him even without knowing him, whatever that's supposed to mean."

"I see your point but really, McGonagall, you think you can explain all this in a letter? Why they're being made to take her? Why her grandfather will not? These people will never understand her! She's not just some ordinary muggle! She'll be famous...a legend...the product of children's storybooks...I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Lyra Malfoy day in the future. Every child in our world will know her name!"

"Exactly," said McGonagall, looking very seriously over the top of her rectangular glasses. "And I will stand by the reasoning Albus used with Harry Potter. It would be enough to turn any child's head. She'll be famous before she can really even walk or talk! Famous for a tragedy, something she won't be able to remember except for in nightmares. This is another reason why Xenophilius does not wish to raise her. Don't you see? I don't like the fact that this probably won't be the loving home she ought to have but I just want her safe. I care for the girl just as much as you do, Severus, and it's tearing Xeno up inside, choosing not to raise his granddaughter. He's lost his wife, his daughter, and he feels as though he's losing little Lyra as yell."

"Yes...yes...you're right, I suppose. But how is the girl getting here, McGonagall?" He eyed her cloak suddenly as though he thought she might be hiding Lyra underneath it."

"Xeno's bringing her." she said simply.

"But do you think it wise to have Xeno travel here alone? Travel when he's in such a state of mind?"

"Xeno is strong; he will be fine with Lyra." said McGonagall.

"I'm not saying he's not strong and he can't handle this but you know Lovegoods, they can tend to be a bit, well, you know. They're just so...what was that?" A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. The sound became louder and louder and the two looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight. Looking up into the sky they spotted the outline of a small flying convertible, top down, descending towards the road. Actually, it was more like rocketing drunkenly towards it, doing all sorts of spens and dips and everything else just short of flipping upside-down. After a moment it made a bumpy landing on the street at the intersection and kept on driving, more like swerving, forward until it was in front of number seven. Then and only then did it stop. Turning the car off, a figure got out of the front seat. If the convertable was odd than the man who was driving it was even odder. In the faint light cast by the dashboard of the car it could be seen that he was a tall, gangly man with a somewhat thin face, smallish, slanted grass green eyes, and almost grey, formerly blond, stringy hair. He was wearing a loud set of orange robes with yellow and purple squares and polka-dots bumping each other. The car itself was a bright emerald green with gold flames painted on the hood and along the doors.

**Editor's NOTE: Reading through this, I see that I somehow didn't change out the character from my other version of this story, so Xeno somehow becomes my OC from the other version… sorry!)**

From the back seat of the small car she unbuckled something and cradled it in her arms, it looked like a bundle of blankets.

"Oakland," said McGonagall, sounding relieved. "Finally, there you are. And where on earth is that car from?"

"Was loaned it, Professor McGonagall, ma'am," said the little woman, shutting the drivers side door as she did. "Sweet lil' Gin Weasley said I could keep it for a spell. Sure is perty, ain't it just? I've got her, ma'am."

"There weren't any issues, were there?"

"Oh no, ma'am. Wasn't no issues 'tall. House was near blown to bits but I was able to get her out before them mundanes...um...keep forgettin' y'all call 'em muggles...started swarmin' around. Sweet lil' thang fell 'sleep as we was flyin over London." McGonagall and Professor Snape bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Unlike Harry Potter's forehead, the skin under the baby girl's tuft of dirty-blonde hair was void of any scars. Instead, there was a star in the shape of a Christmas star right in the middle of the back of her right hand.

"So that's where?" whispered Professor Snape.

"Yes," said McGonagall. "Like Mr. Potter, she will have that scar forever."

"I suppose you couldn't do anything about it, McGonagall?"

"I'm afraid not. Anyway, to quote Albus, "Scars can come in handy." Well you'd best give her here, Oakland, we'd better get this over with." McGonagall took Lyra into her arms, cradling her gently, and turned toward the Mannings' house.

"But could I...could I say good-bye to her, ma'am? She's such a lil' doll an' to think, she's gonna be livin' in a place like _THIS!"_ Oakland said, tears glistening in her eyes. McGonagall simply nodded. Tears falling out of her eyes, the small woman stood on tippy-toes and pressed a feather-light kiss to the centre of the child's star scar. Then, suddenly, she cried out a wail of great anguish and sadness that seemed to shake the very earth around her.

"Shush, _NOW!"_ hissed Professor Snape, "Do you want to wake the muggles with that shaking and wailing of yours?"

"I...I...I'm so-so-sorry," sobbed the little woman, taking out a tiny green hanky that looked like a leaf and burying her face in it. "But it's just horrid, ain't it so? I cah-cah-can't stand it...it's horrid...Dray and...and...and Luna dead- an' poor, sweet, innocent lil' Lyra off ta live with them foul mundanes!"

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Oakland, or we'll be found," Professor Snape bit out, awkwardly patting the child-sized woman on her curly head as McGonagall stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. She laid Lyra gently on the doorstep, took a thick letter out of her cloak, tucked it inside Lyra's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle on the doorstep. Oakland's tiny shoulders shook with quiet sobs, Professor Snape's eyes betrayed his feelings as they were filled with tears, and the shimmering strength and inner light that usually shone from McGonagall's jade eyes seemed to have been extinguished.

"Well," said McGonagall with finality, "I suppose that's that. We've no business staying here. We ought to just go and...and...join the celebrations, I guess."

"Yeah," said Oakland in a very tiny voice, "I'll be takin' Gin her car back. Toodle-oo, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall, ma'am. Y'all have a good night, ya here?" Wiping her streaming eyes on her now sodden hanky, Oakland got in the car and shut the door. With a vroom, the enchanted convertible started forward and jerked itself into the air, fading into the darkness.

"I'll see you soon, Professor Snape," said McGonagall, nodding to him. Professor Snape nodded curtly in reply. McGonagall turned sharply and walked briskly down the street. On the corner she halted and took out the Put-Outer. She clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Canis Crescent glowed suddenly orange and she could make out a black and green snake slithering around the corner at the other end of the street. Just barely, she could see the little bundle of blankets that was Lyra Malfoy on the front step of number seven.

"I wish you luck, Lyra," she murmured sadly. With a swish of her cloak, she was gone from Canis Crescent. A breeze ruffled the neat hedges and snow began to fall, sticking to every outside surface on Canis Crescent, which lay silent and tidy, even in the dead of winter, under the cloudy night sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Lyra Malfoy rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One little hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on. she didn't know she was special, she didn't know she was famous, she didn't know she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Manning's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottle, nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Starr. How could she know that at this very moment people all over the country were raising glasses and making toasts to her, a little baby girl? And so they all said, "To Lyra Malfoy, the girl who lived."

Chapter Two: The Disappearing Cage

It had been nearly ten years since the Mannings had awakened to discover their cousin's daughter bundled up on their front doorstep but Canis Crescent had barely changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy lawns that the street had always had, it crept slowly into the Mannings' living room which, although it had been nearly a decade, hadn't changed much at all. It was only the photos arranged, neatly of course, on the mantel, the old buffet, and the end tables that showed how much time had really passed. Ten years ago there had been an abundance of pictures of what looked like one of those freaky anime characters brought to life with the little body and big head wearing different coloured bonnets and frilly little dresses. Starr Manning, however, was no longer a baby and the pictures now held a twiggy little girl riding her first bicycle, dancing at her first recital, Being cheered on at a football game by her father, being hugged and kissed by her mother. The only sign at all that another little girl lived in the house was a family picture taken the previous summer where a tall girl with dirty blonde hair seemed to have just shoved herself into place between her "cousin" and "uncle," smirking at the camera. That had been done just to annoy her relatives who she had been forced to call "aunt," "uncle," and "cousin" for convenience sake and so, dear readers, shall we. Lyra Malfoy was there, yes, and she was currently asleep but she wouldn't be for much longer. Her "Aunt Blair" was up and her shrill, grading voice made the first sound of Lyra's day.

"Up! Get up! Get up _NOW!"_ Lyra jerked awake. Her aunt rapped on the door again.

"_UP!"_ She screeched. Lyra heard her walking into the kitchen and then the sound of bacon on the frying pan. Rolling onto her back, she tried remembering the dream she had had. What a strange dream it was, too. It had been a good one, she knew that for certain. There had been an emerald green convertible in it. She had that funny feeling as though she had dreamed about it before. Her aunt was back on the other side of the door.

"Have you gotten yourself up yet?" she demanded.

"Nearly there, Aunt Blair. I read somewhere that patience is a virtue, did you know?" said Lyra dryly, stretching herself. Her aunt made an annoyed snarly sort of noise in the back of her throat before speaking.

"Well get yourself moving, you're to look after the bacon. Don't dare let it burn either, I want everything perfect for today. It's Starr's birthday if you haven't forgotten." Lyra groaned.

"What was that?" her aunt demanded.

"You must have heard me wrong; the Distorting Dinglewings like damp places like this..." she answered, repressing another displeased groan. "I was just cheering about this happy, happy day." She decided it wasn't the best time to mention the grating groddlepuss. Her answer would still anger her aunt but at least she would be somewhat mollified. She was always coming up with "make-believe" animals to blame things on. Somebody groaned, it must have been the Grating Groddlepuss. Somebody snorted, it must have been the Burrowing Snifflewumper. Somebody muttered, it must have been the Blibbering Humdinger. But she saw all those things, she really did, even if they didn't do half the things she blamed them for. Ick, Starr's birthday...how could she have forgotten something like that? Slowly, Lyra got out of bed and began looking for socks. Finding a pair lobbed in the corner she picked them up. As she went to put one on she noticed that there was a spider in it. Wrinkling her nose in distaste she plucked it up and threw it against the wall. Lyra was used to spiders because the small storage space above the garage was full of them and that was where she slept but that didn't mean she had to like them. She loved all sorts of so-called "make-believe" creatures as well as other "real" ones but she saw no use for bugs and pests.

Once she was totally dressed and her hair had been combed she opened the trap door over the garage and nimbly jumped down, almost landing partly on her uncles car. Using a long rope lying on a shelf she threw it through the loop of the door's handle and yanked it shut. After the rope was back on its shelf she headed inside and into the kitchen. The dining table, she saw through the door leading to the dining room, was almost totally filled up with piles of Starr's birthday presents. It looked like Starr had gotten that new computer she wanted not to mention the new cell phone and the guitar. Exactly why Starr wanted a guitar of all things was a mystery to Lyra as Starr was very tone-deaf and had dropped right out of piano class after her first lesson. The only use she might find for the thing was to bash someone over the head with it. Starr's favourite bashing target was, of course, Lyra. Although Starr was short and twiggy her scrawny muscles had some underlying strength to them. She wasn't always the one to punch her victim, however, she'd usually be the one flinging insults while her bigger, brawnier friends punched the poor sap. Starr couldn't often catch her cousin, though.

Lyra didn't really look it despite her height but she was rather fast. Even if she were to be caught Lyra had a tongue ten times more biting than Starr's and a vocabulary that was a hundred times more colourful. Although she was rather tall and leggy for a girl of eleven, Lyra had always been quite pale and skinny for a girl of her age. She supposed it had something to do with living in a dark, cold attic. She looked especially tall, pale, and even somewhat gawky because the only clothes she had were Starr's hand-me-downs. Not only was her cousin much shorter but she favoured dark colours such as reds, dark blues, and blacks which, when on her, made Lyra look washed out. From the time she was about seven or so and her aunt had taught her the basics of sewing Lyra had taken her clothes and made alterations using hand-me-downs that didn't fit her anymore using the old sewing machine in the den but the clothes still just didn't look right on her. From the age of around nine after she was a bit better at sewing, using some cash she had earned doing odd jobs around the neighbourhood, Lyra had been able to buy things like different threads, rhinestones, and beads to make Starr's clothes suit her more but still, they just weren't her style. Lyra had a beautiful, aristocratic face, a small bone structure, and large, protuberant, silver-blue eyes. The thing Lyra felt she liked best about her appearance was a scar in the middle of her forehead in the shape of a star. It was unique, a token of her past. She had had it for as long as she could recall and the first question she ever remembered asking her Aunt Blair was how, exactly, she had gotten it.

"In the wreck when your parents died," she had snapped furiously. "And don't ask your inane questions, I've better things to do then to answer them." Don't ask questions, the golden rule for a peaceful, quiet life with the Mannings; a rule that Lyra often, to their constant annoyance, broke. Uncle Todd entered the room as Lyra turned over the bacon.

"Comb that rat's nest and wash your face!" he barked, by way of morning greeting. About once a week he would look over his newspaper and say that Lyra needed a haircut and a tan. Lyra must have had more haircuts and been to the tanning booth more times than all of the girls in her class put together but it was never any good. Her skin was just like that, porcelain pale, but her hair wasn't even that bad, just thick and naturally scraggly. She honestly thought that she had better hair than any of the Mannings for although it was a bit scraggly it was soft and silky.

"Good morning to you too. I'm sorry about the hair, it must be the Rapunzelites making mischief again. I just can't get them to stop." she said sweetly, flashing a blindingly innocent smile his way. Her uncle clenched his teeth but did nothing more. By the time Starr arrived into the dining room with her mother Lyra was frying eggs. Starr mainly took after Aunt Blair. She had a laughably large, round head, overly large, muddy blue-brown eyes, and a short, thin, twiggy body. The only thing that she got from her father was her thin, wispy, dark blond hair. Uncle Todd often boasted how his Starr looked like a little angel but Lyra personally thought that her cousin looked like Chuckie's bride come to life. Lyra set the breakfast out on the table which was a chore because there was hardly any room. In the meantime, Starr was counting her presents. Lyra had arranged them last night long after Starr had gone to bed so she knew just how many presents her cousin had this year. Starr's face fell dramatically.

"Starr "I'm better than you are" hissy fit in three...two...one—com" Lyra muttered. Then, right on queue, Starr began shouting.

"Forty-two? Only _FORTY-TWO?"_ she loudly demanded, glaring up at her parents. "That's _THREE_ _LESS_ than last year!" "_Spoiled_ _brat,"_ Lyra thought spitefully to herself.

"But angel, you haven't counted Auntie Iz's present, see, it's under this big one from Mummy and Daddy." Aunt Blair protested.

"Okay then, forty-three it is." said Starr, growing pink-faced. Lyra, who could scent one of Starr's tantrums from a mile away, began scarfing down her breakfast as fast as she could for fear that her cousin might turn the table over which she had done before. Aunt Blair, obviously scenting the danger as well, spoke up.

"We'll go and buy you three new gifts today. How's that, popkin? Three more presents. Is that enough?" Starr thought long and hard for a moment, it looked like it was causing her physical pain...at least, Lyra thought so by the constipated look on her cousin's face. God, how much more of a brat could you be?

"So I'll have forty...forty..." she trailed off, looking lost.

"That's forty-six, sweetheart," said Uncle Todd.

"Oh." Starr flopped into the nearest chair and yanked a parcel towards her. "That works." Aunt Blair tittered, amused. Lyra was also chuckling, at least internally, but for a totally different reason. Her cousin was eleven years old today and she couldn't even add three to bloody forty-three and get forty-six. If there was one thing that Lyra Malfoy hated it was dumb people, dumb people, people with no imagination, and people that acted like they were more important than they really were. All three of the Mannings fell into at least one of these three categories.

"Little diva wants her money's worth, got good taste just like her mother. ata girl, Starr!" Aunt Blair crooned as she lovingly carted her fingers through Starr's wispy locks. Nothing but a stupid, spoiled, idiotic, pampered princess, Lyra snorted. This time, it wasn't so internal.

"What was that, girl?" Uncle Todd demanded, bristling at the "slight" to his darling little Starr.

"The Burrowing Snifflewumper." Lyra said in an airy sort of voice.

"Enough of that, girl. Those don't exist and you know it.." Aunt Blair sniffed and then muttered, "You don't need to be channelling your freak mother from the grave.. The telephone rang from the other room and Uncle Todd rushed off to get it while Lyra and Aunt Blair watched Starr open up the guitar, a digital camera, a hand-held game console, seventeen new video games, and a Blueray player. She was tearing the paper off a gaudy gold necklace when Uncle Todd reentered the room looking irritated and annoyed.

"Horrible news, Blair," he said. "Mr. Prewett's broken his arm. He's unable to take her." he nodded harshly in Lyra's general direction. Starr's face went numb with shock and horror but Lyra's heart fluttered with hope. Every year on Starr's birthday her parents would take her out to amusement parks, skating rinks, or the movies. Every year, Lyra was left with Mr. Prewett, a mad, crotchety old man who lived three blocks away. Lyra practically loathed it there. The entire place smelled like stale tobacco and Mr. Prewett made Lyra look at albums filled to the brim with pictures of every dog he'd ever owned.

"Now what will we do?" demanded Aunt Blair. She was glaring angrily over at Lyra as though she had plotted all of this out which, in retrospect, she rather wished she had. Lyra knew she ought to feel bad for old Mr. Prewett, breaking his leg and all, but it wasn't easy when she reminded herself that it would be an entire year before she had to look at Sparky, Rover, Mr. Bear, and Cujo again.

"We could phone Iz," Uncle Todd said thoughtfully.

"Don't be foolish, Todd, she despises the girl." Aunt Blair sniffed. Lyra felt likewise about Aunt Iz. The Mannings often spoke about Lyra like that, like she wasn't there even when she was around, or as though she was something nasty that couldn't understand them like a fruit fly.

"Then what about that friend of yours, Belinda, right?" Uncle Todd suggested. Lyra disliked Belinda as well; she was a huge gossip and she was always berating and insulting Lyra to Aunt Blair even when the girl in question was in the room.

"She's on a cruise of the Mediterranean." Aunt Blair snarled irritably.

"Why don't you just leave me here?" Lyra spoke up. She'd be able to watch whatever she wanted on the telly, watch a blueray movie, maybe even have a go on Starr's new guitar; unlike her cousin, Lyra was musically talented. Aunt Blair looked like she had swallowed a particularly sour bit of rhubarb.

"And come back to find the house destroyed?" she spat. "Not a chance."

"I won't level the house, I swear." Lyra protested but they weren't listening. Honestly, what kind of girl did they think she was? Some raging pyromaniac? Not that she wouldn't mind seeing this entire neighbourhood torched but she wouldn't be the one to start it. No; the worst Lyra would probably do was leave crumbs on the counter or not put her dishes in the dishwasher. Then again, she'd blame it on something like the Chaotic Crumbots.

"I guess we could just take her and leave her in the car." Aunt Blair continued.

"What am I? A dog? A so-called nonexistent Crumple-Horned Snorkack?" Lyra demanded indignantly but they ignored her.

"Absolutely not; that car's brand new. I won't have her in it alone." Uncle Todd stated firmly. "_Right, because I'd just destroy it when you were out of sight!"_ Lyra thought scathingly. Starr began sobbing noisily. She wasn't really crying, she hadn't really cried in years, but she knew that if she scrunched up her face and shrieked enough her father would give her whatever she wanted.

"Sweetie Starry-Darly, no more tears for Daddy, please? It'll be all right. We won't let anything happen on your special, special day." he said, squeezing his wailing daughter into a tight hug. Lyra snorted; Starr could start screaming and crying for anything and her father would promise to "make it better," it disgusted Lyra to no end.

"But...but...but I...I don't want...I don't...don't want her to...to...to come! She...she always spo...spo...spoiles ev...ev...everything!" she smirked wickedly at Lyra over her father's shoulder. "_Oh come on, genius, could you sound any more FAKE?"_ Lyra thought to herself. Just then, the doorbell went off, ringing some unoriginal melody that one could expect the doorbell of a cookie-cutter house like number seven, Canis Crescent, to have.

"Oh, my God, they're here already!" gasped Aunt Blair, rushing out of the room. A moment later, she returned with Starr's best friend, Diantha Dursley, and her father. Diantha was a big, beefy girl with watery blue eyes, hardly any neck, and thick, coarse black hair on her fat pink head. When Starr was insulting people, she was usually the one hitting them. Starr stopped her fake sobbing straight away.

A half an hour later Lyra, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world, was sitting in the back of the Mannings car with Starr and Diantha. Her aunt and uncle couldn't think what else to do with her but before they left Uncle Todd had taken Lyra aside.

"I'm warning you," he said as he put his fat face right up to Lyra's, "that nothing had better go wrong today. If there's any funny business, any at all, you'll be locked in your attic until Christmas. Do you understand me, girl?"

"I won't do a thing." Lyra protested. "Honestly I won't. I'll be a good little girl _just_ like you want me to." But Uncle Todd didn't believe her at all, nobody ever did.

The fact of the matter was that strange things always seemed to be happening to Lyra and it was no good trying to tell the Mannings that she didn't make them happen. Once, Aunt Blair, sick of bringing Lyra to the hair dresser only to have her hair just as thick and scraggly as ever by the time she got home and also sick of dragging her off to the tanning booth only to have Lyra as pale as always afterwards decided to chop it all off and give Lyra a spray tan using some cheap back-alley beauty shop spray tanner. She had done a horrible job of her hair; some parts went to Lyra's chin, other parts went only to her ears, she was almost bald in some spots, and she even had a hair that went down past her shoulders. Her skin was just as bad; it was a dark, vibrant shade of orange that wouldn't come off in the shower. Starr had cackled herself almost hoarse at the very sight of the girl, dirty blonde hair sticking up at such odd angles, all uneven, and bright orange skin. Lyra had spent a sleepless night imagining how school would be the next day where she was already made fun of for her too-small clothes, pale skin, and scar. When she had woken up, however, it was only to discover that her hair was back to how it had been, falling in thick, gentle, tumbling waves and curls to the middle of her back, before her aunt had hacked it all off and her skin was just as fair as always before her aunt had sprayed her with that gunk. Even though she had tried to explain that she had no clue how it happened she had been given a week in her attic for this.

Another time, Aunt Blair had been trying to force Lyra into a revolting dress of Starr's. It was hideous, a lurid orange with pink and purple flowers that Lyra had stuck her nose up at. Lyra always had a somewhat haughty personality about her, treating the aspects and people in her life with a measure of disdain. Anyway, the more her aunt had tried forcing it over her niece's head the smaller and smaller it got until it might have fitted a barbie doll but it certainly wouldn't fit Lyra. To her relief, Aunt Blair decided it must have shrank in the washer and she wasn't punished for it.

On the other hand, she'd gotten into terrible trouble for winding up in the bell tower of the nearby church. This was a spot restricted to the general public. Starr and her posse had been chasing her when, much to her surprise, there she was, standing precariously on the top of the large bell's frame. She had been caught by the church's father and he and an angry constable hauled her home, telling her relatives all about how she had been "defiling a holy place of God". But all she had tried to do, as she shouted down into the recently emptied garage, was jump up onto the stone railing on the front porch. She supposed the wind must have lifted her up mid-jump and pushed her into the open-air tower. Today, though, nothing would go wrong. It was even worth it to be spending the day somewhere other than school, her attic, or Mr. Prewett's stinky sitting room. While he drove, Uncle Todd complained to Aunt Blair. He liked to complain about things. People at work, Lyra, the government, Lyra, the bank, and Lyra were just a few of his favourite topics. This morning it was sports cars.

"Riding along like they own the highway, those no-good show-offs." he grumbled as a red corvette passed them by.

"That's funny. I had a dream last night with a sports car in it." Said Lyra who had always rather liked sports cars. "It was a convertible and it could fly." Uncle Todd nearly rear-ended the guy in front of them. He turned right around in his seat to yell at Lyra, face growing red, "_CARS_ _DON'T_ _FLY!"_ Starr and Diantha giggled.

"I know...I know they don't...it was just a dream." Lyra defended. She rather wished she hadn't said anything about it, though. If there was one thing the Mannings disliked more than Lyra asking questions it was Lyra talking about things acting in a way that they shouldn't. It didn't matter if it was a dream or a story they were reading in school or a cartoon. They seemed to think she would get dangerous ideas. But then, of course, was Starr who was the video game and cartoon junky who saw weird and violent things happen all the time but _NO!_ She was _NEVER_ chastised for mentioning weird things. Lyra didn't care, though, she talked of unusual things all the time just for the fun of it.

It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday and the zoo was filled with families. The Mannings bought both Starr and Diantha large bubble-gum flavoured ice creams at the entrance and, only because the smiling lady selling them had asked her what she wanted before they could hurry her away, they bought Lyra a cheap strawberry push-up. It wasn't bad either, she mused, watching a skinny, long-necked giraffe that had a, in her opinion, striking resemblance to her cousin except it had spots. This was the best morning Lyra had had in a long time. She was careful to keep some distance between her and the Mannings so that Starr and Diantha wouldn't fall back on their favourite habits of hitting and insulting her. They ate at the zoo restaurant, and when Starr threw a fit because her mint chocolate cheesecake didn't have enough ice cream with it, Uncle Todd bought her another one and allowed Lyra to finish the first one. Looking back, Lyra should have realised that it was all too good to last.

After lunch they went to the wildcat enclosures. In their cages all sorts of different large felines were wandering about, sleeping in the shade, eating food, and playing with one another. Starr and Diantha wanted to see huge, sharp-fanged tigers and wicked fast cheetahs. Starr quickly located the largest, most fearsome wildcat around. It could have probably quite easily have chomped Diantha Dursley right in half but it didn't seem in the mood for violence. As it happens, it was just snoozing away. Starr stood, leaning against the links of the cage, gawking at the tawny fur of the animal.

"Make it move, make it do _SOMETHING."_ she demanded of her father. Uncle Todd rattled the fence links but the cat didn't move.

"Do it again," Starr ordered impatiently. Uncle Todd rattled the fence harder but the cat slumbered on.

"I'm bored, this is boring." Starr groaned. Both she and Diantha shuffled away. Lyra moved in front of the enclosure and looked intently at the large feline. She wouldn't be terribly surprised if it had died of boredom. She could barely imagine it! No company except for idiots like her cousin rattling the cage walls. It was much more dreadful even than having a storage space above the garage as a bedroom where the only company you got was Aunt Blair in the mornings to wake you up; at least she got to see and roam around the rest of the house. The cat suddenly opened its large eyes which were revealed to be a deep chocolate brown. Slowly, very slowly, it met Lyra's eyes. Then, it winked. Lyra gaped at it, open-mouthed. She then glanced quickly around to see if anybody was watching, nobody was. Looking back at the feline, Lyra winked in response. The cat flicked its long, fluffy tale over at Uncle Todd and then at Starr before flicking its eyes up to the heavens. It gave Lyra a look that plainly stated, "Don't worry, I get that all the time."

"I know, I know." Lyra breathed through the links although she didn't know if the cat could understand her. "It must be a real bother, living like this. Stuck in a cage with no real company, the only people around being the people that feed you and the idiots that gawk at you." The large cat nodded, actually nodded.

"So where did you come from, anyway?" Lyra questioned the cat. It lifted a forepaw and pointed at a sign attached to the fence. Lyra looked closer at it. "Great lion, Africa," it said.

"I wonder, was it nice there? How did you get over here to England?" Lyra asked. The lion jabbed the other forepaw at the sign and Lyra read on. "This specimen was bread in captivity." it said.

Oh, I see. So you've never been to Africa? You don't know your family? How very sad for you. That's me as well, I never really knew my parents." As the lion nodded its head, giving Lyra a sad, sympathetic look, a deafening shout behind Lyra made both of them jump.

"_STARR!_ _MR._ _ MANNING!_ Come _AND_ _LOOK_ at this _LION!_ You won't _BELIEVE_ what it's _DOING!"_ it was Diantha. Starr came tottering towards them as fast as her stubby legs could carry her.

"Oy! Out of the way, string-bean," she said, motioning Diantha to shove Lyra aside which she gleefully did. Caught by surprise, Lyra tumbled to the asphalt. What occurred next happened so quickly nobody saw what happened. One moment, Starr and Diantha were leaning on the fence of the enclosure and the next they were jumping back, screams of terror issuing forth from their throats. Lyra sat up and gasped, an entire section of the fence of the lion's enclosure had disappeared. The great cat was getting up and stretching, walking slowly out of the enclosure. People all around started running in all directions; it was pandemonium. As the lion stalked past her Lyra could have sworn she heard a deep, purring voice say, "Ahfrica heeere I cooome. I thaaaank you, my frrrieeend."

"Erm, any time. And between you and me, it wasn't the Vanishing Voodlers." Lyra nodded. The keeper of that particular zoo section was shocked.

"The fence...what happened to the fence?" she kept stammering. The zoo director himself made Aunt Blair a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologised over and over again. Starr and Diantha could only speak in jumbled jibbers. As far as Lyra had witnessed, the lion hadn't done anything more than playfully roar and teasingly shoot out its sharp claws. By the time they were in Uncle Todd's car, however, Starr was convinced it wanted to swallow her whole and Diantha was saying how it nearly ripped her to shreds. The worst thing of all, to Lyra at least, was Diantha calming down enough to say, "But Lyra was talking to the thing. You were weren't you, Lyra?"

Uncle Todd waited until Diantha was safely out of the house before starting on Lyra. He was so terribly angry he could barely say a word.

"Go...attic...now...no meals...school and bathroom only." he was able to manage before collapsing into a chair and asking Aunt Blair for a large glass of whine. Lyra lay in her dark storage space much later, thinking it would be nice to have a watch or a clock. She had no clue what time it was and she needed to be sure that the Mannings were all asleep. Until then, she couldn't risk filching some food from the pantry. She'd lived with the Mannings for almost ten years, ten dreadful, miserable years, as long as she could recollect, ever since she'd been a toddler and her parents died in that motorcycle accident. She couldn't remember being in the sidecar that Aunt Blair and Uncle Todd said she was in when the motorcycle had collided with that pickup truck. Sometimes, during long hours locked away, her mind came up with a strange vision. It was that of a flash of bright green light and a burning pain on her forehead. She guessed that this was the crash but she hadn't a clue where the green light was from except, perhaps, a fallen traffic light. She could barely remember her parents at all. Her mother had scraggly hair, she thought, or maybe it was her father that did; she didn't know. There were no pictures of them for Lyra to see, her own parents were taboo in the Manning household.

When she was a little girl, she had dreamed and dreamed that some day an unknown relation would come to take her away. That never happened, however, and that hope had long since been snuffed out. She was stuck here until she was eighteen, the Mannings were her only living family. But sometimes she thought, or maybe it was that she hoped, that strangers in the street appeared to know her somehow. They were very odd people as well. An excitable man wearing a burgundy bowler hat had bowed to her once on a shopping trip with Aunt Blair and Starr. After demanding that Lyra tell her whether or not she knew the man, she hustled them out of the store without them even buying anything. An old woman with rotting teeth wearing a dark brown cloak had waved at her on a bus once. Another woman in a gold-embroidered red dress and matching cloak had actually shook her hand in the street a few weeks ago. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the moment Lyra attempted a closer peak at them. At school, Lyra was all alone, an outcast. Everybody knew that Starr's posse hated that strange Lyra Malfoy with the aristocratic features and too short, too tight clothing and nobody, male or female, liked to disagree with Starr's posse.

Chapter Three: The Letters From No One

The escape of the African lion earned Lyra her longest-ever punishment. By the time she was allowed her marginal freedom back the summer holidays had commenced. Starr's birthday had been near the beginning of May. By this point, Lyra's spoiled cousin had already smashed the digital camera, thrown the portable game console, snapped all six strings on the guitar, got her cell phone soaking wet through the sprinkler, and traded her gold necklace for a parrot which had promptly pecked and scratched her face all up before escaping. Lyra, who was often ridiculed in class for being an open bookworm, was sad to see the school year end because that meant no more being taught new things but she was also glad that the year was over so that she could escape her classmates. The downside to summertime, however, was that Starr's posse was over at the house every day. Diantha Dursley, Persia Polkis, Deja johns, Malvina Woodbine, and Jordan McCoy were all ugly, vain, and shallow but as Starr was the ugliest, most vain, and shallowest she was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Starr's favourite pastime: Lyra Lampooning. This was why Lyra spent as much time as she could away from the house, thinking about the end of summer and what it might bring. She could see a little ray of hope, even. When September came she'd be off to secondary school and, for the first time in her life, she wouldn't be in the same school as Starr. Starr had been accepted into Aunt Blair's old private school, Snellys, the sister school to Uncle Todd's Alma-mater, Smeltings. Diantha Dursley and PERSIA Polkis would be attending Snellys as well. Lyra, on the other hand, would be going to Hazel High, the local public school. Starr thought the very thought hilarious.

"Did you know, cousin? They like to shove people's heads down the toilet the first day at Hazel High. I think I heard some American show on the telly call it a swirly once." she informed Lyra, smiling nastily. "So would you like to come upstairs and practice?"

"No thanks. I understand that you'll need to prepare for that _SMELLYS_ place but no. As much as I appreciate the offer I shouldn't." said Lyra, deliberately mispronouncing "Snellys" as "Smellys" because she knew it would irk her cousin. Starr looked confused so she elaborated. "The poor toilet's never had anything as foul or as big as that head of yours down it. It might fit but...no, no, we really shouldn't. Even if it does fit it might be sick." Then she ran, ran as though the fires of hell were nipping at her heals, ran before Starr could, and she would eventually, work out what she'd said. One day in July, Aunt Blair took Starr into London to buy her Snellys uniform. This left Lyra at Mr. Prewetts. Mr. Prewett wasn't as bad as usual either. Apparently, he'd broken his arm when he'd fallen on it after stumbling over one of his dogs and he didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. He allowed Lyra to watch the television and even gave her some cookies that were brittle and stale, they tasted several years old.

Later that evening, Starr paraded around the living room in her new Snellys uniform. Snelly's girls wore frilly maroon dresses, short orange quarter-sleeved jackets, white tights, maroon-coloured Mary-Janes with orange snaps, and wide-brimmed straw hats. They also carried long leather riding crops meant for slapping at each other and knocking their hats off of one another's heads when the teachers weren't looking. Apparently, and Lyra snorted at the very thought, this was supposed to be training for later life. When were they going to be hitting humans with horse whips? Honestly, she thought, some people just didn't have any sense. Looking at Starr in her new dress, Aunt Blair tearfully proclaimed this to be the proudest day of her life. With tears, actual tears, filling up his eyes Uncle Todd said gruffly how he couldn't believe it, how his ickle Starry-Darly was all grown up. Lyra didn't trust herself to say anything. She was sure she'd already cracked a rib or two from shaking in silent laughter.

There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Lyra entered for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. Shrugging, she walked over for a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in dark grey water.

"What is this?" she asked Aunt Blair. She pursed her lips like she did whenever Lyra was so bold, and she often was, to ask a question.

"It's you're new school uniform, of course." she said. Lyra peered into the bowl again.

"Ah, I see. How...lovely. But I didn't realise that it had to be so...dare I say...wet." she drawled as she often did when she was being sarcastic. Most times, sarcasm was enough to drive the Mannings crazy without mentioning her creatures so she ran with it. Plus, she couldn't think of anything dark grey and wet. Hmmm, Grey-Die Gremlins? Nah, not good enough.

"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Blair. "I'm dying some of Starr's and my old things black for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've finished." Lyra doubted this but decided not to argue the point. She sat down and tried not to think of how she would look; probably like she was trying to flaunt what she didn't have yet. She would probably make some alterations to the clothes using some of her older hand-me-downs that wouldn't fit her, even some sowed-on accessories and things, maybe that would help, but Lyra found herself wishing, and not for the first time, for some new clothes. Both Starr and Uncle Todd entered the dining room, wrinkling their noses at the smell of Lyra's new uniform wafting from within the kitchen. Uncle Todd began perusing the paper and Starr slapped her Snellys crop, which she carried everywhere, on the table. The mail slot clicked and the soft thump of letters could be heard as they fell onto the doormat.

"Go be a dear and get the post won't you, Starr?" Aunt Blair asked sweetly.

"Make Lyra go get it." she whined.

"Go bring us the post, Lyra." Aunt Blair ordered.

Make Starr go get it." Lyra said. "I'm eating right now."

"Slap her with your Snellys crop, Starr." Aunt Blair said. Lyra dodged the swishing crop and ran to grab up the mail. There were three things lying there: a postcard from Aunt Iz who was vacationing in Rome, the water bill, and...what? A letter for Lyra? She stared at it, shocked. She'd never before gotten a letter. Who'd write to her, anyway? She had no friends, no family. When she was seven she had pestered her aunt and uncle until they got her a library card but she'd _NEVER_ had overdue books so that they would need to send out those rude little notes asking for them back. But here it was, it was a letter, a letter addressed so plainly that there was no doubt who it belonged to.

Miss L Malfoy,

The Storage Space Above the Garage,

7 Canis Crescent,

Hazelnut,

Essex

The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp. Turning the envelope over in her shaking hands, Lyra spotted a cote of arms. There was a lion, a badger, an eagle, and a snake all surrounded by a large letter H.

"Hurry up and quit lallygagging about, girl." shouted Uncle Todd from the dining room. "What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?" he chuckled at his own joke. Lyra stumbled mechanically into the dining room and plopped down at the table, still gawking at the letter in her hand as she subconsciously handed the rest of the mail over to her uncle. If she was in her right frame of mind she would have kicked herself for letting the Mannings see the letter but as it was she didn't care at the moment. Curiously, Lyra began to open her letter. As she did so, Uncle Todd tore open the bill and snorted in disgust. Flipping over the postcard he exclaimed, "Iz's ill! Poor woman, ate a funny enchilada." Good, Lyra thought somewhat bitterly. Maybe she wouldn't be visiting like she usually did this summer. Lyra hated Aunt Iz with a passion; she was a short, dumpy woman who bred cats. Whenever she was over her tom cat, Buster, would always chase Lyra around, jump on her, bite her, scratch her, and pee on and around her. Lyra had often snarled, after being locked up for "upsetting" Aunt Iz, that she wished she could nuder the cat herself.

"Hey! Look! Mum, Dad!" Starr suddenly exclaimed. "Lyra's got a letter! Lyra was just about to read the first line when it was ripped out of her hand by Uncle Todd.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Lyra snapped indignantly. "That's my letter you've got there!"

"Hmph, who'd write to you? Except...don't tell me you've got overdue library books, girl! If you have then you can kiss that card..." but he trailed off as his eyes skimmed across the letter. His face blinked from red to green faster then a coloured strobe light. It didn't stop there, either. Within seconds it was a shocking greyish white that reminded Lyra strongly of the colour of Aunt Blair's "famous," as in "famously horrible," alfredo sauce.

"Bla-Bla-Blair!" he breathed in a choked voice. Starr attempted a grab for the letter but Uncle Todd held it far out of her reach. Aunt Blair looked curiously at it and read the first line. Her face paled dramatically to a pasty, paper white and she looked on the verge of fainting.

"Todd! Oh...oh God...oh Todd!" she gasped.

They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Lyra and Starr were still there. Starr wasn't used to being ignored. She gave her mother a snap on the shoulder with her Snellys crop.

"I wanna read that letter! Gimme the letter!" she demanded shrilly.

"Not a chance, Oyster-Snot! I want to read it as it's _MY_ _LETTER!"_ Lyra snarled. Oyster-snot was one of the insults that Lyra often threw at Starr when she was irritated.

"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Todd, stuffing the letter back inside its envelope.

"That's _MY_ letter! Let me have my bloody _LETTER!"_ Lyra demanded as Starr whined, "Daddy, I wanna see it! Lemme see space-Head's letter _NOW!"_

"_GO!"_ roared Uncle Todd before taking his wife by the hand, pulling her out of the dining room and into the kitchen, and slamming the door behind them. Lyra and Starr had a furious but altogether quiet fight at the door to see who would listen at the keyhole.

"They're _MY_ parents, Loony, so _I_ get to listen." Starr hissed.

"Dream on, Oyster-slime. It's _MY_ letter. Plus, you're _SHORTER."_ Lyra protested. Eventually Lyra won the fight and she gleefully listened at the keyhole as her cousin lay on the floor to listen at the crack. Ordinarily Starr wouldn't have been desperate enough to do so but, Lyra thought to herself, she must have been really, really, really desperate.

"Todd, what do we do? Look at the address! How do they know where she _SLEEPS?"_ Aunt Blair fretted. "You don't think they're watching the house?"

"Spying...watching...tracking...might be following." Uncle Todd babbled in a rush.

"But what do we _DO,_ Todd? Should we respond? Tell them that—com" Lyra could see her uncle pacing back and forth in the kitchen, fat feet flip-flopping on the kitchen tiles.

"No," he said finally and firmly. "Absolutely not. We'll just ignore the thing. If there's no answer...yes...yes...the people will just give up."

"But Todd!" Aunt Blair protested.

"I won't have one in the house, Blair. Didn't we vow the day we took the girl in we'd stamp out this dangerous...dangerous business?"

That evening when he returned home from work Uncle Todd did something he'd never done before. He actually hauled himself up into the storage space where Lyra slept.

"Have you brought me my letter now?" Lyra asked him the moment he had hauled himself up through the door. "Who has written to me?"

"Nobody has. The letter was addressed to you on accident." Uncle Todd snapped. "It's been burned.

"You _WHAT?_ It wasn't a mistake you...you...you!" Lyra sputtered indignantly, biting back a nasty insult that would get her in trouble. "It's not like it was sent by some sort of letter faerie of chaos! It was no mistake, if you're not thick enough to notice, it had my, for lack of a better word, _ROOM_ on it!"

"_QUIET!"_ Uncle Todd bellowed and some dust and spiders fell from the low ceiling. "I won't be demeaned in such a way, do you understand me?"

"Clearly." Lyra drawled irritably. Taking a few deep breaths, Lyra's uncle forced his face into a smile which looked more like a pained grimace to her.

"Yes...Lyra...about this attic. Your aunt and I have been thinking that, well, you're really a bit big for this now...you have been for some time...so we've decided to move you into Starr's playroom."

"Why? What's the catch?" Lyra asked.

"Enough questions! Now get your things and get upstairs!" snapped her uncle furiously. Lyra shrugged and gathered together her meager belongings as her uncle lowered himself from the trap door. The Manning house had four bedrooms altogether. There was Aunt Blair and Uncle Todd's room, a room for guests, mainly Aunt Iz, the room where Starr slept, and Starr's playroom which was where all her toys and things went when they couldn't fit in her main bedroom any longer. It only took Lyra a trip to take everything up to her new room. Sitting down on the bed, she stared around. Most everything in here was busted. The month-old digital camera was lying on top of a pink, remote control Barbie jeep that Starr had once run over the kitten that belonged to the people across the street; in the corner was Starr's very first full-length mirror which had a gaping hole in it from when she had punched it when she got her first pimple at the "tender" age of nine; and there was a large bird cage from the parrot incident which was up on a shelf all bent in on itself from when Starr had bashed it in when the parrot escaped. The remainder of the shelves were filled with books. They were the only items that looked as though they had never been touched, which they hadn't, at least not by Starr. Lyra had often snuck in to read one book or another, nobody ever noticed. From downstairs Lyra heard Starr throwing a hissy fit, trying to appeal to her father.

"I...I...I don't wa...wa...want her in...in...in there! Make...make...make her get _OUT!"_ she screamed, Lyra grimaced. Sighing, Lyra stretched out on the bed. Yesterday she'd do almost anything to have this room but today she wished she was back in her old storage space with the letter rather than up in Starr's old playroom without it. Now if she had both...if she only had both that would be bloody brilliant.

Breakfast the next morning was a quiet affair. Starr was still in shock. She'd shrieked loud enough to wake Lyra's parents from the dead, whipped her mother with her Snellys crop, gotten sick on purpose, thrown her new computer out her bedroom window which just happened to go through the roof of the shed in the back yard, and kicked her father in a place where no daughter should kick their fathers but she still didn't have her playroom back. Lyra was bitterly wishing she'd slid the letter away to open up later. She usually put more thoughts into her actions then this, how could she have been so foolish? If she'd only kept the letter to read later...if only. Her aunt and uncle kept exchanging dark, covert glances that she didn't understand.

When the post came, Aunt Blair made Starr get it instead of Lyra. She could hear her cousin slashing and smacking at things all the way down the hall and she was sure she heard the sound of a shattering vase.

"There's another one! Miss L Malfoy, Old Playroom, 7 Canis Crescent, Hazelnut, Essex. I'm gonna read it!" she hollered. With a half-escaped shout Aunt Blair jumped up and rushed into the hall, Lyra hot on her heels. She had to pin her daughter against the wall and wrestle it out of her hands which was made harder by the fact that Lyra was yanking her around the middle. After a few more minutes of confused fighting in which Lyra and her aunt were both slapped at least once by Starr's Snellys crop Aunt Blair straightened up, dishevelled but looking triumphant, Lyra's letter in her bony hands.

"Oy! Can I have my letter now?" Lyra demanded.

"_NO!"_ Aunt Blair gasped.

"Go...go to your attic...I mean your bedroom...just go!" Uncle Todd breathed at Lyra. "And Starr...Starr...Starr just go."

Later that evening, Lyra paced around and around her new room. She was still kicking herself for not getting that letter yesterday but someone seemed to know she had switched bedrooms and someone seemed to know that she hadn't gotten her first letter. So then wouldn't they try again? This time, Lyra vowed, she'd get that letter. She had a plan, a backup plan, and a backup backup plan. If her plan wasn't fool-proof then her name wasn't Lyra Luna Malfoy, damn it, she _MUST_ succeed.

The old-fashioned analogue alarm clock that Starr had once bent one of the hands on shrilled into life at 6:00 the next morning. Lyra turned it off with a scowl and stealthily dressed herself. If she woke the Mannings then she'd be in big trouble. Silently, she sneaked downstairs, not turning on any lights, minding the floorboards.

She had decided that she would wait on the corner of Canis Crescent for the postman and get the letters for number seven first. Heart hammering, she crept across the hall towards the front door. At the very last minute, however, she saw a black lump in front of the door. Lyra frowned; she should have expected this, it was for this reason that she had back-up plans.

Sighing quietly, the girl went on tip-toe away from whoever was stationed at the door, probably her uncle. Taking care to not step on a creaky board she went around to the sliding door in the back of the house in the living room. Unfortunately, Lyra met her second snag. Cursing under her breath, Lyra saw the snoozing visage of her aunt poking out of a sleeping bag. The back door was out too, then. Lyra couldn't do the garage door either because it was too bloody _NOISY!_ Irritated, she inched her way out into the hall, up the stairs, and back into her room. Now it was time for plan C.

creeping over to her window Lyra thrust it open allowing the fresh mid-July air to flood into the room. The window had a screen but, luckily, that could be easily remedied. Lyra just prayed that she could fix it before anybody noticed and that nobody heard her. Taking a deep, steadying breath, Lyra swung her right fist back and punched it at the screen. She smiled as it just made a faint pop as it came undone from the frame. Her grin grew bigger still as the screen floated gently to the ground and landed harmlessly on the grass below, not even landing on Aunt Blair's prized begonias.

Starr's old play room was situated so it was only about a foot from a sturdy bow of the old oak tree in the back yard. Now, all Lyra needed to do was to climb out and leap onto the tree before climbing down. Lyra didn't care about getting dirty at all, she was getting dirty all the time, and it was a small price to pay for this letter.

Taking a deep breath she poked her head out of the window; she would have to crawl out. Extending long, pale arms the eleven-year-old gripped onto the tree. She just hoped she had enough strength to do this. Sliding out so far that her knees rested on the windowsill, Lyra took that leap of faith and put all of her weight on the thick branch. The momentum of it propelled her the rest of the way out of the window so that she was swinging precariously from the branch. With slightly shaking fingers, she inched herself down the branch a bit where a lower one was in reach. She grabbed it and dropped a little bit. After doing that once more, she felt that she was a safe distance to drop and so she did.

Landing nimbly on her feet, Lyra straightened up and brushed herself off. Her relatives would go apoplectic at the sight of her like this, all dirty and mucked up, but she didn't care. All she cared about was that letter and nothing else mattered to her. Spotting the screen in the grass, Lyra picked it up and stowed it quietly in the shed. It wouldn't do to have her relatives see it. Once that was done, she went around to the front and set off down the street. She assumed it to be around 6:30 now; the postman should be at Canis Crescent by now. Just to be sure, though, Lyra went a bit further, all the way to Orion Avenue where Mr. Prewett lived. She stood on the corner and tapped her foot impatiently.

Fifteen minutes later the mail truck could be seen coming down the perpendicular street. As it neared her, Lyra waved at it. The truck stopped in front of her, a perplexed expression on the postman's face. He rolled down the window and looked at her.

"Aren't you that Malfoy kid that lives with the Mannings over on Canis Crescent?" he asked.

"In a nutshell." Lyra shrugged.

"chu doin' here, then?" he asked.

"It's my aunt and uncle, sir. They're expecting something really important today and they seem rather eager for it. I just figured I'd get an early start; I want to surprise them." Lyra lied sweetly. The uncertain and wary look on the man's face melted into a smile.

"That's real sweet of you, girl. Okay, I can get the mail for you." he smiled. Reaching into the back of the truck, his arm came back with a wad of envelopes.

"Thank you so much, sir." Lyra smiled, taking them.

"Hey, any time, kid." the man smiled before driving away.

Grinning happily to herself, Lyra set off back down the road towards Canis Crescent. As she walked she began sorting through the thick pile of mail. She was certain that it was so thick because her mystery letter was in there. Water bill, cell phone bill, landline bill, internet bill...gossip rag, another gossip rag, an American gossip rag...home improvement magazine, Men's Monthly, Seventeen...another postcard from Aunt Iz, report cards...she'd have to look at hers...but where was her letter? Where was it? Where was the reason she had gotten up at six in the bloody morning? Where was the reason that she had actually climbed out her bedroom window? Where was the thing that got her aunt and uncle so on edge? Where was the one thing Starr was actually interested in reading? Where was her letter? Lyra had no idea and as she drew nearer and nearer to her home, shifting through the mail as though if she put everything in the right order her letter would just magically appear, she began to think that the letter was never going to come. It seemed to be just one big, fat, nasty joke the Mannings had played on her for shits and giggles...but the Mannings had no sense of imagination at all...and they had been acting so queer lately...but then where was the letter?

As if in answer to her internal question from out of nowhere, so it seemed, a large brown barn owl swooped right at her. In its talons, of all things, was a heavy parchment envelope. Lyra couldn't believe it...was it really here? Was this really her letter? The owl slowly flew down and alighted on Lyra's dainty shoulders.

"Is that for me?" she asked it aloud, grateful that she was not yet in sight of number seven. The owl hooted and stretched out its leg.

"How very peculiar this is. Erm...thank you." she told the owl, untying the letter from its leg. Reverently, she turned it over and over in her hands. She read the address several times just to make sure it was really hers.

Miss L. Malfoy,

The Old Playroom,

7 Canis Crescent,

Hazelnut,

Essex

"It really _is_ mine." she breathed. Then, taking care not to damage the envelope, she opened it.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmistress: MINERVA MCGONAGALL

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcs., Hogwarts BOG Chairwoman, Member, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Malfoy,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Severus Snape,

Deputy Headmaster

Lyra's mouth fell agape in shock. Hogwarts? witchcraft? wizardry? What sort of sick prank was this? On the verge of crumpling the letter up into a ball, Lyra paused. What about all the things she had done? All the wonderful, fantastical, and magical things? Could she really be a...a...a witch? It made sense, really. All the fits her aunt and uncle had thrown at Lyra's so-called "funny business," all the creatures she could vaguely remember being talked about, all the things she could see, all the times that she had asked for information about her parents and the details surrounding their deaths, all the times that her aunt would look at her funny with a half-wistful, half-hateful expression. Then were her mum and dad a witch and wizard? Was that why her relatives seemed to hate her so much? Because they were magical and her relatives were plain, ordinary people? But how could a normal person be related to a magical one? Were the Mannings really her relations at all?

By the time she came to a conclusion about the letter which was even more mysterious then ever, Lyra had made it back to the house. The owl had followed her all the way home and now was in a nearby tree. She was going to respond, using this owl, and ask them if it was really true. Her mind snapped back to her earlier plan and she realised that her aunt and uncle must be getting up soon and expecting the post. Walking silently up to the front door, Lyra shoved all the mail through the slot so that it would land on Uncle Todd's lap. Straightening up, she made a mad dash around back and scrabbled up the tree and into her room. She had changed her clothes and combed her hair just in time for just a second later her aunt stood in the door.

"Get downstairs and mind the bacon." she said shortly. Lyra sighed in relief; she hadn't noticed anything. Not the wideness of her silver-blue eyes, not the rapid pounding of her heart, not her pink-tinged cheeks, not anything at all. Stowing her letter beneath her pillow for now Lyra did as asked and went downstairs.

For the rest of the morning Lyra was jumpy and fidgety, mind straying back to what she was going to say in her reply. Finally, she got the opportunity to go to her room after she had finished her chores and made lunch. Sitting down at her desk, she got out a pen and paper and began to write. It took her several drafts before she got it right but this was what she had come up with.

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Lyra and I just got a letter from your school this morning. I didn't know that magic existed until I read it but I find myself viewing it as truth. I am not entirely certain, however, and am unsure about how to go about all of this. How does magic work? What's so great about it? Were my parents magical? Why have I been invited now and not when I began primary school? Am I not a powerful enough witch to have been invited at the proper time? Will I be terribly behind? Can you prove that magic exists? If you could please respond to this letter and show me that this is really, well, real that would be fantastic. I await your owl, (giggles,) and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Lyra Luna Malfoy,

Witch?

Walking over to the window she stuck her arm out of it and waved the letter around.

"Yoo-hoo...yoo-hoo...are you there, Mr. Owl?" she whispered. With a hoot, the owl soared into view and plucked up Lyra's letter with its beak. Bobbing its head in thanks, it swooped off into the dazzlingly blue July sky.

For the rest of the afternoon Lyra didn't leave her room. She just sat there, tapping her foot impatiently, eager for the owl to come. She tried reading books, drawing, anything she could but nothing could keep her attention. When dinner came, she inhaled her food faster then Diantha Dursley could and that was saying something. When she rushed into her room it was to find the owl perched on her desk.

"You did come back." she smiled, taking the offered letter. The owl simply hooted softly before flying out the window. Shutting it behind the owl and sitting on her bed, Lyra unrolled the small scroll of parchment and read what was written.

Dear Miss Malfoy,

A Hogwarts representative will be arriving at your house tomorrow at 9:00 AM sharp. She will then answer all of your questions and take you to get your school supplies. Her name, so you will recognise her, is Violetta Oakland. We look forward to having you enrolled in Hogwarts.

Most Sincerely,

Severus Snape,

Deputy Headmaster

Chapter Four: Keeper of the Keys and Diagon Alley

That night Lyra was so excited she could barely sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed so much that at one point her aunt barged into her room and told her to stop making such a racket. Lyra just couldn't help it, though, she was just so thrilled about it all. Her dreams, when she did sleep, were filled with magic wands and spellbooks and bubbling cauldrons and black cats and witch's hats and broomsticks. And to think she was going to be a part of this world.

So full of anticipation was she that she woke up at 6:30. Miss Violetta Oakland wouldn't arrive until 9:00 but Lyra just couldn't stay idol any longer. The first thing that she did was tidy up her room the best she could. Then, she went across the hall to the bathroom and took a long shower. She even used Starr's hair dryer to make sure that her hair looked nice. Once she was done in the bathroom, she went back into her room and got dressed in her nicest clothes. It was one of the few outfits that still fit Lyra that went well with her fair skin. The original dress itself was a pale blue that barely went down past Lyra's butt but she had sewn on extra strands of different materials that grew gradually darker and darker blue until the material at the bottom, the largest piece except for the main dress itself, was a dark navy blue. The dress, when it was done, went to Lyra's feet. All through the navy blue part of it Lyra had put sparkling fake diamond stones in the shapes of different constellations such as Lyra, Andromeda, Canis Major, Pisces, Lebra, Cancer, and Draco. On the chest of the main dress she had sewn the same sorts of stones on as hollow stars, all within each other, that got smaller and smaller until there was just a small star-shaped nitch of fabric in the middle of it all with only fabric in the outline of stars showing throughout. Lastly, she had put the same stones as a trim around the waist, sleeves, collar, and bottom of her dress. She even had a pair of dark blue flats that had once been Aunt Blair's to go with it so she was totally coordinated for once. To top off the ensemble, she wore a light blue bandanna with the Lyra constellation sewn in the same beads in the middle on her head, her dirty blonde, scraggly waves tumbling gently almost to her waist now for it had grown since that incident when she was nine and a beautiful, shining silver locket in the shape of a star. She was never able to open it but she loved it all the same, it was apparently with her when her aunt and uncle found her on their doorstep. Her name, Lyra Luna, was engraved onto the back of it.

Looking in the damaged mirror one last time, Lyra smiled and headed downstairs. She started not only cooking an ordinary breakfast but an extraordinary breakfast feast. She made pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, and three different kinds of scrambled eggs. The food must have woken the rest of her family for there they were, coming into the dining room.

"Goood mooorning!" Lyra chirped sweetly, serving them their food. "Hooow are yooou on this looovely day?"

"What are you up too, girl?" Uncle Todd demanded.

"And what are you doing in that ghastly outfit?" Aunt Blair demanded. Lyra loved this outfit all the more because she knew her aunt hated it. She hated all of the clothes that Lyra was able to alter to actually look good, really.

"Nooothin'!" she said even more sweetly. "I just thooought I'd seeerve you a scruuumptious breeeakfast!"

"Hmph!" Uncle TODD snorted. By the time that they had all eaten their fill of breakfast and Lyra had washed the dishes it was 8:45. Lyra went up to her room as to not look suspicious, fidgeting all the while. Finally, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it I'll get it _I'LL_ _GET_ _IT!"_ she hollered as she flew out her room, downstairs, and to the door, throwing it wide open. She was met with the sight of a very small woman standing in the doorway. The sun fell down on her hair which glittered different hues of blue, indigo, and violet. Her eyes were set large in her nymph-like face, a bright, almost glowing leafy green.

"Miss Violetta Oakland?" Lyra asked.

"Right you are, honey." the little woman said in a thick, Southern-American accent, smiling as she flitted into the house, Lyra shut the door behind her.

"Who's at the door, girl?" Aunt Blair demanded.

"Oh, just a guest, Auntie. I believe you'll know soon enough. Shall we go into the sitting room?" Lyra asked innocently. Narrowing her eyes, Aunt Blair nodded curtly and motioned for Lyra and the odd little woman to go into the living room.

"Y'all wouldn't mind brewing up some jo, would ya? It ain't been much of a journey; traffic's horrible." the woman said, plopping onto the couch casually. "And you must be Lyra. Ain't seen you since you was nothin more'n a lil' tot. I must say, sugar, you look a lot like your father and grandmother Malfoy but those lovely eyes and that perty hair, those are from your mom."

"I...get out of my house...you _FREAK!"_ Aunt Blair sputtered indignantly. Uncle Todd and Starr, who had entered the room with Lyra, her aunt, and the woman, looked on silently.

"Shucher pie-whole, Manning." the woman spat.

"Anyway," she added, "It's good to see you, Lyra. I reckon it's a little late for your birthday, 'xactly four months late, but I made you a lil' somethin' to enjoy." It was true. This was July 23rd, Lyra's birthday was March 23rd. The little woman pulled out a good-sized box from the breast pocket of her sundress. Lyra was amazed, how'd it fit in there? She gently accepted it and opened it, fingers trembling. Inside there was a cake covered in lemon yellow icing. Frosted on in pink were the words: Welcome Back Lyra.

"Thanks...thanks a lot...but what do you mean, welcome back? What do you do? What's your job?" Lyra asked. The woman laughed a high, musical laugh.

"All in good time, darlin'. As for what I do, I'm the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. So how 'bout the cuppa? I wouldn't say no to a nice cold one either but I guess these uppity types don't stock it in there ridgafrator?" her eyes flicked from one Manning to another in quick succession and she snorted in an undignified manner. "course they don't. Ain't real nice hosts are they, honey? Awe well. I s'pose I gotta make my own cup." From within that same breast pocket the woman pulled out a small brown mug with a lid. Also, from that pocket, she took two plates as well as a few packets of cheese and crackers. She set the mug on the table, took out what looked like a widdled tree twig, and rapped it smartly on the mug three times. To Lyra's shock, steam came pouring out the cracks. Smiling slightly, she lifted the lid and brought the mug to her lips, taking a deep gulp of the black liquid. Setting her coffee back down again, she opened the three packs of cheese and crackers she had and divided them onto the two plates. On one plate she put more and then passed it to Lyra. Starr eyed the snack enviously and fidgeted in her seat. She didn't eat much, really, but anything Lyra got Starr wanted; that girl would eat all the food in the world if she could if only she thought Lyra would do the same first.

"Don't take _ANYTHING_ that woman gives to you, Starr." Aunt Blair snapped.

"I ain't givin' the girl nothin, trust me. Ain't got no desire too." she scoffed. They sat in an awkward silence as Lyra nibbled at her snack. After awhile, the silence grew to be too much and she spoke.

"I'm sorry, Miss Oakland, but I still don't know much about you." she admitted sheepishly.

"Well you can start by callin' me Oakland, just Oakland. Everone calls me that. And as I said I'm the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. You'll be knowin' all 'bout Hogwarts right, darlin'?" Oakland asked. Lyra blushed a fair pink colour.

"Sorry...um...no." Lyra stammered embarrassedly.


	47. Mage

Mage

An attempt to write a story where both a female Harry and Draco's magic are enhanced via some sort of immortal magic council thing… I think some other fic inspired me…

Chapter One: The Counsel

"Are you done yet, _GIRL?"_ my uncle barked. "It's getting late and we want _DINNER!"_

"I'm getting their." I said tiredly as I reached the last length of fence. I swear they make me paint it once every two or so weeks just to spite me. I took out all of my frustrations on my paintbrush, putting all my strength into the stupid project. I had gotten out of the worst school year of my life, could you blame me? Sirius was dead, I had seen him killed, and it was nobody's fault but my own. Coming up with an idea, I took a small brush and dipped it into a bucket of black paint. Not even noticing the few raindrops coming down for my own tears I wrote, In Memory of Sirius. Just as I finished a tiny black dog on the fence, not even caring that the Dursleys might see it, it started dumping rain.

"_GOD_ _DAMN_ _IT!"_ I yelled. The fresh words blurred together in the rain and made three words, In mem, Siri. God, why did everything I do get so screwed up? How cliche, it rains just as I'm feeling like shit but as the rain began to fall I let my tears fall with it.

"_GIRL,_ what are you doing out their?" my aunt barked through the door as thunder crackled like an iron whip to a stampeed of horses.

"What do you _THINK_ I'm doing?" I barked. "I'm doing what you _TOLD_ me to do!"

"And now you're a filthy mess! I won't have you in my house tonight, not in a state like this! Can't have you dirtying my floor can I? Now _STAY_ _OUT_ _THEIR_ for the night!" with that, my aunt slammed the back door.

"_GOD_ _DAMN_ _IT!"_ I yelled again. "and _THANKS_ _FOR_ _THE_ _BIRTHDAY_ _PRESENT!_ _A_ 100 _PERCENT_ _CHANCE_ _OF_ _ME_ _GETTING_ _SICK!"_ Tomorrow was my birthday, it was true, my sixteenth. So the paint couldn't get wattered down more than it already was, I capped it and lugged it and my brushes to the shed. She was right, I was a filthy mess. My trainers, curtesy of Dudley, my fat lump of a cousin, were soiled, holey, and muddy. My socks were in the same shape so my feet underneath were also a muddy mess. My tent-like pants which used to belong to Dudley were ripped and muddy as Hell is hot and fiery and my shirt was in the same state. My wand, thank god, was just fine and secure in a dry pocket. My unruly black hair, cut short to my chin, was plastered to my head and over my lightning bolt scar with bits of dirt and things in it from my work outside as well as perhaps a glop or two of the white paint from the can. My glasses were filthy and speckled with dirt and paint, my emerald eyes behind them wet with rain and my lashes wet and dripping. I threw open the wooden door and put the cans on their shelf and the brushes in their tub on the same shelf. Their wasn't any room for me to sleep in here, their hadn't been since I was about seven or so for it was a small shed, not like those seen out in the country like at the Burrow. I sighed and shut the shed, locking the deadbolts in place. I crept up onto the back porch and sunk to the floor. I'd have to scrub the porch tomorrow for getting it all "dirty" but whatever, at least it provided some shelter from the torrents of rain. Rain, I watched it with morbid fascination. I looked out at the stormy sky that was such a dark steel grey in the twilight settling over Little Whinging it was almost black and sighed. Even if every raindrop represented one more tear my eyes could squeak out no tears, no amount of rain could express my sorrow. I watched in morbid fascination as the thunder cracked like a hard whip yet again and several strobe-like flashes of lightning lit up the cloud-shrouded sky like fireworks. I love thunderstorms, they're just calming somehow and always help me clear my mind. The pitter-patter of the rain started to lull me asleep but a great _BANG_ of thunder like a giant picking up a mountainous boulder and chucking it with all of his strength resounded and I jerked awake again before I could fall so deep in sleep that I began having the nightmares featuring Sirius, Bellatrix Lestrange, and the veil. I groaned and stood up, stretching my kinky neck. Their was a blinding flash of white light that I thought at first was more lightening but before me stood a man. He looked old, older than old, ancient but strong and powerful, good and wise.

"What? Who are you?" were the first words out of my mouth.

"In due time, young lady." he said. Their was something slightly Dumbledore-esque about him but his beard and hair were more of a dazzling silver, both went down past his waste and his eyes were a mirthful grey, not Dumbledore's sparkling blue. This man wore robes of deep gold.

"What do you want with me?" I asked, feeling wary.

"You will find out but please take my arm so that we can go." the man said. Something compelled me to trust him so I did as he asked, albeit reluctantly. In a flash of blinding, dazzling white, I felt myself spinning like a top. We landed somewhere but I was still much too dizzy to look. I let go of the old man's arm, started spinning on my own accord, and bumped into something...or someone...spinning as fast as me. Both of us let out an _oof_ and fell in a heap. As my vision cleared I saw who I was tangled up in.

"_MALFOY?"_ I yelled.

"_POTTER?"_ he yelled back. Both of us tried even harder to disentangle ourselves from each other but got even more tangled.

"Where the hell am I? Did your daddy get one of his Death Eater pals to bring me here to kill me?"

"Did that goat of a headmaster bring me here?" Malfoy snarled back.

"_I_ _DON'T_ _BLOODY_ _KNOW!"_ we both yelled as we were able to spring apart and jump up.

"Look what you've done, Potter, I'm _FILTHY!"_ Malfoy spat.

"Well I wasn't exactly expecting to get tangled up with the _LIKES_ _OF_ _YOU!"_ I spat back. "Happy birthday to me indeed."

"What, your relatives not make you a giant cake and cater to your every whim all summer? You expect better?"

"_MAKE_ _A_ _CAKE?_ _CATER_ _TO_ MY _EVERY_ _WHIM?_ _HELL_ _NO!_ I had to paint the fence for the _FIFTH_ _TIME_ _THIS_ _SUMMER!_ Then, when it starts to rain they _LOCK_ _ME_ _OUT!_ Let's add the fact that _I_ _HAVEN'T_ _BEEN_ _FED_ _IN_ _A_ _WEEK_ and you can see just how _SHITTY_ _A_ _DAY_ _I'M_ _HAVING!"_ I yelled.

"_WELL_ _MY_ _DAY_ _HASN'T_ _Been_ _MUCH_ _BETTER_ _BUT_ _I'M_ _NOT_ _Telling_ _YOU!"_ Malfoy yelled.

"_AND_ _I_ _DON'T_ _KNOW_ _WHY_ _I_ _SAID_ _WHAT_ _I_ _SAID_ _SINCE_ _IT_ _IS_ _NONE_ _OF_ _YOUR_ _BUSINESS!"_ I yelled back.

"_HONESTLY_ _I_ _HATE_ _YOU!"_ we both yelled.

"Calm down!" came two voices. Next to the old man stood an old woman with hard jade eyes and flowing curls of white hair. She too wore gold robes.

"And why should we?" Malfoy asked.

"We don't even know who you are!" I snapped, shaking drops of rain out of my hair.

"You're taking more and more after your dogfather every day aren't you, Potter?" Malfoy laughed.

"And I'm beginning to wonder who I hate more, you or your _PRECIOUS_ _AUNTY_ _BELLA,_ Malfoy!" I laughed back, coldly and humorlessly.

"We said _ENOUGH!"_ the old couple said.

"Come into the Counsel Room and we will explain." the man said.

"But in the meantime you'll just have to be patient won't you?" the woman snapped irritably.

"Fine, whatever!" we grumbled.

"But not in those clothes." the woman said.

"Quite right, my dear." the old man agreed. With a wave of his hand, Malfoy and I were in a set of plain black robes and I found that I was nice and clean. My glasses were clear and void of dirt and paint and my hair went in it's usual curly ringlets to my chin. The old man and woman motioned us through a set of gold gilded doors. As I stepped in, I noticed that the room was huge and circular. Half of it had rows and rows of teered benches and tables. In every seat sat an extremely old witch or wizard. In the very center of the room was a podium on a raised platform. The old couple motioned for us to stay at the doors but they themselves went in and sat in the very lowest teer in the middle seats. Once they were sat down, the doors closed and they motioned us in. Suddenly, the podium turned into two raised seats and we were ushered over to them.

"Draconus Lucius Malfoy, Alexandra Lilyanne Potter, we invite you to join the Mage's Counsel." the old man said.

"The what?" I asked.

"Don't you know anything, Potter?" Malfoy demanded.

"If either of you speak a word out of turn than I shall put a silencer on the _BOTH_ _OF_ _YOU!"_ the old woman bellowed from her seat.

"The Mage's Counsel is a counsel of powerful witches and wizards around to keep the piece and look down at the magical world from time to time to ensure everything is going well. We also recruit from time to time people who we think could benefit and people who are powerful enough, people with destanies like yours." the old man continued.

"Excuse me?" Malfoy broke through again. "What sort of _destany_ are you talking about?"

"Close your lips and keep your mind open, young Malfoy!" an old man somewhere in the third teer snapped. "Honestly, to think my family line has become such a _JOKE!"_

"Hey, I'm not a joke!" Malfoy snapped.

"Sure you aren't, Malfoy, sure you aren't. If you and your father aren't a joke than I'm the bloody queen of England." I said with a snort.

"_I AM NOT MY FATHER!"_ Malfoy roared angrily.

"_SILENCE!"_ the old woman raged. "I'm beginning to wonder just why we took you both here when you can't even stop _FIGHTING_ _WITH_ _EACH_ _OTHER!_ I want _NO_ _MORE_ _INTERRUPTIONS!"_

"Sorry." we both muttered, glaring daggers at each other.

"_ANYWAY,_ we brought you here for you each are extremely powerful even as an ordinary witch and wizard. We have seen you both over the past few years and like what we see. As members of the Mage's Counsel, your magic shall be increased exponentially and we will train you. Alexandra, you are destined to defeat the dark lord Voldemort are you not? Yes, I think you know that but what you do not know is that he is destined to assist you. Their is a prophecy that goes like this. Lightning and fire keep making explosions for five years of riot but the chosen and dragon shall soon band together and their fights shall go quiet. Though they are as different as day and as night their teamwork is amazing and when they put their minds together at last they just might well do anything. The lightning child is destined to defeat a darkness so strong but she'll be all right in the day and the night with the dragon riding along. It means that while you are destined to defeat Voldemort, Alexandra, you are to help her, Draconus. We will train you on how to do that. We are in a castle where time itself is suspended. No matter how long you spend in here, only a specific amount of time will go by. We could turn twelve hours into 1200 years, for instance."

"Pardon? 1200 years? But we can't live that long...we're human!" I protested.

"Upon choosing to be a Mage you will go to one age physically, probably twenty or twenty-one, and stay their. No matter how long you live in this suspended realm or the true world you will not die. Most of us, however, chose to fake our own deaths after we would have been considered extremely old. Do you accept our invetation?" the old man asked.

"One question, who are you?" Malfoy asked.

"Well I'm Merlin, of course! This here is my lovely wife, Morgana."

"Merlin and _MORGANA?"_ Malfoy and I asked.

"She's your _WIFE?"_ Draco asked.

"But you're supposed to _HATE_ _EACH_ _OTHER!"_ I protested.

"We have had some rather explosive squabbles haven't we love?" Morgana asked.

"Most certainly." Merlin said, grinning. "Now do you two accept our invitation? If so just stand up and say I, name, accept my invitation into the Mage's Counsel, okay?"

"I, Alexandra Lilyanne Potter, accept my inveatation into the Mage's Counsel." I said, standing up.

"I, Draconus Lucius Malfoy, accept my invitation into the Mage's counsel." Malfoy said, standing up with me.

"Wonderful, wonderful." Merlin said. In a flash, the chairs were gone from behind us and we stood before a misty glass sphere.


	48. Marauders' Daughters

Marauders' Daughters

An attempt to write a James and Lily live fic with a female Harry… Meh…

Prologue: October 31, 1981

The Potters were merely enjoying a nice night home when it happened. The wards protecting their house failed.

"Petigrew, he gave us away!" James Potter said angrily to his wife, Lily.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted him. Thank goodness Severus gave us those potions that should last twelve hours against the curse!" Lily said.

"Do you _really_ trust that snake, Lils? It could be poison." James said.

"He's tested it on himself. If that's not a gage of trust and caring I don't know what is!" she said as she got out two vials from a panel in the wall. "To the safety of our family and Jaimee!"

"To the safety of our family and Jaimee!" James echoed as they clinked vials and drank down their potions. This exact potion was the draft of living death. Severus Snape had put a trigger in it. If they were ever to get hit by the killing curse, it would deflect it and put them to sleep for however much time their is left. They had drank their glasses of potion not a moment too soon. Their came a banging from the door.

"Oh my god, we never gave any potion to Jaimee!" Lily exclaimed.

"Take Jaimee and run!" James insisted as Lily scooped up their fifteen-month-old daughter.

"We're not leaving you, we'll be fine!" she said. Just as the door burst apart Lily dashed upstairs and into the nursery. She put Jaimee in her crib and stood protectively in front of it. She heard a thump downstairs and was so scared. What if the potion didn't work? What if James, her James, the love of her life was _dead?_ She cried out in anguish just as the door to the nursery burst open.

"Give me the girl and you shall live!" Lord Voldemort hissed.

"Never, you'll _never_ have my Jaimee!" Lily hissed as she made sure she was right in front of the crib and Jaimee, who was dead scared with white hair and big silver eyes, was out of view.

"Get out of the way, you _silly_ _little_ _mudblood!"_ Voldemort demanded.

"Make me!" Lily spat. Those could very well have been the last two words of Lily Evans Potter's life.

"You fool, avada kedavra." Lily felt the spell hit her, felt herself falling back, and then she went numb in a deep sleep. Jaimee stared at her supposedly dead mother thinking she'd just jump back up and tickle her or something but that didn't happen.

"Now for you, foolish child, _AVADA_ _KEDAVRA!"_ The spell hit Jaimee squarely in the middle of the forhead but it bounced right off leaving a bleeding lightning bolt shaped cut on her forhead that would one day become a famous scar, _the_ famous scar to show that she was the girl-who-lived. The green jet hit Lord Voldemort and destroyed his body, leaving just a mist and causing a small explosion that destroyed much of the nursery except, thankfully, where Lily and Jaimee were. As the mist that was once Voldemort fled, unknown to anybody a small piece of his soul latched onto the nearest thing it thought living, Jaimee.

Chapter One: Hogwarts

Lily and James both survived the curse, severus's potion had worked beautifully. Despite this, the two were still not what one could call close. Peter Petigrew was chucked in Azkaban after a brief trial and Jaimee's nursery was fixed with a flick of a wand. As she grew older, she became closest to the daughters of the other two _true_ Marauders. Around the time James was married to Lily, Sirius married Athena Morgan, a muggle-born Gryffindor, much to his parents' dismay and Remus maried an outgoing Ravenclaw named Lucy Tomlinson.

James and Lily were able to have more children after that fateful night and gave birth to Jaimee's little brother, Harry James, ten months later, a daughter, Chrysanthemum Rose a year after that, and a second son, Nathaniel Sirius, a year after that. As demonstrated on that night, Jaimee is a metamorphmagus and is of the highest level and she can also alter her voice as well as her appearance. Her level is so high that she can even become any animal or magical being she likes. Her brothers and sister, however, did not inherit this ability.

Sirius's oldest child is a daughter named Cassiopeia Andromeda. Cassi has a little brother named Regulus James who's a year younger then her and another brother, Orion Remus, who's two years younger then Regulus. Remus's daughter, Rachel Lucinda, is an only child. The lycanthropy was passed on but the transformations are only half as bad and she's only half-mad during the full moon, not stark-raving bonkers like her dad.

Jaimee's POV

On the morning of September 1st, I jumped out of bed and rushed into the shower. I then got out, toweled myself off, and dried my naturally unruly red hair. When I'm not in any morphed state my hair and eyes are the same exact color as my mum's, dark red for the hair and bright emerald for the eyes, but everything else I got from Dad. My face is a bit more rounded like Mum's but it still looks more like Dad's. As I said, I have everything my dad had at eleven down to the nobby knees and "runt look" as Cassi so plainly calls it. Today I would be going off to my first year of Hogwarts and I couldn't wait. I decided that I wouldn't do anything with my eyes or hair so I went into my room and riffled through my closet. The worst thing, I mused as I looked through my clothes, was going to be all the staring. Mum and Dad have kept the whole family out of the limelight for the most part but even in the MUGGLE world we run into the occasional witch or wizard whose eyes automatically flick up to my damned scar. I eventually chose the perfect outfit. It was a green shirt with black letters reading "What Are You Looking At?" arched over a fierce-looking lioness who looked like she was ready to pounce and a pair of black capris and green flip-flops with black straps. I love to mix and match Gryffindor and Slytherin colors. Mum and Dad even have a bet on which house I'll get in. Mum bets Slytherin because I'm just so sneaky and cunning, I've got Dad wrapped around my little finger. He's taught me all his pranking ways as well. Dad, however, bets it'll be Gryffindor just so I _won't_ be in Slytherin with "that greasy git as your head-of-house". I've heard things about Severus Snape from both Mum and Dad before. I know he was responsible for Mum and Dad surviving and all that and I'm greatful for that but I don't know what to think just yet. Mum makes him sound like he was a good friend who just got on the wrong side of things for awhile but Dad makes him sound like a snarky bastard who's got his nickers in a bunch all the time. Actually, it'd be fun to be in Slytherin just to prank him. Would he _really_ expect a member of his own darling house? I ran over to my bedside table and put on my silver wire-rimmed glasses before lifting my trunk with a great heave and picking up my phoenix Starfire's cage. Starfire flew from her pirch and landed on my shoulder. I started the slow walk downstairs with all of my things in toe. I eventually got their and unceremoniously dropped everything onto the tile floor of the foyer before going into the dining room to eat.

"You're up early!" Mum said.

"It's the day I go to Hogwarts, Mum!" I said. "I'll be a snippy brat in the mornings when I get their!" I smiled at my entire family. Mum was making pancakes, bacon, and eggs and Dad was reading the paper. Harry's emerald eyes behind his glasses were rimmed with sleep and his black hair stuck up in every direction. Chryssie, jumping bean that she is, was wide awake, her hazel eyes bright and alert, her smoothe red hair well-combed. Nat, being only six, still looked sleepy but he looked better than Harry did, his hazel eyes filled with premature sadness for my departure later that day and his black hair neatly combed.

"How many?" Mum asked of me.

"Two pancakes and six slices of bacon, no eggs. Don't forget to lay on that syrup and whipped cream!" I told her. She rolled her eyes exhasperatedly and passed me my plate.

"Just like your father, both you girls." she said as Chryssie started in on her own plate which was just as full as mine. "I might have expected this from Harry and Nathaniel but not you too!"

"Let's not forget their penchants for pranking now!" Dad said. It was true. Though Harry and Nat enjoyed the occasional prank they were more like Mum in personality.

By10:00, we were in the car and driving to London. We eventually reached King's Cross and got out. Dad lifted my trunk onto a trolley and put Starfire's cage on top as Starfire shot him an indignant glare for putting her on top of a trunk and me for putting her in the blasted cage in the first place. Mum and Dad led the way to a brick barrier between platforms nine and ten, the way to platform nine-and-three quarters. It was their that we met up with some close friends, the Weasleys. I was friends with Ron but was closest to Fred and George. Cassi, Rae, and I have even talked about inducting them into our little group.

"Hello, Molly!" Mum said to one of her best friends though Molly Weasley was around ten years her senior.

"Oh hello, Lily! I see it's Jaimee's first year!"

"Yeah, I can't wait!" I said.

"You can take your lot in first!" Mum said.

"All right, you first, Percy!" Percey Weasley, probably the most pompous prat I knew, ran through the barrier. Every time I went over to their house that summer all he could talk about was being a _prefect._ "I'm a prefect! Did you know I was chosen to be a prefect? I'm so happy I'm a prefect! I can't wait to start my duties as a _prefect!"_ on and on and on _all_ _summer._

"You next, Fred!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"He's not Fred, I am!" George said. I dunno how I can tell them apart but I just can. If I was anyone else I'd have told them to cut the crap but I was always amused by their antics so I let it go on.

"Yeah! Honestly, woman, you call yourself our _mother?"_ Fred asked.

"Oh, sorry, George, you go!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"Only kidding!" Fred said as he reached the berrier with his twin close behind. "I _am_ Fred." Mrs. Weasley just sighed.

"Okay, Jaimee, why don't you go with Ron!" Mum said. I smiled over at Ron and we raced each other through the barrier closely followed by my parents, his mum, his little sister Ginny, and Harry, Chryssie, and Nat.

"Now you be good, Jaimee!" Mum said. "Go easy on the pranks!"

"Oh Mum, when have I ever wronged you?" I asked as I gave myself brown hair and big puppy-dog brown eyes.

"see what I mean, James?" she asked.

"No, Lils. She'll be in Gryffindor won't you, Jaimee?"

"_Sure_ I will, I'll be plotting with Fred and George."

"See?" Dad asked.

"But that doesn't _mean_ I'll be in Gryffindor!" I said with a smirk. Dad ruffled my hair affectionately and smiled.

"You'd better go meet your friends, have fun at school, Jaimee!" Mum said as she drew me into a hug.

"Do you really have to go?" Nathaniel asked me as he grabbed a handful of my shirt.

"Yeah, Nat, I do. Don't worry, though, I'll be back for Christmas!" I told him as I lifted him up for a hug. All us Potter kids have the "runt" gene so it wasn't that hard.

"We'll miss you, Jaimee!" Harry said as he gave me a hug.

"Yeah, we'll miss you!" Chrysanthemum said.

"I know, I'll miss you too." I said before bending down to her level.

"Play lots of pranks for me, Chryssie, keep 'em on their toes!" I whispered. She smiled and I stood back up to my full height. I waved at my parents and went over to the Weasleys to here Percy prattling on about being a perfect prefect.

"I _must_ go, Mother, got to get to the prefects' carriage up front!" he said pompously as he grabbed up his trunk and owl cage.

"Oh, you're a _prefect,_ Percy?" I said as I strode up.

"I never would've guessed!" Fred said.

"Wait, you two, I think he might have mentioned it once—com" George said.

"Or twice—com" I continued.

"A minute—com" Fred said.

"All summer!" George finished.

"Ickle prefect Percy, perfect prefect Percy!" we crooned.

"Shut up, you three, you're just as bad as the twins, Jaimee, it's almost as though you're one of them!" Percy said before he sauntered away down the platform. It was true, I was the only one who could break into their little twin tennis match speech. Sometimes I even morph myself to look like a female version of the twins which they had jokingly dubbed Fredrica Georgette.

"Now listen you two—com" Mrs. Weasley started.

"Which two?" the three of us asked.

"My two!" she said. "I don't want to here that you've...you've blown up a toilet or something!"

"That goes for you too, Jaimee Lily Potter!" Mum said as she, Dad, Harry, Chryssie, and Nat came up.

"Blown up a toilet?" Fred asked.

"We've never done that before!" George said.

"It's a great idea, though!" I said.

"Thanks, Mum!" we all chimed.

"Hey, Jaimee, come over here!" Dad said. He had moved away from the group. I walked over and looked at him quizzically.

"Yeah, whaddaya need?" I asked.

"I wanted to give you something!" he said. It was then that he pulled out a folded something that looked slick and silvery. I realized then that his hand had disappeared.

"No way, _NO_ _WAY!"_ I squeaked.

"Don't tell your mum, use it well!" he said as he gave me a hug.

"But what about using it as an aurror?" I asked.

"I can do a pretty mean disillusionment charm now. Cloaks are better but you'll need this, I can buy another of those more cheaply-made ones or borrow one from Mad-Eye!"

"Thank you so much, Dad, I love you!" I said as I put the cloak into my pocket. I looked around to see if I could see Cassi or Rae anywhere. I saw them a little ways down the platform and jogged towards them.

"Hey, Cassi, hey, Rae!" I said enthusiastically.

"Hey!" they said.

"Hi, Uncle Remus, Aunt Lucy, Uncle Sirius, Aunt Athena!"

"Hey, Prongslet!" they said. Since I was oldest I got that nickname. I was Prongslet, Harry was Emeralds, Chryssie was Flower, and Nat was Cub.

"You wouldn't believe what Dad gave me!" I said.

"What?" they asked.

"Not telling, I'll tell you on the train." I said with a smirk.

"You slimey snake!" Cassi joked.

"Hey, I haven't been sorted yet!" I said indignantly.

"You guys have fun!" Remus said.

"Yeah, carry on the Marauder name!" Sirius said with result of a smack on the head from his wife and my mum who came over with the rest of the Potter clan behind her.

"Don't encourage them!" Mum chided.

"Just don't get caught!" Dad whispered. The three of us smiled and waved as we got on the train. Our little siblings looked sad as I turned my head back.

"Don't worry Harry, Chryssie, Nat, Reg, Ri, we'll send you all Hogwarts toilet seats!" I hollered much to Mum's displeasure. We laughed as we searched for a compartment. We eventually found the compartment Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were sitting in. Lee was holding out a box with holes in it, I wondered what it was.

"Give us a look, Lee!" Fred said as we joined them.

"Oh, hello, ladies!" George said.

"C'mon, Lee. We could pull a prank with this thing!" Cassi said as she swept some of her jet black hair out of her ice blue eyes, basically the only thing she had gotten from her mother.

"Yeah, know anyone who's afraid of spiders?" I asked.

"Honestly, guys, all you can talk about is pranks!" Rachel said with a sigh.

"Their's Ron but that's just cruel, he's our brother!" George said.

"I saw some third year girls flinch away from the box on the platform!" Lee said. "They creep them out but I don't think they're deathly afraid of them!"

"Brilliant! Let's take a peak. We should save it for smaller scale pranks, though. Who needs a spider when you've got me! That'll give those third year girls something to squeal about!" I said with a smile. Lee smirked in a most ungryffindorish way and opened the box. A hairy tarantula skidded out.

"I saw them go into a compartment two down from us, may the force be with you!" Rae said dramatically as she tucked some of her dirty blonde hair behind her ears and looked at me bracingly with her one brown and one blue eye. Fred and George looked confused, they must not have seen those particular moovies since they don't have a television.

"MUGGLE moovie quote, Star Wars!" I explained. I opened the compartment door and became a spider identical to the tarantula and crawled out. I turned myself into a small child with spidery eyes and hair and tapped the door. A girl with bad acne answered it.

"Yes, sweetie, how'd you get on the train?" she asked in a sugary voice.

"I just came to see you. You see, I—com" I said in a sweet little girl's voice, "Have come too—com" I turned into a huge spider, "_GET_ _YOU!"_ I finished in a deep voice reminiscent of a female Freddy Croogur, Jason, or Chuckie. All of them screamed with fright, one girl, who must have been MUGGLE-BORN or raised, looking terrified. They ran out but I chased after them.

"Gonna getcha gonna getcha gonna getcha gonna—com" I was chanting as I chased them up and down the corridor but was stopped mid-chant by a red-faced Percy Weasley.

"What do you think you're doing, Jaimee Potter?" he asked angrily.

"Noooothin'!" I said in an innocent child's voice as I became a child-sized version of myself.

"I'm _serious,_ Jaimee!" Percy snapped as the girls stopped to look at me incredulously, all five still shaking.

"No, Percy, my _godfather_ is Sirius, don't you know that by now, silly? I've known you all my life and you don't even know your favorite little trouble-maker's godfather's name, that's sad. The even _sadder_ thing is that you don't even know your own!" I said in the same voice.

"I mean it, what were you doing?" Percy demanded.

"I wasn't doing anything!" I said as I became normal. "The _spider,_ however—com"

"That's _it,_ detention this Saturday, Potter!" Percy growled.

"God, Ickle Percykins, don't get your nickers in a twist!" I said as I awkwardly shifted my legs around as if to show that he must be being squeezed too tight.

"Gurrr, detention for a month. If you don't stop it'll be two!"

"Fine fine!" I said with a shrug as I walked away. "Oh, and Ickle Pre-Pree, get that stick out of your ass. It'll do you no good!" I smirked to myself as I strode away to the shouts of "Two months, Jaimee Lily Potter, two months!" I entered the compartment again and plopped onto the nearest seat.

"In trouble already?" Rachel asked.

"Yup, Perfect Prefect Percy gave me two months worth of Saturday detention!" I said. "Merlin, eight detentions on my record, not even Dad or Sirius got _that_ much _that_ quickly in their first year!"

"That's because Percy is a prat!" Fred said. I smiled at my friends and leaned lazily back in my seat.

"So, what house do the ickle firsties want?" George asked.

"Gryffindor! My blood fanatic grandparents would be rolling in their graves if they found out that a second generation of Blacks was in Gryffindor!" Cassi said with a smile.

"Dad was in Gryffindor and Mum was in Ravenclaw, I'm fine with either as long as it isn't Slytherin!" Rae said.

"Their's nothing wrong with being cunning, ambitious, and sharp-whitted!" I defended.

"Don't tell me a Potter, _JAIMEE_ _POTTER_ to be exact, wants Slytherin!" Lee said incredulously.

"Oh hush yourself, Jordan. I'm just saying they're not bad traits even if Voldemort _was_ in that house and it's now headed by a snarky vindictive bastard!" I said. "I really don't care. It'd be fun to get in just to do some inside work if you catch my drift, prank 'em from the inside, turn Snape's hair red and gold, that sort of thing!" I said. "Also, I bet Malfoy will be their, I can have some fun with him!" Fred, George, Lee, and Cassi pulled disgusted faces.

"Merlin, Mia, you're too young!" Cassi said.

"Ugh, get your minds out of the gutters, guys. I really don't want to associate myself with your second-cousin anyway and I haven't even met him, no offense, Cass! Anyway, Mum hasn't won a good bet in awhile, they've got fifty galleon steaks on me."

"Fifty _galleons,_ fifty big gold _coins,_ _merlin!"_ Fred said.

"Yeah, well, I could have some fun. Plus, what Slytherin would want golden girl Potter in their house? It'd be hilarious!" I said with a smirk.

"Thought like a true Slytherin, I suppose. Not all Slytherins are bad. Cousin Andi's cool, she married a MUGGLE-BORN, that's my favorite branch of the Black family. Plus, Dora was in Hufflepuff and in training to be an auror and she hasn't been disowned. Ah, old Granny Walburga would have a fit with all us ickle half-bloods in the Black family nowadays. Every time Mum enters Grimmald Place she's greeted with "Filthy mudblood polluting the house of my father, how dare you enter the home of the family of Black!" and I'm greeted by "Filthy disgusting mudblood spawn-child, disgraceful half-blood darkening the doorway of the house of my father, daughter of the worst son a mother could have!", I can only imagine what ol' Granny Wally would do if she was alive and with a wand. Anyway, Slytherins aren't all bad."

"Yup! I'll just let whatever sorts us decide!" I said. Not long afterward the trolley lady came through with sweets that we all bought most of. As we were snacking, a bushy-haired girl came by with a timid-looking boy.

"Have you seen a toad, Neville here has lost one!" she said a bit sniffily.

"Sorry! I've seen a few _spiders_ but no toads!" I said innocently. I could tell that this girl would be the type to not tollerate pranks, a Percy Junior.

"Were you the one who was chasing those girls up and down the train?" she asked. "That was very stupid of you."

"I'll thank you to not tell me what is and is _not_ stupid!" I said cooly.

"Right, I'm Hermione Granger. You're Jaimee Potter aren't you, you're _famous."_

"Gee, I never noticed!" Cassi mumbled.

"No, dearest Hermione, I'm just taking on this disguise! My true name is Cordelia Lemuria!" I said as I morphed into how I imagined Anne from Anne of Green Gables would look.

"O-oh, sorry!" she stammered as she stepped out. As soon as the door was closed all six of us burst into gails of laughter. It wasn't until their was another interruption that we stopped laughing. A boy with a pale, pointed face swaggered in followed by two thugs that distinctly reminded me of my cousin Dudley that I had met on a few occasions. The boy, I was certain, must have been Cassi's dear second-cousin that I had heard so much about, the arrogant snobby blood purest _prat._ I had morphed back to normal by that point so he could pick me right out.

"Word on the train is tjaimee Potter's come to Hogwarts!" he said in a bored drawling voice. "I can see now that it's true. You should watch out who you hang around with, Potter, you don't want to be around with a wrong sort. We've got a sun of a mudblood and a Squib, two blood traitors, a half-breed, and my filthy half-blood cousin. You'll do well to not hang around like riffraff like them. You need to make the right sort of friends, I can help you their!" The little worm held out his hand. I yanked on it forcefully as I stood up and got in his face which was not easy because he was at least an inch taller then me. Squeezing his hand with my left hand, I drew my right fist back and punched him square in the nose. I smirked at the satisfying _crack_ it made. It wasn't the first time I'd broken someone's nose, or something else for that matter, in primary school I got into a lot of fisticuffs. He grimmaced in pain and cursed under his breath.

"Watch it, Potter. Keep it up and you'll go the same sticky way your parents almost did!" he said coldly as he clutched his nose with his right hand and flexed his left.

"Get out, you little ferret, or I might ask Jaimee here to turn into a giant bird and chase you out because you're _so_ afraid!" Cassi said. "They're his biggest fear, birds!"

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we boys? You've got plenty of snacks and we're out!" Malfoy said.

"_GET_ _OUT!"_ I hissed as I glared at him with full intensity. Even Dad's scared of my glare. If looks could kill Malfoy and his goons would be dead and six feet under by now. When they didn't comply, Starfire flew out of her cage and at them, claws and beak gleaming. Malfoy let out a girlish squeal and hightailed it out of their, his goons close behind. That gave us another thing to laugh about and we didn't stop for a good fifteen minutes.

After we were done laughing at Malfoy, us girls left to get changed into our robes. When we came back we ate through the candy we had bought, their was quite a bit left when the train stopped. The six of us got off and sepearated, Cassi, Rae, and I towards a booming Hagrid and Fred, George, and Lee to the horseless carriages.

Chapter Two: The Sorting and the First Week

We got in a boat with Ron and as soon as everyone was in a boat, they automatically mooved forward. Halfway across the lake we got our first true glance of Hogwarts castle.

"Oh my god, look at that!" Rae said, her voice filled with awe.

"I know!" Cassi said.

"It's wicked, that's what it is!" Ron put in.

"Blimey, I've never seen such a site!" I added. The boats led us under a cliff ledge and to some sort of underground harbor. We all clammered out and onto the slippery rocks.

"Hey, anyone los' a toad?" Hagrid asked. Neville, the boy from earlier, jumped forward and snatched the toad.

"Trevor!" he exclaimed. Hagrid chuckled to himself as he led us up some stone steps and to some grand oak doors. He rapped smartly on the wood three times and the door was answered by a stern-looking witch in emerald robes with forest green eyes and black hair pulled up into a tight bun.

"Thank you, Hagrid, I'll take them from here!" she said tartly. She led us into a grand entrance hall with a marble staircase going up and out of sight. From a door off the hall I could here the drone of hundreds of voices. The professor, however, did not lead us into the Great Hall but into a small antechamber by it.

"I am Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress and head of Gryffindor house!" she said. How could I not have known? That severe dress, that stern way she looked at us, those glasses, that hair, I had only heard about her a billion times. "Their are four houses at Hogwarts.! she continued. "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be like your family. Triumphs and successes will earn points for your house but misbehavior and rule-breaking will just as quickly take them away."

"What about pranks, Minny?" I asked. Uncle Padfoot had dared me to call her that.

"I believe, Miss Potter, that that would fall under the category of misbehavior and rule-breaking. Anyway, the sorting ceremony will start momentarily, I will return shortly. In the meantime, I suggest that some of you tidy yourselves up." She looked pointedly at Ron's nose which had a black smudge at the tip and Neville's cloak which was fastened beneath his left ear. As she swept out I ran my fingers through my hair, something I do when I'm nervous or excited.

"What do you think we'll have to do?" Rae asked.

"Dunno!" Cassi and I said together.

"Fred and George said it hurts a lot but I think they were joking!" Ron cut in. Right then about twenty pearly white figures came zooming through the wall.

"Forgive and forget, that's what I always say!" said a fat little ghost who looked like a friar. "I say we give him a second chance!"

"Peeves has had scores of these "second chances", why should we give him more?" asked a ghost in a ruff whose head was wobbling noticeably. "Oh, what are you lot doing here?"

"We're waiting to get gassed, what do you _think_ we're doing?" I asked as I looked at the ghost, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, I couldn't have said it better myself, young lady, Nick's a bit out of it sometimes. Perhaps it comes with being half decapitated!" said a slightly intimidating ghost with silver blood streaked down the front of his robes.

"Ah, new students!" the fat friar said cheerily. "I hope to see you in Hufflepuff, it was my old house!" It was then that Professor McGonagall came back into the room.

"We're ready for you now!" she said. We all got into a sloppy line and filed into the great hall behind Professor McGonagall. Their were two tables to our left and two to our right as well as a high staff table at the far end of the room. Their sitting on a golden chair at the center of his staff was a man I'd only seen in pictures before now, Albus Dumbledore. McGonagall brought out a stool and set a tattered hat that was filthy, frayed, and patched on top of it while also pulling out a scroll of parchment. Just as I was wondering what we had to do, a rip at the hat's brim opened and it began to sing.

"Oh you might not think I'm pretty but don't judge on what you see;

I'll eat myself if you can find a smarter hat then me.

You can keep your bowlers black, your top hats sleek and tall;

But I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat and I can cap them all.

You might belong in Gryffindor where dwell the brave at heart;

Their daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart.

Or perhaps in Hufflepuff where they are just and loyal;

Those patient Hufflepuffs are unafraid of toil.

Or perhaps in wise old Ravenclaw if you've a ready mind;

It can be assured that here they'll always find their kind.

Or perhaps in Slytherin where you can meet your true friends;

Those cunning Slytherins know just how to make their ends.

So put me on, don't be afraid, and don't get in a flap;

You're in safe hands, (though I have none), for I'm a thinking cap!"

The entire hall burst into applause.

"I'm going to kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling some troll. If you fought it head-on you were a Gryffindor, if you ran away like a wimp you were in Hufflepuff, if you tried to look something up about it you became a Ravenclaw, and if you tried to win it over onto your side you were a Slytherin!" Ron whispered.

"When I call your name, you will come up to the hat to be sorted." McGonagall said. "Abbott, Hannah!" a pink-faced girl with pigtails stumbled nervously up to the stool.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat yelled out. the Hufflepuff table clapped and cheered as she joined them.

"Black, Cassiopeia!"

"I really wish she'd leave out the "opeia" part!" Cassi muttered as she walked up to the hat. It bearly touched her head when it yelled out "Gryffindor!" Bones, Susan became a Hufflepuff, Boot, Terry, and Brocklehurst, Mandy became the first Ravenclaws, and Brown, Lavender became the first Gryffindor other then Cassi followed by a dense-looking girl named Milliscent Bullstrode who went to Slytherin. Vincent Crabbe, one of the boys with Malfoy earlier, was also sorted their as was Gregory Goyle, the other boy. Next was the bushy-haired girl, Hermione Granger.

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted.

"Big shock their!" I whispered. It got pretty boring again untill "Longbottom, Neville!" The boy who had lost his toad tripped on his way up to the stool but eventually got their and put on the hat. The hat seemed to be deliberating for a long time on something.

"Hufflepuff!" the hat yelled out into the hall. Poor Neville looked crestfallen, both his parents, I was pretty sure, were in Gryffindor.

"Lupin, Rachel!" McGonagall called. Rae stepped up and put the hat onto her head. It deliberated for about thirty seconds before shouting, "Ravenclaw!" What was I going to do? Cassi was in Gryffindor and Rae was in Ravenclaw. If they had both made it into Gryffindor then that would be different, what was I going to do? Next up was Malfoy. The prat got his wish at once. As soon as the hat touched the first hair on his head it shouted, "Slytherin!" Several more people went, McDoogle, Morrag, a Ravenclaw, Moon, Pandora a nicer-looking Slytherin, Knot, Theodore, another Slytherin, Parkinson, Pansy, a third Slytherin in a row, Perks, Sally-Anne, a Hufflepuff, two twins, Patil, Padma, Ravenclaw, and Patil, Parvati, Gryffindor, and then it was my turn.

"Potter, Jaimee!" McGonagall called. I walked forward as comfidently as I could to the sounds of whispering like little hissing fires all over the place. "Jaimee Potter, did she say?" "_The_ Jaimee Potter?", it was annoying to say the least.

"No no, I'm Cordelia Lemuria, don't you see?. I asked as I did my Anne of Green Gables morph and then became normal again as the hat was dropped over my head.

"Ah, difficult, very difficult. Lots of courage, I see, and not a bad mind either. What's this I see here, a thirst to proove yourself as more then just "the girl-who-lived". Ah, you've got courage, brashness, and daring but also plot things out well, you look between the lines, you have all of the cunning, ambition, and wit of a Slytherin not to mention a very sharp tongue."

"And your point?" I whispered too it.

"Ah, bluntness too, yes, very difficult." The hat rambled on for another minute before speaking more clearly. "You don't seem to care where you end up, is this correct?"

"Do I need to answer? You can see it in my mind. How does that work anyway?" I asked.

"Ah, I see it now. You will prove that all things are not what they seem. You will do great things, Jaimee Potter. Your house does not define who you are!" the hat whispered. "Now then, it'd better be _SLYTHERIN!"_ it shouted this last part out to the whole hall. Instead of applause like with everyone else I was met with a stony silence. As I walked to the Slytherin table, an uproar of boos came from several of it's occupants.

"Thanks for your support, house mates, I _really_ feel at home now!" I said loudly as I sat at the end of the table alone, I could here several Slytherins who weren't booing before, and even some that were, chuckling as well as some Ravenclaws. Both Rae and Cassi shot me a thumbs up which I returned. A few people scooted down next to me including Daphne Greengrass, one of the nicer-looking girls I had seen get sorted, Tracy Davis, another nice-looking girl, Pandora Moon, and Theodore Knot.

"Ignore them!" Daphne said. "They're just trying to get at you!"

"Not gonna happen!" I said. It was then I noticed Ron was getting sorted.

"Gryffindor!" the hat shouted. Ron's brothers all clapped madly and Fred and George were waving their arms wildly in the air. I clapped hard along with the other Gryffindors earning me some looks ranging from curious to incredulous to downright nasty from my own house mates. Next it was Blaise Zabini who was sorted into Slytherin and joined our group.

"I understand that you all will want to eat but I must say a few words!" Dumbledore said as he stood up. "Ehem, nitwit blubber odment tweek, thank you!"

"Is he _mad?"_ Blaise asked the table in general.

"Oh, he's the maddest I've ever seen, absolutely brilliant!" said a girl of about thirteen with dark skin, eyes, and hair as she joined our group. "Green beans?"

"What the—com" I started.

"Weird, huh! I felt the same way in my first year, I'm in third now. Name's Titania Shacklebolt, nice to meet you!"

"Oo-too!" I mumbled as I began to dig into my very full plate.

"You'll never be able to eat all that, Potter!" Blaise said.

"You wanna bet, Zabini?" I asked.

"You're on, five galleons. ALSO, if I win you have to look like a female coppy of Professor snape for the whole week, we'll call you Severette!"

"Deal! If _I_ win then you've got to dye your hair pink and send a note declaring your undying love of Professor Sprout!"!" I said.

"What? All right, you're on!" Blaise said. I rapidly ate through my entire plate and filled just as big a one with some different food. When I was done I smirked at Blaise.

"Pay up!" I said as I held out my hand. "Oh, and Titania, could you do the honors?"

"Sure!" the older girl said. With a muttered spell Blaise's shaggy black hair that fell into his eyes was now a blazing hot pink, I burst out laughing.

"You, you knew you'd win!" Blaise said.

"No duh!" I smirked. "That's all the fun. No Potter loses a bet except maybe to each other, that's just how the cookie crumbles!"

"Of all the underhanded things, you're a Slytherin after all!" Theodore put in.

"Glad to see someone's noticed, Theodore!" I said dryly.

"What'll your family do when they find out you're in Slytherin?" Pandora asked.

"Dunno, nothing much!" I said with a shrug. "Mum'll win her fifty galleons, that's for sure!"

"What?" Tracy spoke up for the first time. "Fifty galleons for _what?"_

"What house I'd get into. I'll bet their's been bets going on outside just my parents, I think I heard my little siblings talk about a bet they started. My family really doesn't care about house status much. Dad pretends he does but he doesn't. My godfather, Sirius Black, was the only Gryffindor in a house of Slytherins until tonight. See Cassi over their, that's my godsister, his daughter, second generation of Blacks in Gryffindor. Now I'm the first Potter in Slytherin in a long time but Mum and Dad don't care. You know Severus Snape, Mum used to be close friends with him until they were fifteen or so and they drifted apart. He was the person who first told Mum she was a witch. At first she thought he was calling her a bitch, apparently. Dad makes him sound like a snarky guy with his nickers in a bunch, though, he was my dad and his friends' favorite pranking target. If he's rude to me he'll be mine too."

"Wow, my family will probably disown me, we've been all Ravenclaw for ages!" Pandora said.

"Is your dad Sal Moon on the magical reversal squad?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Pandora said.

"I'll have Mum and Dad talk to him." I said.

"Thanks!" Pandora said with a smile. As we ate the dessert that came out, I could see that Malfoy looked a bit uncomfortable, the Bloody Baron as he was so named was sitting right next to him.

"Whazamatter, Malfoy, you have ghost prejudices too?" I asked and then continued in a baby voice, "Does Ickle Dwakie fink dat de big bad ghosty is going to scare him?"

"Shut up!" Malfoy said. I noticed, much to my delight, that he was still holding his nose. It must have been fixed by now but surely it would still sting.

"I am not a cupboard, door, or room of any sort, Malfoy, and thus I cannot shut!" I told him as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're going to get it, Potter!" Malfoy threatened.

"Oooh, whatcha gonna dooo? Run away screaming like the little baby you are? Mumble under your breath when I brake your nose...for the _second_ time tonight?" At this I had most of the Slytherin and Ravenclaw tables laughing as well as some Hufflepuffs and all the trouble-making Gryffindors. Malfoy just looked livid but said nothing. "Oy, Baron, you can join us!" the ghost went right through the table and settled himself next to me.

"Ah, you're the snarky badmouth who was in that chamber! Their hasn't been a Potter in Slytherin in a hundred and fifty years, I guess their's firsts for everything, though. Your parents were in Gryffindor!"

"Yup, Mum wins! And by the way, Baron, I'm not snarky, that's Snape up their!" I pointed up to the man who I was sure was Snape. "He was dressed all in black, his greasy hair hanging like curtains, his skin sallow and nose hooked. "Who's that professor next to him?"

"That's our Defense Against The Dark Arts professor, Professor Quirell!" Titania said. I looked at the strange man in the turban and all of the sudden a sharp, searing pain knifed through my scar, I clapped my hand to my forhead.

"Are you all right?" Daphne asked.

"Scar, just my scar." Rae, Cassi, Fred, George, and Ron seemed to have noticed too because they shot me worried looks. I signaled the thumbs-up to tell them it was all right.

Snape's POV

"Black, Cassiopeia!" Minerva called out. Ah, she'll be just like her father I'm sure. Sure enough it had bearly made contact with her hair when it called "Gryffindor." She smiled and went over to the table of the trouble-makers. I zoned out awhile until, "Lupin, Rachel." her father had been all right in school but he still hung out with Potter and Black, not that smart on the whole. Her mum was in Ravenclaw and dad in Gryffindor, what would happen?

"Ravenclaw!" the hat shouted out. The Lupin girl smiled and went over to her table. Next was my godson, Draco Malfoy. Much to my pleasure he was immediately sorted into Slytherin. I tuned the sorting out again for a few more minutes.

"Potter, Jaimee!" How arrogant, nameing your child after yourself. Then again, it had been done with boys but still, _JAIMEE,_ what possessed Lily to marry that idiot. She looks so much like Potter, the only difference is that she's female and she has Lily's hair color and eyes. Their were whispers all over the hall but Potter opened her mouth to say something.

"NO no, don't you see that I'm Cordelia Lemuria?" she said as she became fair and freckled with flame red hair and grey eyes before going back to normal and allowing the hat to be put on her head. She would be a Gryffindor for sure, only they would say that to the entire hall, both her parents had been, after all. Their was silence for a good five minutes. I was starting to get caught up in my own thoughts when the hat shouted the very last thing I expected, "Slytherin!" I was shocked out of my mind. I couldn't believe it! Potter? Potter was in _my_ house? Their was a stony silence that followed her to the Slytherin table where a chorus of boos erupted.

"Thanks for your support, house mates, I really feel at home now!" she said before sitting down alone. A few people came to join her and I listened into their conversation. Blaise Zabini joined their group once he was sorted. Dumbledore did his funny speech thing and food appeared on plates throughout the hall. Potter piled an obscene amount of food on her plate and started to devour it, I thought the Potter boys might get that trait but _never_ the Potter girls. She made a bet with Zabini and I found it funny that he would make her go around as "Severette", even if it was a bit of an insult to me. It would serve Potter right. Much to my dismay, Potter ate not one but two plates and still seemed to have room for dessert. She smirked at Zabini and Titania Shacklebolt turned his hair hot pink, at least Potter was enjoying herself. It was then that she was talking to Draco, so it had been _she_ who had broken my godson's nose? Oh the nerve of her! After a few more taunts she invited the Baron over to sit with her group, no student had done that as far as I knew, since he first became Slytherin's house ghost 983 years ago. I saw Potter look at me, snarky, I'll give her snarky, and then look at Quirell. She clapped her hand over her scar and muttered something about it burning. Black, Lupin, and three Weasleys looked at her concernedly but she shot a thumbs-up at them before finishing what was on her plate.

Jaimee's POV

"That was odd!" I said to Daphne.

"Has that happened before?" she asked me.

"No, never." I said.

"Do you think it's happened to anyone else with your type of scar?" Theo asked.

"Oy, Knot, one-of-a-kind, remember? Girl-who-lived? The only one who lived through the avada kedavra without help? Unique scar?" I said slowly and deliberately, Blaise snickered.

"She is right, Mr. Knot. Not even in more then a thousand years have I seen any case quite like Miss Potter's!" The Bloody Baron said.

"Thanks, _BB!"_ I said.

"BB?" he asked incredulously.

"Sure, what else? I only know the name of Sir Nick!" I said. "Your nicknames suit you house ghosts but what about your real ones?"

"Good point. All right, Miss Potter, my given name is Eleazor Montpelier." the Baron said.

"Ah, that's a mouthful. Hmmm, it still needs a nickname. Elly? Lee? Monty! That's it, _Monty!_ It suits you well, BB!" I said with a smile. The Baron smiled back as the dessert vanished.

"Now that we're all fed and wattered, I have a few things I'd like to announce. First off all first-year students please note that the Forbidden Forest is, as it's name suggests, forbidden." Dumbledore's gaze landed on the Weasley twins before going to Cassi, Rae, and me. "Also, all students please do not stray onto the third floor corridor on the left hand side lest you wish to die a most painful death. Lastly, our caretaker Mr. Argus Filch has a list of banned items on his door. Now, I say before we go to bed, let's sing the school song!"

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts,

Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald or young with scabby knees,

For now minds are empty save for fluff,

Oh we hope to learn some neat new stuff!" At the end I made my hair waste-length and all of the colors of the houses, Red, gold, yellow, black, blue, bronze, green, and silver.

"Ah music, I feel as though their is no magic more powerful at times. Prefects please show the first years to the house common rooms, good night!" I smiled and stood up as I turned my hair back to normal.

"First years, Slytherin first years follow me or it's detention!" came an older girl's voice.

"My older sister, Silvia!" Titania whispered as she joined some other third years. Blaise, Daphne, Pandora, Theo, Tracey, and I got in the back of the queue of first years. We were led out of the Great Hall and down some steps into the dungeons. Silvia stopped us outside a portrait of a man in emerald robes trimmed in silver.

"Silvia Shacklebolt, what have you always said in defense of your house?" he asked.

"This portrait works like the sorting hat in that he can pull one random fact from your head and phrase it as a question. If someone isn't a Slytherin they can't get in unless you let them. THIS is what I say, Signus Slytherin, little brother of Salazar Slytherin, if you've not cunning nor wit then your life's not worth shit!" he nodded and the portrait slid aside. We went down a few steps and into a room that looked surprisingly comfortable. Their was a great stone fireplace with a roaring fire in it on one wall. The carpet was green with some swirls of silver and their was a mixture of black and green furnature spread around. Through some windows I could see into the lake and through others their was an enchanted view of the grounds. The stones of the wall had a slightly greenish tinge but it wasn't that bad. Honestly I wished that Slytherin was in a tower or at least in an area other then this but it was all right.

"All right, boys, you guys take the hallway on the left. Your dorm is the first door on the left. You'll also find three studdy rooms. Girls, it's all the same but on the right, have a nice night!" Silvia said. Theo and Blaise split to go with the other Slytherin boys while us girls went with the four other first year girls to our dorms. Out of that four their was Parkinson, Bullstrode, Cynthia Avery, and Laticia Mulciber. All four had shot me nasty looks during dinner but it almost seemed that Cynthia didn't want too, like she thought her family would want her too..

The Slytherin girls' dorm had a green carpet trimmed with silver, eight beds on the wall, four on each side. Their was also a dresser by each bed. On the wall to the left by the first bed their was a door that led, most likely, to a bathroom. I was pleased to see that my trunk and Starfire's cage were at the end of the bed on the right that was right by a large window looking into the lake where I could see all of the creatures swim past. Daphne went to the bed next to mine, Pandora next to hers, and Tracey next to hers.

"Think you're special, Potter?" Parkinson asked.

"Nope, I'm not so stupid to think myself special, I'm Jaimee or are you too _stupid_ to remember that?" I asked as I cocked an eyebrow at the pug-nosed twit.

"Well...I..." Parkinson stuttered.

"Well...I..." I mocked as I became a perfect replica of her. "Now now, Parkinson, going to stutter at me some more?" this was also said in her voice before I morphed back.

"You'd better watch your back, Potter!" Laticia Mulciber threatened.

"Whacha gonna do, Mulciber, sic your Death Eater daddy on me?" I asked.

"Um...guys...just leave her alone for the night!" Cynthia stammered from her bed across from me.

"What, Avery, don't tell me you're _siding_ with her!" Bullstrode demanded.

"Na-no, o-of course not. I just want to get to bet with no danger of ge-getting hexed, that's all!" Cynthia said timmidly.

"Fine!" the three others said before digging in their trunks. Before I took off my robes I realized that I still had my invisibility cloak in my pocket. I took it out to stares and gasps from my new friends.

"Is that a—com" Daphne said.

"Yeah, I think it is—com" Pandora continued.

"A what?" Tracey asked.

"An invisability cloak, yeah, it is." I said.

"What's that?" Tracey asked. She seemed to be a teensy bit of an airhead.

"What now, we have a mudblood our house? As if Potter wasn't bad enough, daughter of a mudblood and a blood traitor and Moon, daughter of blood traitors. I don't see why you hang out with them, Greengrass!" Bullstrode sniffed.

"I have good taste and don't befriend pugs, cows, or rat-faced hags!" Daphne said as she casually flicked her golden blonde hair out of her ice blue eyes. "Tracey, not that us three care, but are you Muggle-born?"

"Raised, actually. My parents were killed by you-know-who, apparently, they were both Muggle-born." Tracey said, her black eyes downcast and her raven-black hair falling into them brushing against her tan cheek. "My gran and gramps on Dad's side raised me. Mum's parents thought she had "the devil" in her, strong Catholics, you see."

"Great, a blood traitor to be, a blood traitor, a halfblood, and a mudblood!" Mulciber scoffed. I just frowned and put my cloak in the first compartment of my trunk. My trunk has five compartments, the first is for clothes, the second is for shoes, the third is for books, the fourth is for other school supplies and potions stuff, and the fifth is an entire house that's attached to Rae and Cassi's trunks. They were our dads in school. Their was a fourth for that rat Petigrew but it was destroyed along with the passage to it. Only I and those I key in can access it. It just takes a thumb print on five little spots. After putting my cloak away I put on a pair of baby blue pajamas and got into my bed and pulled the green velvet hangings trimmed and highlighted with silver shut.


	49. Mia Lestrange

Mia

An attempt to write yet another Lestrange child fic, this time raised by the Malfoys, but STILL not evil… Wow, I never realized how many character insert fics I used to write…

Chapter One: Oh Me, Oh My, It's Mia!

I, Mia Lestrange frowned as I drummed my fingers on my legs, I was board, something that always seemed to happen at Malfoy Manor. I had almost no friends because many of the pureblood kids, except perhaps the Greengrass girls, Blaise Zabini, and Theo Knot, my aunt and uncle, mostly my uncle, made me associate with utterly disgusted me and my cousin acted like a spoiled little pureblood brat, a perfect clone of his father, I can't stand him. I would be plotting pranks on dear cousin Draco at the moment but I was on thin ice with "Uncle Luci-Lu" as I like to privately call my uncle Lucius and had been for a few days so I was drumming my fingers uselessly to make the minutes drag by. I eventually went to the library to read one of the stash of muggle books Aunt Cissy keeps hidden from her husband. Aunt Cissy is like the mother I never had, she'd even introduced me to her kindly sister, my other aunt, Andromeda. The only real difference between Aunt Cissy and Aunt Andi is that Andi got away from the Black family by marrying the man she truly loves, a muggle-born or "mudblood", according to Uncle Lucius, Ted Tonks. Both Aunt Andi and Uncle Ted along with Cousin Nymphadora or "Dora" are laugh riots, I can't help but drop my pretense of pureblood politeness around them. Aunt Andi, Aunt Cissy, Uncle Ted, and Dora say that my Black features make me look quite like Andromeda. I don't have my mother's strong jaw and darker skin tone, I have more of a heart-shaped face but without a widow's peak. Also, I have the Black family sharpness in my face along with the aristocratically shaped full lips and nose with the high cheek bones. I have the eligant Black family ears as well. Aunt Cissy says that my eyes are a bit more like the shape of my father's eyes but they're still the same blue-grey as my mother's but a bit lighter and my hair is the same ebony as my mother's. My skin is also a bit paler then my mother's apparently is but whenever people see me one word seems to come out, Bellatrix! Not Andromeda, my aunt, but Bellatrix, my mother. Dora just graduated school about a month ago and I'm hoping to get my Hogwarts letter soon along with dear Draco.

What happened to my parents, you ask? It's not something I like to talk about. My parents, Bellatrix or "Hellatrix", as I like to call her, and Rudolphus or "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Raindeer", as I like to call him, Lestrange are in Azkaban for life. They, along with my uncle Rabastian Lestrange and a few other Death Eaters were caught torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom. The two poor people were eventually declared insane due to the torture and their son, Neville, who's my age is living with his grandmother, poor boy. I'm not looking forward to meeting him, just the thought of what my parents, and especially my mother, have done makes bile churn in my stomach. It's not as though I was treated very well by them anyway! I've got a crude hacked-out immage of the dark mark on my upper back and crude scars reading "BRAT" on my lower back. I was only a bit older then two in the December my parents were arrested but I still vaguely remember the things they'd both do. I was their when the Longbottoms were tortured, it's my sharpest early childhood memory of all, their screams, the laughs of my mother, father, uncle, and other Death Eaters, and the wails and sobs from Neville and me. I've got similar scars going down my right arm that read "SERVANT" and scars that meet on my legs a little above my knees that read "DARK" on my left leg and "LORD" on my right leg. I never like to wear short slieves or anything that shows any part of my back, even with a regular shirt you can still see some of the hacked mark on my back. It doesn't help that I'm an "Impertinant brat" according to my uncle and he often practices his cruciatus techniques on me when Aunt Cissa is too far away to here. I've got a very high tolerance for pain.

I'm several months older then Draco, he won't be twelve until next June, June fifth, but I'll be twelve on September thirteenth. As I was saying, Aunt Cissy has to act quite cold and hard in front of Uncle Lucius and, to a lesser extent, Draco, but she's so much fun when we're alone. She can act quite the snob in public, even down to saying "mudblood", something I never do, but never truely gets angry with me for what Uncle Lucius calls "behaviors of blood traitors".

The book I chose was a Muggle book of fairy tales written by The Brothers Grim.

I continued to read into the evening, fascinated by the perceptions that Muggles had on magical beings and creatures. I slipped the book back in the hidden shelf and went back to my room to go to sleep.

The next morning I woke up to a pounding at my door.

"Breakfast is ready, Amelia, hurry up!" Draco said through the door before he strode down the hallway. I really dislike my name, it's too propper, _AMELIA!_ I don't think that Amelia Bones was head of Magical Law Enforcement then or I probably would've been named something different, probably some ugly name like Druella after my grandmother Druella Rosier Black. Then again, I'd probably just go by Dru or something, no, Amelia's better. I groaned before looking for something to wear. I chose a casual set of blue robes and shoes to match.

I walked downstairs and into the large dining room where my uncle was ordering house-elfs around.

"Hello, Amelia, how are you?" Aunt Cissy asked.

"I'm fine! How are you, Aunt Narcissa, Uncle Lucius, Draco?" I asked politely. I got a collective "Fine!" from everyone. The house elves soon brought out a delicious breakfast which I ate quickly but not without my manners. It was then that two screech owls flew through the window and landed in front of Draco and I. I looked at the letter to see what it said.

Miss A. Lestrange

Third-Largest Bedroom,

Malfoy Manner

I turned it over to see the Hogwarts seal I had been told about. I cracked it open and shook out the two sheets of parchment inside.

Miss Amelia Bellatrix Lestrange

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of supplies for the upcoming year. We await your owl no later then July 31st.

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

"Yes!" Draco and I exclaimed. Both of us jumped up, forgetting our upbringing and mutual dislike for a second, and grasped hands, jumping around in circles.

"We're going to Hogwarts, we're going to Hogwarts, we're going to Hogwarts, _WE'RE_ _GOING_ _TO_ _HOGWARTS!"_ we chanted. Uncle Lucius glared in our direction but Aunt Cissy put a soothing hand on his shoulder.

"The three of us did the same thing, you know, when we each got into Hogwarts. I'm the youngest, Bella the oldest, and Andromeda the middle child but we always cheered for each other!" she said. "Just give them a minute to be silly!" We stopped after awhile realizing just who we were dancing with and we sat down to finish our breakfast.

"May we please go to Diagon Alley?" Draco and I asked together.

"Of course!" Aunt Cissy said with a kind smile.

Draco and I both grinned and ran over to the fireplace, Aunt Cissy and Uncle Lucius behind us. Draco shoved past me and took some floo powder in his hands.

"Diagon Alley!" he said before stepping into the green flames and disappearing. I let Aunt Cissy and Uncle Lucius through first before going myself, I hate floo powder, it makes me sick.

After about thirty seconds of spinning like a top, I fell out of the fireplace at The Leaky Cauldron in a heap on the floor. I groaned and slowly stood up, brushing the soot off my robes.

"Next time, can we just go the Muggle way?" I asked, Uncle Lucius, the muggle-hater, glared at me. We went past all of the people in the pub and outside into the alley. Uncle Lucius and Aunt Cissy led Draco and I up through the doors of Gringots, this would be the first time I'd get to see my parents' vault. We took a cart down far into the depths of the bank and stopped at the Malfoy vault first. Draco got out of the cart and scooped up a large handful of coins, putting them into a bag. The cart went even further down past a watterfall where we all got totally soaked. It was their that I was able to get out and view the Lestrange fortune. Their were several items other then money in their including a large black trunk. I scooped up a handful of coins just as large as Draco's and put them in my own bag.

The ride to the surface was uneventful and we eventually got out of the cart, Aunt Cissy looking a bit green.

"Are you okay, Aunt Cissy?" I asked.

"Yes, dear, I'm fine!" she said as we went back out to the sunny cobbled street.

"Why don't you two go to Madam Malcon's and get your robes. I'll get you're books and potions supplies and your mother can look at wands!" Uncle Lucius suggested.

"Fine!" Draco said. "Father, I want a broom!"

"I'm afraid that you can't get one, Draco!" Uncle Lucius said.

"I'll find a way!" Draco said as we walked into the shop. A cheery witch dressed all in mauve came up and greeted us.

"Ah, Hogwarts, dears?"

"Obviously!" Draco Snapped as I said "Yes!" Draco was put up on the left stool and I was put up on the right, the middle one left empty. Not more then a minute later, just as Madam Malcon had thrown robes over us, a skinny boy in shabby muggle clothes with unruly black hair and emerald eyes behind cheap glasses entered. He looked very kind and like he hadn't been treated well during his life. Madam Malcon led him to the stool between Draco and I and she started to work on him.

"Oh, going to Hogwarts too, then?" Draco asked.

"Yes!" the boy said timidly.

"That's nice!" I said with a smile.

"Father's next door buying books for Amelia and me and Mother's up the street looking at wands! What about your parents?" Draco asked snidely. I could obviously see by the look on his face that Draco thought this kid was muggle-born, the air of disgust and superiority roled off of my cousin in waves.

"They're dead." the boy said quietly.

"Oh, _sorry!"_ Draco said, sounding not the least bit sorry at all.

"Draco, if you're going to appologize for your insensitivity then you might as well sound like you _mean_ it!" I snapped at my cousin. "Sorry 'bout my dung-brain cousin their. And he's got it all wrong, I prefer to go by Mia. After ten years he ought to know that! Anyhow, I really am sorry about your parents."

"Were they _our_ sort? A witch and wizard?" Draco demanded.

"Yes!" Harry said.

"I think the other sort shouldn't be allowed in at all, you know, the ones with non-magic parents!" Draco said. I reached around the boy and smacked my rat-fink cousin on the arm.

"Draco, don't be such a prat!" I snapped. "Blood prejudices get you nowhere in this world and if you tell Uncle Lucius I'll hex you into a matchbox and flush you down the toilet! Sorry about him...again...he's a git most of the time!"

"I am not! Anyway, what house do you want to get in? I want Slytherin, my whole family's been their! I dunno what I'd do if I was in Hufflepuff, I'd probably leave!"

"House?" the boy asked uncertainly.

"Draco Draco Draco, what will I do with you! Can't you tell that he doesn't know about this stuff at all? Plus, cousin Dora was in Hufflepuff!" I said.

"Ick, the halfblood! Oh, I say, do you see that oaf out their?" Draco asked. I reached around and punched him again but quite a bit harder this time making him totter on his stool. "Their's four houses, Gryffindor for the brave, Hufflepuff for the loyal, Ravenclaw for the smart and clever, and Slytherin for the cunning and ambitious. I honestly think it's a rediculous school clique system that Hogwarts ought to get rid of!"

"Erm...okay." the boy stuttered. "So...erm...what about your parents...that is to say..." he trailed off.

"Erm...they...they..." I took a deep breath.

"Go on and tell him, Amelia, tell him what they have sacrificed; putting mudbloods and such scum in their place!" Draco said boastfully, I punched him again.

"Huh?" the boy said, a bit confused.

"My parents are in prison, all right? They're in prison for life because they're nothing more than insane couple of torturers and murderers who followed that psychopathic Voldemort! Contrary to what Draco thinks, I am _NOT_ proud of it!" I snapped. "You're all done, dears!" Madam Malcon said as she lifted the robes off Draco and I. Breathing a sigh of relief, I rushed out of the shop, Draco hot on my heels.


	50. Mine

Mine

An attempt to write a Snape is a good guy and a female Harry's dad fic… (sigh)

Chapter One: Save me

A small, eight-year-old girl cringed back as a large, purple-faced man whacked at her again and again.

"I didn't do anything, it was just an experiment!" she tried to reason but this man was beyond reason.

"you nasty little freak, you unworthy piece of _scum!_ Took you in when we didn't have too, went with the charade of calling you by that fake name too, Haylie indeed!" the man roared as his boot made contact with her gut. The girl cried out in pain. "That's right, you'd better cry. Try using your hocus-pocus on me now, just try!" the fat man snarled as he slashed with his nails where ever he could reach.

"Please...stop please." the girl sobbed, reduced to begging for her own safety.

"Make me, brat, just _MAKE_ _ME._ You know why your daddy doesn't come for you, huh? You're just a freak, a worthless freak, nothing special. Nobody can love you, nobody _will_ love you." the man continued flinging these insults as he pummeled her thoroughly, their wasn't hardly an unmarred spot on her. Even her hair was ratted and notted and singed, a brittle black which should have been sleek and wavy which was now a tangled mess, even worse then before her "experiment." Feeling like the brat had had enough for the time being, Vernon seized her by the arm and threw her into the cupboard under the stairs.

Albus Dumbledore sat bolt upright in bed. He was having a most pleasant dream about Minerva McGonagall and sherbert lemons but something was wrong, he could just feel it. He put on a pair of fuzzy purple slippers dotted with stars and crescent moons, slid on his half-moon spectacles, and rushed into his office. A little globe showing a house was blinking rapidly red meaning that Haylie Potter was in grave danger. He checked the small mortality clock above the dome and gasped. Haylie Potter, he realized, was never the most healthy of children according to this clock but this was the worst he had ever seen it. Their was a hand with her name on it and several states of health around the rim. Their was _fit as a fiddle,_ _feeling_ _great,_ _doing_ _okay,_ _feeling_ _crummy,_ _sick/hurt,_ _in bad shape,_ _at death's door,_ and _dead._ Currently, to Albus's horror, it was pointed to at death's door. He rushed back into his room and dressed in a pair of purple robes, put on a pair of boots, brushed his hair and beard, and brushed his teeth. He then rushed out of his quarters, out of his office, down the stairs and down the hall to Minerva's quarters.

Minerva McGonagall was a very calm woman most of the time but one thing she _hated_ was being woke up for no reason in the middle of the night by constant knocking at her door. She groaned and put on her glasses before opening the door.

"What...Albus?" she stammered. "What are you doing here at 1:00 in the morning?"

"Haylie Potter is in danger." Albus said. "I woke up feeling as though something was wrong. I need you to help me wake up Poppy and Severus. The mortality clock was pointed to at death's door. Minerva gasped and rushed to her closet, throwing on robes and shoes, not even bothering to bun her wavy black hair. For the first time since she was young she just put it in a ponytail.

"I'll wake Poppy, Albus, you wake Severus." she said.

Poppy Pomfrey sighed. She had been forced to wake up every hour to check the progress of Charley Weasley's arm growth since Nymphadora Tonks had accidentally jinxed it off in Charms class. The two fifth years, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff respectively, were always getting into some sort of trouble. Just as she was inspecting the sleeping boy's arm Minerva McGonagall rushed in. Poppy had never seen her best friend look so frazzled. She quickbby was told the story of Haylie Potter and gasped.

"I can't go, Min, I have to look over the Weasley boy. Bring her here immediately and I'll treat her to the best of my abilities." Poppy said before Minerva ran out.

To say Severus Snape was _not_ a morning person was a gross understatement so one could imagine his horror when he was rudely awakened by an incessant pounding at his door. He mumbled some nasty curse words as he opened it.

"Professor? What in _HELL_ are you doing here?" he barked.

"I need your help, Severus. Haylie Potter is gravely injured and I need your potions expertese." oh no, oh no oh no oh no, his baby...his little baby girl. Why? Why did Fate love screwing around with him so much?

"My baby...I'll be right their!" Severus said softly as he went to get dressed.

The party of three went out into the cool mid-April night and met at the appearition point at the school gates, popping to Number Four, Privet drive. They walked up the path and knocked on the door. Eventually, an angry, purple-faced man flung open the door.

"What the hell do you want?" he demanded.

"Where is Haylie Potter?" Albus demanded.

"None of your business." he growled.

"It is _entirely_ our business. We know she is in danger and we will get to her no matter what you say." Severus said, suddenly feeling worried, flashbacks to his own abusive childhood playing in the back of his mind.

"You are lucky that by law I can't hex it out of you, Dursley, now let us in!" Minerva, a usually calm woman, barked as she brandished her oak and dragon heartstring wand at Vernon Dursley who sputtered and backed up so they could enter.

"Rotten little freak, got what was coming to her, using freakiness. I told Petunia never to tell her, to just burn that box of her mother's shit and not give it to the brat but _no!_ Petunia loved her _freak_ sister too _much_ for that. Only reason she hasn't left me is because of Dudders but even she is harsh with our boy now, it's _ALL_ _BECAUSE_ _OF_ _THAT_ _FREAK!_ I only wish her no-good father could come and take her away." the man fumed.

"How _dare_ you? How _dare_ you mistreat her? Don't worry because I, her _NO-GOOD_ _FATHER_ will be _TAKING_ her away from this place immediately. Where is she? _WHERE_ _IS_ _SHE?"_ Severus demanded.

"Um...uh...not here. She, Pe-Petunia and Du-Dudley went to the seaside." Vernon stammered.

"Never in all my years have I seen such a _LIAR!"_ McGonagall hissed as Severus burst with rage. He ran forward, grabbed the overweight lump around the neck, and yelled in his face.

"_WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER YOU NASTY, OVERWEIGHT, WALE? YOU HORRIBLE EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING? YOU disgusting, FOUL, PUTRID IGNORAMUS? WHERE IS SHE?"_ Vernon Dursley only pointed to the cupboard under the stairs. With rage festering inside him, Severus opened the door and peered in. Their, in a heap on a moldy crib matress, was a small child who looked no older then five or six curled in the fetal position. Gently, Severus made to scoop her into his arms but she flinched back.

"Hush, my Jada, everything will be all right." he soothed as he scooped her into his arms. Minerva and Albus were shocked at the sight of her, she was all covered in bruises. The more shocking was that her features no longer resembled that of James Potter as they did on the night she was left with the Dursleys, she looked like a combination of Lily and Severus. Her face was roundish like Lily's and had high cheekbones like Severus. Her eyes were rolled back in her head, a shocking emerald, or perhaps jade, just like Lily's. Her nose was like Severus's but had only the slightest hook, her ears were Lily's cute ones, her chin was like Severus's, her lips were full and pink like Lily's. Her eyebrows, Severus noticed, were his exact replica's but she had Lily's thick lashes. Her hair was so twisted and knotted that he couldn't tell what texture it was, only that it was his raven black with highlights of Lily's rich, dark red thrown in.

"The concealment charm...but how—com" Albus started.

"That bit of freakiness, little brat undid it, comes waltsing in the kitchen to make me my dinner looking different, only her freakiness could have done that."

"Wandless magic...I must say Jada is just as powerful as you and Lily, Severus." Dumbledore said.

"Jada? But this is Haylie Potter...please explain?" Minerva begged.

"Later, Minerva. All you must know right now is that Haylie Lily Potter is truly Jada Lilyanne Snape." Albus said.

"Albus, please take Jada for a moment, I wish to look in this _excuse_ of a room." Severus said. He poked his head in to see that it was mainly filled with cleaning supplies. Other than the moldy matress, nothing else was their.

"That isn't the freak's room, Petunia made me give her the bedroom I wanted as Dudley's second one. I just use it when Petunia can't stop me." Vernon said, starting to recover.

"You'll get yours, Dursley." Severus snarled, stupifying him. "Take Jada to Hogwarts, I'll be their soon." Albus nodded and Severus swept upstairs. He looked in the rooms until he came to hers, on the door their was a sign written in a childish scrawl: Jada's Room, No Haylie In Here, Please Knock. Severus whiped a tear away as he opened the door. In the room was a desk, a small bookshelf, a dresser, and a bed. It was quite plain but decent, Petunia must have had a hard time keeping this from Vernon. On one corner of the desk sat a carved wooden box; their were lilies all over it. Severus choked back a sob, everything must have been in their. He knew what Dumbledore had left for Petunia that night to give to Jada. He immediately shrank it and put it in his pocket. He noticed that the homework on the table looked dificult for a third grader, their were geometric shapes and papers on polygons and everything. Severus took all of these and shrank them, putting them in his pocket too. What was a third grader doing with homework like this? Their was the answer. Above the desk hung certificates marking that she had passed not only second grade but third and fourth grade, this meant she must be in _fifth_ _grade._ Severus was awed, totally and absolutely awed. He unstuck them, realizing with shock that they were attached with a sticking charm, and shrank them before putting them in his pocket. He then noticed an English to Latin and an English to Greek dictionary on the desk, was that how she was doing all this? Looking up roots of spells and making her own? In the drawers their were more completed assignments, all with outstanding marks, which he kept. On her bedside table was a picture of Lily and Severus on their wedding day framed in a mahogany frame with a note in front of it: Mummy and Daddy. Leaning against the pillow on the bed was the white stuffed stag, the black stuffed dog, the silver stuffed wolf, the gold stuffed lioness, and the green and silver stuffed python that represented James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Severus. The rat was absent for some reason. Severus shrank the animals, picture, and note and put them in his pocket. The book shelf contained a variity of different books including some magical ones which Severus pocketed. He then opened the dresser to find that the clothes weren't the greatest, second-hand and tattered, probably the best Petunia could get for the girl without Vernon popping a blood vessel. Vowing to buy her new clothes, he went quickly through the drawers and shut them. Just to be safe, he opened the closet. In their were just more clothes and shoes but their was also a jump roap and a yoyo which Severus pocketed. Realizing that was all, Severus went downstairs, made sure Dursley was still stupified, and appearated back to Hogwarts.

Poppy Pomfrey was horror-stricken as she saw them carry in the girl-who-lived. She ran over and settled the child on a bed, surrounding her bed area with curtains.

"Her uncle got at her, do something." Minerva said hysterically. Poppy waved her wand in intricate paterns over the child and gasped.

"That _BASTARD!_ I only hope I can save her from the injuries she has sustained." Poppy said worriedly.

"_WHAT?_ You might not be able to save my _DAUGHTER?"_ Severus demanded.

"_YOUR_ _WHAT?"_ Poppy shouted, receiving a groan from Charlie Weasley in return.

"Keep it down or Weasley will find out!" Severus hissed. "So what will you do?"

"I'll be able to heal her easily enough physically, I am a fully trained healer, it's just the trauma mentally. Give her a few weeks and she'll be physically able to get out of bed, she'll need help strengthening her muscles, though, and she'll need nutrition potions for the next three months or so. I can also see old injuries here from earlier times. Their are bruises, scars, and bones that never have healed propperly. I do _NOT_ want her to _EVER_ go back to those Muggles _AGAIN!"_ Poppy hissed angrily.

"I am so, so, so sorry for what happened. It is all my fault." Albus said.

"You didn't know." Minerva soothed.

"But I knew she never was healthy, I just thought it was because of what happened when she was a baby."

"I will raise my daughter, I should have been man enough to take her in the beginning." Severus said before even realizing what he was saying. "She will be loved by me, her father. I should have checked...I didn't know...but I should have...oh god. I want to raise my child _RIGHT."_

The next day, Dumbledore held a meeting for all the staff of Hogwarts.

"Severus and I want to tell you a story." Albus said.

"What about?" squeaked Professor Flitwick, a very tiny man.

This is about Haylie Potter." Albus said.

"But we already know about her." said Pomona Sprout.

"Not everything. Severus? If you would so kindly start?" Albus asked gently.

"Very well. As you know Lily Evans and I were in the same year. I was the one that first told her that she is a witch; we grew up in a small Muggle mill town. Lily, as you all know, was Muggle-born but I, as you may _not_ know am a halfblood. My mother is a pureblood, Eileen Prince, and my father is a Muggle, Tobias Snape. I often observed Lily as she played in the park with her older sister, Petunia, and I saw the things she could do. One day I jumped out of the bushes and told her, "you're a witch, Lily." At first both she and Petunia thought I was calling her a bitch so after a slap in the face they walked off. After that, however, we became quite close. I told her all about magic and we soon got our Hogwarts letters. She was sorted into Gryffindor while I was sorted into Slytherin. Despite this, however, we remained best friends. Around third year, I started getting into some dark stuff—com" Severus trailed off.

"Severus and Lily still had a very strong friendship and dislike of the Marauders. However, one incident in their fifth year almost tore them apart for good. James Potter was picking on him and Lily stood up to James telling him to leave Severus alone. Severus was so embarrassed that he called Lily a—com" but Albus was cut off.

"I called her a mudblood, all right? I called the love of my _life_ a _MUDBLOOD_ when I'm a mudblood myself. I didn't mean it but god, I was so embarrassed! I tried to apologize to Lily but she wouldn't here it. "You call everyone else of my birth mudblood, Severus, what makes me any different?" was what she said before shoving past me and going back into Gryffindor tower. I lost myself in...dark dealings then, my friends were not exactly the most wonderful of people, the only good _friend_ I had was Lucius Malfoy. He told me she'd come around but sixth year passed and nothing happened, she hung out more and more with the Marauders. In seventh year, she suddenly started talking to me again. "James, Sirius, Remus, they all say I'm not myself without you, Sev. I should have forgiven you a long time ago." We became friends again but only in secret, I had taken the dark lord's mark that summer. She didn't understand why at first but I promised I wouldn't go dark. That's when I came to you asking if I could spy, sir."

"Quite correct, Severus. You wanted to do what you could to protect Lily. I allowed Severus to spy for us and he gave us vital information." Albus said, eyes twinkling.

"Yes...well...Lily and I started dating right around Christmas. It was magical, all the time we had together. This, of course, was secret as well; only the Marauders and Lucius knew. In the public eye, we still hated each other. I couldn't help it, disregarding our safety I proposed on Graduation night using Grandmother Prince's wedding ring, emeralds and diamonds in silver. We made plans. Publically, for her safety, she would be engaged to James. Our wedding was set for December 21st, 1979, a little over a year after we graduated, it was the winter solstace. Lily was radiant, just radiant. Alice Longbottom was the made of honor and Lucius was the best man. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter Petigrew were ushers, Albus did the main ceremony—com"

"You mean to tell me, Severus, that _you_ married Lily on December 21st? Not James but _YOU?"_ Minerva asked.

"That is correct." Albus said. "Their were two sets of photos taken, one real set and one charmed set showing what we wanted everyone to see."

"I was sent off to Death Eater training camps not long after we had our honeymoon in the mountains but I got a letter from Lily with fantastic news, she was pregnant. She had our child on July 31, 1980—com"

"_WHAT?"_ came an outcry of voices.

"Calm down, everyone, allow Severus to finish." Albus said calmly.

"She was so beautiful...she had me wrapped around her little finger. It tore me apart that I would not be able to watch my baby girl...grow up." Severus was choked with emotion, something nobody had ever seen for the walls he had built around his heart. "I got to see her on occasion and she always recognized me, Dadda...Dadda. Then their was that _bloody_ prophecy! Forest Zabini had to overhere part of it. Since the dark lord thought James was her father, he thought she would be the most dangerous. The other child that it could have meant was Neville Longbottom. The dark lord is a halfblood just like me, Muggle father, pureblood mother. My child, in essence, is three quarters Muggle. I was not their when the attacks happened and I am very sorry that James lost his life; once we got past our differences we became good friends. I...I was so full of grief with Lily gone, my baby bearly knew me, how could I raise her right? I let Albus leave her with Petunia who I knew would love her...I just didn't count on Vernon being the bastard that he is. What I'm basically saying is that Haylie Lily Potter is, in fact, Jada Lilyanne Snape, my daughter."

The child stayed in a potion-induced coma for the next two weeks as she healed. The identity of the person behind the curtains sparked gossip all around Hogwarts remained a case of wonder and became the biggest piece of gossip the school had seen since Voldemort had died. Dumbledore, however, told nobody. Eventually, they began to lighten the sleeping potions on her and she started to stir.

Chapter Two: Saved

For a long time Jada floated in darkness only snatching bits of comversation. She finally felt as though she wanted to fight the vail of darkness. She first began to twitch muscles in different spots. Her eyelids felt lighter and lighter and eventually she felt like opening them. She was met with the glare of the sun from a window over her bed.

"Ugh!" she groaned, her throat feeling sore. Four people surrounded her bed. One was old, in purple robes, with a long silver hair and beard, twinkling blue eyes, and half-moon glasses. She recognized him at once from pictures as Albus Dumbledore. One wore emerald robes, rectangular glasses, and her black hair in a bun, Professor Minerva McGonagall. The third was short and plump with greying blonde hair and brown eyes, Madam Pomfrey. The last person wore all black and had greasy-looking black hair going down to his shoulders. His nose was somewhat large and hooked and his eyes were coal black. Their he was, her father.

"Daddy?" she croaked out. "Oh Daddy, he said you'd _NEVER_ come, why didn't you come?"

"My dear Jada, I just...I didn't know about your uncle and thought your aunt could take care of you while I grieved...I'm so, so, so sorry my baby. I never knew, I had to restrain myself from killing Vernon Dursley on the spot." Severus said, coming forward and standing by his daughter.

"We'll talk later, okay? You won't leave, will you?" Jada asked nervously.

"Never, never again." Severus swore.

"Haylie, or do you prefer Jada, how are you feeling?" asked the Merlin-like old man.

"Like I got hit by a truck, how do you think, Merlin?" she asked grumpily. Severus snorted at Albus being called "Merlin."

"I am not Merlin, I am—com" but Albus cut off.

"Albus Dumbledore, headmaster, Minerva McGonagall, deputy, Poppy Pomfrey, healer, and Severus Snape, Dad." she interrupted much to everyone's amusement.

"You have us all down, don't you? Tell me, do you believe in magic?" the old man asked.

"Of course. What else would make Uncle V so purple...ugh! I said Uncle V, makes me think of Voldemort...no thank you...anyway, I know it exists. It was in all Mum's stuff, the box, her trunk in the box, and Aunt Petunia told me everything else when Uncle Vernon wasn't around. I know Mum and Dad had to pretend they were on sepearate sides, that Mum and James Potter were married instead of Mum and Dad. To the public I am Haylie Lily Potter, the girl-who-lived, but in private I will always just be Jada Lilyanne Snape. I read about the concealment charm Mum put on me and I've been trying to break it, I've come up with many of my own spells from my Latin and Greek dictionaries. This was the result of my success since the countercharm wasn't written." Jada said.

"You do know why you're here and where you are, right?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"We're at Hogwarts, right? I know I'm here because Uncle Vernon pulverized me." Jada said nonchalantly as though talking about the weather. This little girl was full of surprises wasn't she? Her intelligence level was far beyond even that of a Hogwarts first year.

"Yes, dear." Madam Pomfrey said with a sigh.

"Wow, my life's full of surprises, I suppose, like that not all third graders can read Romeo and Juliet without falling asleep. I had to go on a field trip with kids my age once, bo-ring! Will I have to go back to the Muggles...I mean...to my dear aunty and uncle?" Jada asked.

"How have they treated you, Jada?" asked Snape quietly. The small girl suddenly shrank back.

"I-I-I can't tell you, I wo-wo-won't. They-they-they'll...not...be happy with me if I do." she stammered. "A-a-at least...not Un-un-uncle Vernon."

"Child, we can't do anything if you don't tell us. You'll never go back their again, we promise you." Snape said calmly.

"Well...um...Uncle Vernon calls me freak, for starters, and when I was too little to read, about two or perhaps three, he said that my parents were worthless druggies who died in a car crash because they were high on crack and drunk on booze on Halloween and that's how I got my scar. Now, at least, I know the truth. When he can get away with it, I'm stuffed in the cupboard under the stairs. Vernon is the house dictator, it's all down to him. I can hardly breathe in his presence without permission. Dudley's a great big bully who turned even the smart kids against me when we were in the same grade. Lots of kids call me the "no-it-all" or "geek-freak" or "freakinstein" because I like experimenting with things. When I was younger Uncle Vernon tricked me easily. He, when she wasn't around, would put me in a room with Dudley's toys saying I had been good so I could play but then I'd be slapped about, given more chores, or deprived of food if I touched _ANYTHING._ My clothes are all second-hand, some Dudley's cast-offs, because Uncle Vernon refuses to have me in nice clothes and Aunt Petunia's practically powerless against him. Aunt Petunia's like the mother I never had when we're alone, I love her dearly and she doesn't deserve to be punished for being stuck in an abusive marriage. Oops, I talk too much sometimes."

"Not at all, dear child." Dumbledore said.

"You need sleep, Miss Potter." Madam Pomfrey tutted as she handed the child several vials of potion to swallow. Soon enough, Jada was asleep.

A week later Jada was permitted to get up out of bed; she was strong enough. She would be living with Severus in his quarters. She wasn't quite ready to call him Dad yet but Severus or Sev was fine with him. Sometimes, to get on his nerves, she started calling him things like, overgrown bat, gothic vampire, Vlad Teeps III, and Count Dracula. The two of them spent a lot of the last week talking and he showed her wizard's chess and Exploding Snap. Jada jokingly named it Exploding Snape because she kept beating Severus after the first few times. she had already walked around a bit and Madam Pomfrey gave her a clean bill of health.

"Phew, I'm glad to be getting out of here." Jada said as she pulled on her first pair of jeans that fit her and adjusted her T-shirt that was actually meant for a girl before putting on a pair of trainers that were actually _new._

"Are you quite ready?" Severus asked dryly from the door.

"Hold your horses, Vlad Teeps III." the small girl said with a shrug and a smirk, using one of the nicknames that annoyed him so. She stood up then and dragged her feet forward. Jada made her way to the door and father and daughter set off towards the dungeons. The walk seemed to take a long time to the recovering girl but eventually they were standing outside a portrait of a woman with a long face, dark broun hair, blue eyes, and Severus's nose.

"Is this your mum?" Jada asked.

"Yes. Jada, meet Eileen Snape, my mother and your grandmother. Mum, meet Jada Snape, my daughter."

"Hello, dear." the portrait said, Jada jumped and fell into Severus.

"Hi, um, Grandma. Why didn't you tell me that your portrait talks?" Jada demanded.

"You never asked." Severus said with a smirk.

"Fine fine, so is their a password? Professor Dumbledore said that portrait doors usually have passwords." the unusually sharp-witted child said, thinking back to one of the many conversations she had had over the last week.

"The password is family." Severus said. Eileen nodded and her portrait swung out revealing Severus's quarters.

"Follow me." Severus said as he stepped through. She did so and found herself in a stylish sitting room. The floor was covered in a dark green carpet crisscrossed with silver and the walls were cream-colored. Their were a few book shelves on the wall that were a deep mahogany color. A green couch sat in front of a mahogany coffee table which was in front of a large granite fireplace. On the short sides of the coffee table were two green armchairs, large, overstuffed, and downright comfy-looking. On the back wall was a small mahogany table with four chairs around it. A mahogany doorframe showed a kitchen on the other side of that wall. An intricately carved mahogany grandfather clock sat in the bottom right corner of the room by the nearest book shelf. In the bottom left corner of the room was another portrait frame like Eileen's. However, in it was a tall, slender man like Severus with high cheek bones, a longish nose, onyx eyes, and raven hair that seemed to have Severus's same texture. Between two bookshelves midway up the right wall across from the fireplace was a mahogany framed arch that led into a small hallway.

"Welcome home, child." Severus said.

"I like it very much." the thrilled child told him.

"I'm glad." Severus said with a small smile.

"Sir, what's that other portrait?" Jada asked.

"That is my father, your grandfather, Tobias Snape. His portrait leads to my office." Severus said. "Their was some very tricky spellwork to get his portrait to work here, he is a Muggle."

"Pleased to meet you, um, Grandpa." Jada said.

"A pleasure to meet you as well, Jada." the portrait man said.

"Come, let me show you around." Severus said. She nodded and followed him down the hall. "The first door on the left is your room, the door to the right is the bathroom. The door next to yours is my room. The door at the end of the hall leads to my private potions lab and you are _not_ to go in their without me, understood?"

"Yes, sir." Jada said.

"Good. Now let's check out your room, shall we?" the emerald-eyed girl looked closely at the door for the first time, it was a plain mahogany with a silver handle. She smiled gleefully when she noticed a sign hung up their. It was emerald green and it read: Jada's Room, Enter At Your Own Risk in big, red letters.

"Sev, why at your own risk?" Jada asked curiously.

"Because it just suits you. Now why don't you go in?" he asked. Breathing in deeply, Jada reached out and turned the handle. She opened it wide to find a large room, absolutely beautiful. The walls were the same cream as the living room and the floor was a rich mahogany wood, a green and gold rug was on the floor in front of the full-sized bed. The bed was a canopy with green and gold velvet hangings, the comforter and pillowcases matched them perfectly. Leaning against the pillows were her stuffed animals. On each side their was a mahogany nightstand. On one of them sat a gold alarm clock and on the other sat a few small framed pictures of her parents and Jada when she was a baby. Their was a drawer in each of these stands with a lily carved into the knobs. In the bottom right corner was a dresser made of mahogany with lilies carved into the knobs and around the boarder of the dresser itself. On top of it was an old-fashioned lamp and her parents' wedding picture. On the left wall near the middle was a mahogany desk with another lamp, an ink stand, several quills, and sheets of parchment along with a red notebook that had Jada printed on it in silver. Also, their was her mother's box sitting on the topp left corner of the desk. Stuck on the wall were all of her certificates and accomplishments. Next to the desk was a mahogany bookshelf with lilies carved into the edges of the shelves and in columns down the sides. All of her books were their as well, even her mum's old school books; this shelf was quite a bit larger then her old one. On the wall near her dresser was a large chest of mahogany with an ornate silver clasp. Also, between the chest and the dresser, a door led into a large closet. Jada finally looked up and saw that the cieling showed the sky outside, a beautiful blue. This was also shown through a window above the bed which had a seat cushioned in green and gold with matching curtains.

"It's _BEAUTIFUL!"_ Jada said. Then, with no further warning, she launched herself into her father's arms. Severus patted her back awkwardly and hugged her close.

"I'm so glad you like it. I've got some clothes for you that will last a week or so but then we need to go to diagon Alley to get you some new ones along with a few new toys."

"I can't wait. I'm starving, when's lunch?" Jada asked.

"Right now if you want it." Severus said, his mouth curving up in amusement. Jada grinned and rushed out to the living room again.

"Go on and sit down, Signus and Lilac will bring our food in a minute. I usually cook but today is special." Severus said.

"Are Signus and Lilac, what was it, house elves?"

"Yes, Jada. Signus is my personal elf and Lilac will be yours." Severus said. Satisfied by this new bit of knowledge, Jada sat down. Just a minute later, Jada's wits were scared right out of her as their were two big _pops_ and two little creatures who were short with big ears appeared from nowhere in front of the table where Jada and Severus sat.

"Wha?" she gasped out as Severus started laughing. "Hey, don't laugh at me, I'm new to this...so _don't_ _laugh_ _at_ _ME!"_

"I'm sorry, Jada, it's just that that was Lily's reaction too when a house elf served dinner at my house when we were kids, like mother like daughter." Severus said.

"What do the masters Snape be wanting for lunch?" one of them, with big blue eyes, asked.

"Anything Master Severus Snape and Mistress Jada Snape be wanting Signus and Lilac be getting!"

"Just a light lunch, Jada can't stomach much yet. Oh yes, and a nutrition potion, please." Severus said.

"Eeewww, those are nasty." Jada said, wrinkling her nose and sticking out her tongue.

"Now now, you have to drink it to catch up with everyone else your age, you know that." Severus chided, Jada stuck out her tongue at him.


	51. Minerva

Minerva

An attempt to write a time travel fic where a female Harry becomes Minerva McGonagall and attempts to raise Tom Riddle as a good person… A second attempt, as the first time she tried she failed, so sends her future self back in time to try again and stuff… Hmmm… Don't know all what I meant to do here…

Chapter One: Are You Sure?

I sat in front of Professor Dumbledore absolutely gobsmacked.

"So you want me to go back in time and raise Voldemort in a loving environment?" I asked of him.

"Tamara, what else will we do?" Dumbledore asked. "Once you have done your job you will be automatically sent back here with memories of both timelines. You have tried this once before but I did not have the spell perfected, you continued your life from that point onward with the alias I gave you. When you grow up and reach this exact point you will de-age back to your eighteen-year-old self."

"What? Who!" I asked.

"Me!" Professor McGonagall said from the corner. "As you have seen, I have not de-aged but still have the memories of going through Hogwarts as a student but with a different transfiguration professor. Albus gave me the alias Minerva McGonagall, a halfblood witch who went to another school but when he sent me back I couldn't find the orphanage where Tom Riddle was."

"What? You mean...you're _me?_ An alternate timeline _ME?"_ I asked. "But what will happen when you send me back? Will their be two Minerva McGonagalls...or rather...Tamara Potters roaming around?"

"No, Tamara. This will turn up as an alternate timeline since I have found where Tom's orphanage is located. You will see your grandparents, parents, even yourself go through school and help them. You will raise Tom Riddle to the best of your abilities. Are you ready?"

"I-I guess!" I stuttered. "But Professor McGon...I mean future/past me—how did you cover up the scar and tame the Potter hair?"

"Muggle makeup, of course!" she said and then took her hair out of it's bun to show black hair, streaked liberally with grey, that was just as unruly as mine. "And why do you think I wear my hair in a bun all the time?" I slapped my hand over my scar, ran my other hand through my long, black, unruly-as-hell hair, and cursed under my breath.

"Damn, why didn't I think of that?"

"None of that language, Miss Potter!" the future/past me said.

"Oh c'mon, Me, how did I ever get so stern?"

"An act. Honestly I only punished pranksters like you and your Father for show. You do realize how lacking my punishments are."

"I always knew you were my favorite here...no offense, Professor Dumbledore." I said.

"It's all right. I've gone back and made the propper adjustments for you. You will be Minerva Tamara McGonagall. Being a descendent of Gryffindor and Slytherin you will have access to both manors since nobody will be living in them. I suggest, however, that you raise Tom in the Gryffindor one. It's already furnished and a garage with only the finest cars and other things for the tech nut will be their. Their is an account in your name with 2 million galleons. Are you ready to go back seventy years?" Dumbledore asked.

"Ye-yes!" I stammered. Dumbledore waved his wand in several complicated movements and I felt myself falling back a long ways. As soon as it had started it had stopped and I was on a comfortable red couch in a sitting room with a blazing fire. It was winter, not like the summer I had left behind. I looked up to see a magical calendar. It was set on the month of December and their was a golden glow on the number "30". So it was Tom's birthday tomorrow. I slowly rose to have a house elf pop in.

"And does Mistress McGonagall need something?" it asked me.

"Uh...erm...some sandwiches?" I asked uncertainly. The little elf nodded and popped out. It then popped back in with a heaping plate of sandwiches and a steaming mug of cocoa.

"Starshine brings you your food, Mistress!" the elf said.

"Thank you, Starshine. How about you have some of these with me? I can't eat them all by myself." the elf looked like it was about to cry with glee as it happily munched about half of the plate of sandwiches while I ate the other half.

"Could you show me to my room, I feel a bit lost." I said. The elf nodded and led me out into a hall and up some stairs. I then was stepping into a red and gold suite with some splashes of green and silver. I opened my closet to see it was already stocked with dresses, blouses, skirts, robes, and shoes. No pants, though, ugh! I supposed that women of the 1920s didn't wear them. Seeing that it was evening I decided to dress in an emerald nightgown and go to sleep. I was already feeling sad that I would have to wait more then sixty years to see my friends, more then forty to see my parents, but I'd be all right.

The next morning I jumped out of bed and rushed into the connected bathroom to take a bath. Once that was done, I got out and cast a drying charm on myself with my wand. I looked in the mirror at myself for a quick minute as I brushed my teeth. My eyes are bright emerald and I wear glasses usually. My hair, like I said before, is black and unruly. If you catch it in the right light you might see a few strands of red in their from my mum. I'm quite tall, about five ten, have about a C cup, curves in the right places, a well-toned Quiddich body, suntanned skin, and no pimples or freckles. Sometimes because of what I went through people think I look at least in my mid twenties, so far from the scrawny timid kid that I once was, so that would be good. I strode out of the bathroom and into my bedroom to find something to wear. I eventually settled on an emerald dress with black boots and coat. I also put my hair up in a French twist, feeling that the bun could wait a few years, and fastened it with a red hair band. It was then that I saw a pair of familiar squarish glasses on my bedside table on top of two notes.

Minerva,

Tom's nursery is right across the hall. The Lincoln should be in the garage, I suggest you use that today. The orphanage is in western London and is called Coal's Orphanage. Their is a black purse in the car with all the documentation you will need.

Good Luck,

Albus

I smiled and tucked the note into my coat pocket, reading the second note.

Tamara,

I know these glasses aren't your style in 1998 but you'll get a lot of compliments and look more a part of the times. They're elegant but give off that air of sternness more. I wish you luck where I failed. By the time I got to Tom it was too late but you won't be.

Stay safe and good luck,

You

I wiped at my eyes and put on the glasses before sticking the note in my pocket. Making sure that I had my wand in it's special pocket in my coat, I walked out of my room and down to the first floor. Feeling as though I knew where it was, I walked down and to the garage where I saw an old-fashioned luxury car.

"Damn, how do I start this?" I asked myself before spotting a piece of paper stuck to the wind shield.

You could do it the Muggle way but if you just want to get going I suggest you tap the motor and say "enervate". That spell wakes more then people, you know!

—Albus—

"Enervate!" I said as I tapped the motor smartly with my wand. The car came to life and I climbed inside. It was a good thing I knew so much about cars and technology through the ages or I might have trouble driving the thing. I shifted the gearshift and backed out of the garage which, do to a magical sensor I was sure, opened for me. I could see that I was on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow, London was an hour away.

I guess I had underestimated the drive, cars in this day and age were too damn slow. I eventually pulled up to the orphanage described in the note more then two hours later. With grace and confidence I got slowly out of the car with the black purse slung over my shoulder. I walked up, my boots clicking against the stones, and knocked on the door. A young girl, probably an assistant, answered it.

"Hello? Is their somethin' you need?" she asked. She probably wasn't much younger then I was.

"Yes! I need to see the matron of this establishment and talk to her about a child left in the care of this orphanage!" I said primly but not unkindly.

"Oh...hang on a mo!" the girl said. She then turned to the clean yet shabby hall of the place and yelled out. "_MRS._ _ COAL!_ _SOMEONE_ _IS_ _HERE_ _TO_ _SEE_ _YOOOOOUUUUU!"_ A rather frazzled looking woman in her late twenties came rushing up to the door.

"Ah, come in come in!" she said. I did so and shut the door. "What is it you need?"

"To talk to you in your office!" I said. "It's about a child born here that you've had I believe two years to this very day." I said. Mrs. Coal nodded and led me into a shabby but clean office.

"Which child is it you are talking about again?" she asked.

"I'd like to adopt Tom Riddle." I said.

"Goodness, child, how old are you? Surely you're not old enough!" she said.

"I'll be nineteen this July." I said calmly. "Like Tom I was orphaned at a very young age and I don't wish for him to go through the things that I have. I suppose that an orphanage is better then a sharp, snippy, emotionally abusive aunt, a physically abusive drunk of an uncle, and an overweight lard pile of an older cousin but still. Everyone needs someone to love them and I want to be that someone for little Tom!"

"Are you family?" she asked. I nodded.

"I'm not sure quite what relation, my side of the family has been estranged from his for several years—com" I trailed off as I looked through the documents in my purse and found one saying the relation, a modified family tree. It really was true, I was related to Tom Riddle but not as closely as this said. "Yes, see? His father is still alive but doesn't want him. I'm his first cousin once removed." Mrs. Coal looked at the family tree.

"I'd like identification and your birth certificate, please, just to make sure. Your driver's license as well, please." I smiled and pulled them out. Liliana and Jameson McGonagall, not Lily and James Potter, oh well. "It all seems to be in order. I have papers here!" she passed some papers over to me which I quickly signed and passed back.

"I'm so happy about this, his nursery is ready and everything!" I said.

"That's wonderful, dear. Come with me and I'll show you to where he is!" Mrs. Coal said. We exited the office and she led me up the stairs and down the hall. She opened the door to a shabby nursery with six little cribs in it. She walked over to the nearest one where an adorable little boy sat their. His eyes were dark brown, like the darkest, richest milky chocolate and his hair was a little lighter, smooth but dull on his head. His skin was creamy and fair and his eyes still held the look of innocence that you see in children.

"Hi, Tom!" I said as I bent down to him. "I'm your cousin Minerva!"

"Mi-mi-Min! Mama Min!" the little boy said in a cute voice.

"That's right, Little Tommy, I'm going to take you home and take care of you!" I said lovingly as I scooped him up and into my arms. He looked at me with loving eyes that seemed to send the message "Thank you for saving me.". It was hard to believe that an alternate of this little boy would be the one who tried to kill me in 1981. I cradled him closer in my arms as I left the orphanage refusing to take the shabby clothes he had had to wear, he would have new ones.

"Happy birthday, Tommy!" I said lovingly.

"What birfday?" he asked. He was so smart for a two-year-old, I vowed their and then yet again that I would raise this boy as well as I could.

"A birthday is the day when your mommy brings you into


	52. Maiden of the Moon

Maiden of the Moon

An attempt to write a third year fic in which a female Harry becomes a werewolf after running away from the Dursleys after the Marge incident, as the night happens to be a full moon… And WTF was I thinking with her name here? IDK!

Chapter One: Aunt Marge's Big Mistake

From the not-so-deep recesses of a fitful sleep I woke up. It was a new day, my birthday. The night before I had stayed up late, working on an essay about witch burnings and Wendolen the Weird. Around 1:00 in the morning, I got packages from my two best friends, Ron and Hermione, as well as from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. They were my first real presents ever. From Hermione I got a broomstick servicing kit for my nimbus, from Ron I got a pocket sneakoscope that he had found in Egypt on his family vacation, and from Hagrid I got this nasty, snarly, biting book called "The Monster Book of Monsters," whatever that was. I had gone to sleep not long after that and now it was morning.

Sighing, I slipped out of bed, making it to Aunt Petunia's obsessive-compulsive standards. Shuffling over to my wardrobe I quickly dawned my very best clothes because the previous night my aunt had demanded I do so. Even my "best" clothes were little more than tattered rags; clothes that my cousin, Dudley, had grown out of and that were three or more sizes too big. And let's not forget to mention that Dudley's a _BOY_ while I'm a girl. And then there's the fact that I'm stuck with my aunt's over-sized bras and nickers and you see what my wardrobe is like. Once my clothes were straightened out, I walked across the hall and into the bathroom where I did the necessities. I looked in the mirror at myself as I combed my hair and sighed wistfully. Everyone says how like my mum I look. Both my mum and I share the same small, short, slender, petite build, round face, rather fare skin, faint freckles, the same cheeks and nose, and the same bright jade eyes. There are a few main differences, though. Firstly, I have my dad's unruly, raven's wing black hair in its entirety. Since it's long, though, it goes in smooth, spiralling curls down the middle of my back. Once, Aunt Petunia hacked it off to my chin and, for the day that it actually stayed like that, it stuck up all over the place just like all the pictures of Dad show his hair doing. Next, they all say how Dad wore glasses just like I do. Then, according to that bat Snape, I have my father's very same "arrogant, impertinent, plotting" grin he was so famous for using to charm the ladies, my mum, and the professors alike. People have commented that when I'm thinking, though, I look just like my mum, even down to the look on my face and the little frown of consternation. Lastly, due to the Dursleys' tender loving care, I'm sure, I'm even smaller than Mum was. From pictures of her at my age she was about five one, I'm still four eleven or so. Unlike either of my parents, a crescent moon scar, a reminder of their deaths, stands out on the middle of my forehead.

When I went down to eat, it was to find the three Dursleys already at the kitchen table. They were watching a television that had been mounted above the wall across from Dudley's spot at the table. It was a sort of "welcome home" gift for the fat lump who, I remembered, had been snivelling last summer about the walk from the telly to the fridge and back again. My fat cousin had spent most of the summer sat at the table, piggy eyes glued to it, always stuffing his fat face with food, his too-numerous-to-count chins jiggling disgustingly as he gnawed and gnashed whatever he stuffed into his mouth. At least I could say one good thing about the Dursleys: I hadn't grown up to be a thing like Dudley, thank God.

I lightly plopped down into the chair between Dudley and Uncle Vernon, a rotund (to say the least) man with a bristly mustache and hardly any neck. None of the Dursleys even bothered to mumble a "Happy birthday, Lunabelle," let alone look at me but I shrugged it off. After twelve years of this I had simply stopped caring. I helped myself to a piece of toast and a sausage link, looking up at the news reporter who was blathering on about some loose convict, something the Dursleys would be gossiping about all breakfast, I was sure.

"We warn the public now that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. Do not, I repeat _DO_ _NOT,_ try to take him on yourself. The government has set up a special hot line and any sightings of Black need to be reported _IMMEDIATELY._ Anyone found sheltering or helping Black in _ANY_ _WAY_ will be in violation of the law and will face criminal charges and prison time."

"It's obvious the scoundrel's no good at all." Uncle Vernon scoffed over his morning paper. "Look at the state he's in, the filthy layabout. Look at that hair of his!" He shot a nasty look out of his watery little eyes at me. My hair had always been a source of annoyance to the elder Dursleys. I believe Aunt Petunia once called it, "Unkempt and unladylike." as if the clothes she forces me into are _LADYLIKE,_ _HA!_ But compared to the bloke on the telly who was gaunt and haggard with sunken grey eyes and hair, black, filthy, and matted to his elbows I felt very well-groomed indeed. At that moment the reporter had reappeared on the television screen.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today—com"

"Hold on _JUST_ _ONE_ _SECOND!"_ Uncle Vernon roared up at the television screen. "You didn't have the decency to inform us where that maniac's broke out of! How are the people of this country to protect themselves if they don't know where he _IS?_ What good is that? Weirdo could be coming up the street right now! Just what I want, to be killed in my bed by a _LUNATIC!"_ he finished in a great, yelling roar, spittle flying from his mouth. Aunt Petunia, a thin, bony, horse-faced woman spun her head towards the window so fast I winced just watching her do it. Her beady, puke-coloured eyes peered out into the yard. I knew that she would relish calling the hot line and reporting Black to the authorities. She was the world's nosiest woman and spent most of her days spying on the perfectly bland, normal, law-abiding citizens of Privet Drive.

"When will they _LEARN?"_ Uncle Vernon demanded, pounding his fat fist on the tabletop, making all the plates, cups, and silverware rattle. "When will they realise that hanging is the only way to deal with criminals like Black?"

"Too true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans.

"I'd better get going, Petunia." Uncle Vernon said, draining his tea and folding his paper. "I've got to be at the train station by ten, that's when Marge'll be coming in." My thoughts, which had been wandering upstairs to my nimbus and the servicing kit, was harshly brought down to Earth with that statement.

"Aunt _MARGE?"_ I blurted with a gasp. "She-she's not coming here, is she?" Aunt Marge was my uncle's sister. Even though she was my uncle's sister, and thus not blood-related to me as my mum was Aunt Petunia's sister, I had been forced to call her "Aunt Marge" all of my life. Aunt Marge lived out in the country in a house with a large garden and a few acres of fenced in pasture where she bred bull dogs. She didn't often come to visit because she just _COULDN'T_ _BEAR_ to leave her oh-so-precious _PUPPY-DOGS_ but every visit she had made stuck out horribly and vividly in my mind.

At Dudley's fifth birthday party, she had kept whacking me with her walking stick for doing better than Dudley at pin the tail on the donkey. Where my tails were always on the back end where they ought to be even though I was blindfolded, Dudley's tails wound up on the donkey's head, stomach, and between his legs. For Christmas when I was seven, she had come and given Dudley a computerised robot dog and what did she give me, you ask? Oh, just some bacon bites. Bacon bites for _DOGS,_ of course. Her last visit when I was ten, almost a year before I found out about Hogwarts, I had accidentally stepped on the tail of her favourite old bulldog, a nasty creature called Ripper. He had chased me out the house, around the block, back to the house, and up a tree in the Dursleys' back garden. The most humiliating of it all was that I had to stay up there for hours, enduring their laughter and jeers as well as Ripper's fearsome barks, snarls, and growls. Aunt Marge wouldn't call the nasty son-of-a-bitch, no pun intended _OF_ _COURSE,_ off until after three in the morning when the neighbours had phoned in to complain about his continuous noise which, of course, I got blamed for. Even the very mention of this particular incident set Dudley to cackling like a hyena on helium.

"That's right, girl. She'll be here for a week." my uncle Vernon snarled at me. I gritted my teeth; I _DID_ have a name, he knew that. Lunabelle, Lunabelle Lily Potter. "And while we're talking about her," he pointed a pink sausage-like finger at me in a threatening sort of way which really wasn't _THAT_ threatening at all, "we're going to get a few things straight before I go and get her." Dudley smirked happily, his eyes focusing on the pair of us instead of the television. Even the telly came second on my cousin's list of favourite entertainment to watching Uncle Vernon bully and belittle me. Hell, If he could, I'm sure he'd watch it 24-7.

"First off," hissed Uncle Vernon, "you'll mind your tongue around Marge. I won't stand for you being cheeky with her."

"Fine." I said curtly. "But only if she's just as civil when she's talking to me."

"Next," he said, ignoring me, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your...your...your _FREAKISHNESS,_ I won't stand for any of that _FUNNY_ _BUSINESS_ while she's here. You will behave, is that clear?"

"Crystal. I will if she does." I said, gritting my teeth and clenching my fists under the table.

Last," said Uncle Vernon, his malicious little eyes now narrowed into slits, a satisfied smirk on his fat, purple face, "I've told her that you are enrolled into St. Agnus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Girls."

"_WHAT?_ What the _HELL!"_ I yelled indignantly. "I am _NOT_ a _BLOODY_ _CRIMINAL!"_

"You'll stick to that story if you know what's good for you, girl." he threatened. I simply sat there, scowling fiercely, clenching my fists, trying my very best not to explode on them. I glared at my uncle, hardly believing. Aunt Marge coming to visit was by far the worst "present" the Dursleys had ever given me including that old bra of Aunt Petunia's when I was nine and hadn't even started developing yet. Hell, I had barely developed now.

"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Would you like to come, Dudders?"

"Na," said Dudley thickly through a mouthful of a chocolate biscuit. He was watching the telly again now that the show was over.

"That's right! Duddy's going to look all smart for Auntie Marge. Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie." Aunt Petunia said proudly, smoothing back Dudley's thick, blond hair on his thick, fat head. Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder.

"Well then I'll see you soon." he said. _ Then,_ he left the kitchen.

For a second I just sat there in a sort of horrified trance. Then, I had a sudden flash of brilliance, a fantastic idea to be sure. I abandoned my breakfast and got up quickly, almost knocking my chair entirely over in my rush after the man to the front door. Uncle Vernon was pulling on a light summer jacket as I reached him, struggling to button it up.

"I won't take you if that's what you're here about." he snarled, turning to look at me.

"_HA!_ Did you really think I _WANTED_ to come?" I laughed coldly. "No, I just wanted to ask you a little something." Uncle Vernon cast a suspicious eye upon me. I took a deep, steadying breath. This was the time to put that Slytherin cunning the hat had said I possessed in such great quantity to use.

"You see, third years at Ho...erm...at my school are allowed to visit the adjacent village sometimes." I said.

"So what? What's your point?" Uncle Vernon snapped irritably, harshly snatching up his car keys from the hook by the door.

"I need for you to sign the permission slip so that I can go. You don't sign, I don't go. It's as simple as that." I said, the words tumbling in a babbling rush out of my mouth.

"And tell me, girl, just why should I do that?" Uncle Vernon sneered nastily.

"First off, the name's _LUNABELLE!_ And well," I said, a smirk spreading on my own face, "It'll be awfully hard, you know. Pretending to Aunt Marge that I go to...what was it...well, you know, that St. Hoozy-Whatsits..."

"that's _SAINT_ _AGNUS'S_ _SECURE_ _CENTRE_ _FOR_ _INCURABLY_ _CRIMINAL_ _GIRLS!"_ Uncle Vernon bellowed, a definite note of panic in his voice.

"Riiight." I drawled, looking calmly up into my uncle's bloated, purple face. "It really is such a lot to remember, you know. I shall have to make it all sound convincing, right? And act the part of the incurably criminal girl you portray me as, right? What if I, ahem, _ACCIDENTALLY_ let a teensy weensy little thing just...you know...slip?"

"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, that's what." Uncle Vernon roared, advancing towards me like a lumbering troll, fists raised. I simply smiled at him and began to speak once more.

"Even if you were to knock the stuffing out of me, it certainly wouldn't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her." I said grimly. Uncle Vernon scrabbled to a stop, fists still raised as if to punch my lights out, his face an ugly puce sort of colour.

"Then again, if you sign my permission form, we haven't got any problems, have we?" I went on. "I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school and I'll even act the part of the reformed criminal girl. I'll be perfectly Mug...erm...I mean normal for you. See? It's not so hard. Sign my slip or I slip, got it?" I could easily tell that he was thinking on it hard. It seemed to hurt judging by the purple of his face, the throbbing vein in his temple, and the way he gnashed his bad teeth together.

"Fine." snapped Uncle Vernon at last. "I'll be monitoring your behaviour carefully whilst Marge is over, got it? If, through it all, you've behaved and stuck to the story, I'll sign that ruddy form of yours. However, you put one _TOENAIL_ out of line you'll be damn lucky if I let you go to that _FREAK_ school at all. Is that clear, girl?" he growled.

"Crystal, sir." I responded testily, thanking all the gods and deities and powers and whatever else above that he had fallen for it. The best part was that I had gotten him in a properly fowl mood. This was evidenced as he wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out. Smiling triumphantly to myself, I quietly headed up the stairs and into my bedroom.

I sighed, supposing that if I was to be a normal, boring, stuffy Muggle I'd better start now. Remorsefully, I gathered up my birthday cards and presents and put them under the loose floorboard which was under my bed. In that little hidy-hole already were my wand, invisibility cloak, and album with pictures of my parents as well as the homework and other supplies I had managed to nick from my trunk which was locked beneath the cupboard under the stairs. I then sadly shuffled over to Hedwig's cage. Errol, who had practically passed out on Hedwig's perch last night, seemed to be well-recovered now. Both he and Hedwig were asleep at the moment, their heads tucked under their wings. I sighed yet again and nudged both owls into wakefulness.

"Hedwig, I'm sorry girl. You're going to have to clear off for a week or so." I informed my first friend gloomily. "Go on with Errol. Ron'll take good care of you, I'm sure of it. Just so he knows what's happening I'll jot down a quick note for him, explaining. And don't look at me like that, Hed, it's not like I asked for this to happen, you know." Hedwig's large, amber eyes were reproachful. "This is the only way I'll be able to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione." Hedwig hooted in understanding and butted my hand affectionately. I stroked her head feathers and sat down, writing a quick note with Muggle pen and paper to Ron. A few scant moments later, both Errol and Hedwig, who had the note attached to her leg, were soaring out of my window and out of sight. Feeling totally miserable, I slowly put Hedwig's cage in the dinged-up wardrobe and shut the door. I didn't have much time to sit and mope though. In what seemed like no time at all, Aunt Petunia was shrieking like a banshee, demanding I get downstairs to get ready to greet our esteemed guest.

"Oh look at the state of you! And get upstairs and do something about that awful maine of yours, won't you?" she snapped hatefully as I reached the entryway. I shrugged, not really seeing the point of trying to make it lie straight. One of Aunt Marge's favourite pastimes was criticising me so the more scruffy and untidy I looked the more gleeful she would be to tear into me. Despite this, at a sharp glare from my aunt, I scampered upstairs and into the bathroom. Wetting my hairbrush, I quickly combed through my unruly hair. Then, hastily, I parted it into three sections and did a fast braid. Just as I was pulling the holder tight around the bottom of the braid, my aunt hollered for me to get back downstairs. My braid was rather messy but it would have to do. Tucking a few stray strands of hair behind my ears and adjusting my round, bulky, and rather ugly black glasses on my face I threw my brush back into the drawer, slammed it, ran out of the bathroom, hastily shut the door, and hurried back downstairs. It was just in time too because at that moment I heard the car pull into the driveway. Shortly after I heard the slamming of car doors and the sounds of two people walking up the garden path.

"Get the door." Aunt Petunia hissed at me, shoving me forward. A great knot of dread lumping at the bottom of my stomach, I reluctantly went and pulled the door open. On the threshold, in all her not-so-glorious glory, stood Aunt Marge. She and Uncle Vernon looked very much alike; at least as much as one male and one female can look alike. She was large, beefy, and purple-faced just like him. Like Uncle Vernon, she even had a mustache although not quite so bristly and bushy. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, almost too big to be allowed, with a hideous pattern of it depicting little bulldog puppies romping through a field of flowers. Tucked under the other was that old, evil-tempered, utterly loathsome creature that she called "Sir Rippington The Fourth, finest bulldog of the age," Ripper for short.

"Where's my Dudders?" Aunt Marge bellowed with all the loudness of a foghorn. "Where's my ickle neffy-poo?. Dudley came waddling like a duck about to lay a clutch of eggs down the hall. His blond hair was slicked back onto his fat, pink head and I could just spot a boe tie beneath his many wriggling chins. Aunt Marge harshly shoved the suitcase at me, the thing hitting my stomach so hard I tumbled backwards, the wind knocked out of me. She paid me no mind, however, just glared at me with a look that said "You'd better be careful if you know what's good for you, girl," as she brought Dudley into a crushing hug with her one free arm and pressed a very wet, very sloppy, dog-like kiss to his cheek. I knew very well that the only reason Dudley didn't start whinging about the hugs was because he knew that he'd be well paid for it. Sure enough, as he broke away from the flabby woman, he clutched a fifty pound note in his fat, sausage-fingered fist.

"Oh hello, Petunia!" Aunt Marge shouted cheerfully, shoving past me, and I had just barely gotten to my feet, like a hat stand. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed but it was more like Aunt Marge hitting her fat jawbone against Aunt Petunia's bony cheek. Uncle Vernon came in then, smiling happily as he shut the door.

"Would you care for some tea, Marge?" he asked. "And what would Ripper like?"

"Oh, Ripper will just have a spot of tea out of my saucer. Won't you, boy? Oh yes you will, oh yes you will." Aunt marge said, patting that monstrosity she called a dog with much affection. They all paraded into the kitchen, leaving me alone. I wasn't complaining though. The more time spent away from that foul woman and even fowler dog the better. Sighing, I made sure that the suitcase was secure in both arms before heaving it slowly up the stairs. I took my sweet and dandy time about it too, I might add. After a minute, I had it set at the foot of the queen-sized bed in the guest room that would soon be covered in hair from Ripper sleeping in it with Aunt Marge that I would have to clean up. By the time I meandered back down to the kitchen, Aunt Marge was ensconced at the kitchen table with a mug of tea and a large helping of fruitcake. From the corner of the room, Ripper lapped noisily at his own cup of tea. I clearly saw Aunt Petunia wince as specs of tea and drool flew around, landing on her obsessively-clean walls and floor. The woman hated anything fuzzy, furry, or that didn't have a human face.

"Who've you got looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Got Colonel Fubster looking after them." Aunt Marge boomed. "He's retired now, he needs things to do. I simply couldn't leave Ripper behind, though. Old boy pines if I'm away from him at all." Ripper growled menacingly as I sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's focus entirely on me for the first time that day.

"So!" she barked, taking after her furry little friends. "You're still around, are you?"

"Yeah, still here." I said simply, dully. I wanted to give off a mouthy retort, something about not being dead and sorry to disappoint her but the thought of the unsigned Hogsmeade form stopped me.

"Don't you take that tone with me." Aunt Marge spat angrily. "It was a damn nice thing of Vernon and Petunia, taking in an ungrateful welp like you. Wouldn't have done it myself. If it were me who you'd been _ABANDONED_ with, I'd have had you dumped right at an orphanage." I had the strong urge to say that I would rather take my chances with the orphanage but I was on thin ice; might as well try and behave. I wanted that form signed, damn it, and I would do just about anything for that to happen. I smiled painfully at her, the smile feeling more like a grimace.

"Don't you smirk at me like that!" boomed Aunt Marge. "It's clear you haven't improved a bit since the last time I saw you. I held out the faintest hope that school would knock some manners into you." She took a deep gulp of tea, wiped off her mouth and mustache and asked, "Where is it you send the girl, Vernon?"

"St. Agnus's." Uncle Vernon said promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

"Oh, I see." Aunt Marge said.

"So do they use the whip at St. Agnus's, girl?" she barked across the table.

"Er..." I trailed off. Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yeah," I responded. Feeling as though I ought to do the thing properly I added, "All the time."

"Fantastic." Aunt Marge exclaimed. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy rubbish about not giving a good whacking to people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have they whipped you often, girl?"

"Yup," I said cheerily, "Loads. Lucky to go a week without. A real trouble maker, I am." Aunt Marge narrowed her mean little eyes at me.

"I still don't like that tone of yours, girl." she informed me, as if I really cared. "If you can speak of such a thing in such a casual way, you're clearly not getting beaten hard enough. So, what sort of things have they gotten you beaten for, girl? thievery? Violence?" I scowled internally but kept the same casual stance as I spoke, Muggle-fying some of my adventures.

"Oh, both. My first year they were holding a priceless jewel in the castle. My two friends and I tried to steal it, too. There's Veronica Weasley but everyone calls her Ronnie. Both her parents are criminals; her father works for a minor department of a crime syndicate and her mother's a housewife who does minor crimes on the side. She's got six sisters, five older and one younger, all criminals. There names are Wilhelmina, she goes by Billie, Charlotte, she goes by Charlie, Priscilla, she goes by Prissy, Winifred and Georgia, also known as Fred and George, then there's Ronny, and Ginevra, we call her Ginny. And then there's Hermione Granger. She's a first-generation criminal like Mum was, her parents are dentists and Hermione said that they were utterly horrified to find out about her criminal activity. But anyway, of course the headmaster didn't believe us that a professor was trying to steal it first. Then, before my second year, my friend Ronnie and I stole a Ford Anglia and drove all the way to school, crashing into an old tree just 'cause we missed the train. Got whipped loads for that. And then, of course, me, Ronnie, Hermione, and I are always fighting with this girl, Dralina Malfoy and her lackies, Venetia Crabbe and Gretta Goyle. So yeah, it's a wonder I can still sit up, really." I rambled. Hey, if she was going to hate me what did I care what she thought of me? Plus, all that stuff was true...sort of.

"PETUNIA, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this girl's case. And get her away from those accomplices of hers." Aunt Marge said forcefully. Maybe it was that Uncle Vernon was worried I'd forget our little deal but in any case he quickly changed the subject.

"Have you heard the news, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?" and so the discussion turned to Black. As Aunt Marge made herself at home I almost thought longingly of Privet Drive without her. Mostly, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia encouraged me to stay out of their way which I did happily. Aunt Marge, however, wanted me around at all times so that she could criticise me and "suggest" ways that I could "improve" myself. For some odd reason, despite our separation in gender, she delighted in comparing me with Dudley and relished in purchasing him fancy presents and then glaring at me as if waiting for me to slip up and ask whether or not I could have one as well. I internally snorted; I had done that once, I was five. Needless to say I wouldn't be doing that again. She also loved tossing about dark hints as to why I was such an "unsatisfactory" person. Many of these so-called hints involved my "no-good, drunken, drug-adicted, lay-about" parents. _ HA!_

"There's no reason for you to blame yourself, Vernon, for the way that girl's turned out." Aunt Marge said over dinner on the final night of her stay. Aunt Petunia had gone all out, or rather she had made me go all out, and Uncle Vernon had uncorked several bottles of cheap red wine. It was only the first course, soup, and I was getting started on already. "If she's rotten from the inside, which she is, there's nothing that can be done." I tried my best to concentrate on my food but my face was heating up and my hands trembled. Think about Hogsmeade, Lunabelle, I kept telling myself, he's gotta sign that form. Don't say a word, Lunabelle. Don't jump up, Lunabelle. Don't explode, Lunabelle. She's just a fat, dog-obsessed bitch, Lunabelle. She's not worth it, Lunabelle. But it was hard to keep my temper in check. As I had been doing all week when Aunt Marge got started on me, I thought about the broomstick servicing kit from Hermione. This, apparently, had given me a glazed look so that Aunt Marge continually questioned my mental state over the week. Aunt Marge grasped her glass of wine.

"It's the first and most basic rule of breeding." she continued. "It's seen all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the _BITCH,_ there's something wrong with the _PUP."_ What the _FUCK!_ She just insulted my _MOTHER!_ To hell with the stupid Hogsmeade form! Tearing into that over-stuffed weener-woman would be infinitely more satisfying. My magic was so eager to explode I let it. The result was Aunt Marge's wine glass exploding in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.

"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Are you all right, Marge?"

"Don't worry a bit, Petunia." Aunt Marge grunted, dabbing at her fat face with a napkin. "I must have squeezed it too hard. Happened at Colonel Fubster's about two weeks ago, as a matter of fact. Don't fuss, Petunia, my grip's very ferm." but my aunt and uncle were not appeased. Wow, it'd been a long time since I let my magic explode like that. Then again, I had to be careful. As I was an underage witch I couldn't do magic outside of school. Thanks to that house-elf, Dobby, my record wasn't exactly clean either. In fact, the Ministry of Magic had clearly stated that if I did any more underage magic I would be facing expulsion, never mind that it wasn't me.

"Would you like another glass of wine, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked. Aunt Marge had already had enough wine to fill up ten alcoholics, or so it seemed to mee, and we were only just starting the salmon.

"Just a little bit, then." she chuckled. "No...a little more...a little more...that's the ticket. Dudley was on his fifth helping of food. Aunt Petunia sipped her wine with her little finger sticking out like she was _SO_ elegant. I had the feeling I would have the chance to tear into Aunt Marge soon enough for her slight against my mother, I was right.

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Delectable nosh, Petunia." she said with a burp, patting her fat and bulging stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized child," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon..." Uncle Vernon poured her another generous shot of the stuff.

"Now, this one here—com" she jerked her head at me and I felt my anger firing up. This time I didn't try and tamp it down. "This girl's got that mean, runty look about her. You see it in dogs. Just last month I had Colonel Fubster drown one like that. And a ratty little thing it was, too. Weak, dumb, and poorly bred."

"And you're the most finely bred specimin, aren't you, Auntie?" I asked loudly and sarcastically. Uncle Vernon gave me a withering glare which I summarily ignored. "I mean look at you! That fine straw hair, those teeth, that shape, that smooth, unblemished skin. Why, I think you're the finest example of a bitch that's ever walked the earth."

"How _DARE_ you talk to me like that, you _INSULENT_ _BRAT!_ As I was saying earlier, it's all down to blood. Bad blood will out. Look at that girl there? She's disrespectful, impertanent, and clearly the perfect example. I mean nothing against your fine, upstanding family of course, Petunia, but your sister was a bad apple. They grow out of the best families. And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this case, does it? She runs off and shaggs like a bitch in heat with a filthy wastrel and here's the result in this girl right in front of us." Aunt Marge's voice was boaring into me like one of Uncle Vernon's drills.

"So this filthy Potter," Aunt Marge continued loudly, grasping the wine bottle and dumping so much in her glass it overfilled onto the tablecloth, "what does he do? You never told me." Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were looking extremely tense. They could tell that Mt. Lunabelle was about to go into a major explosion. Everything on the table was shaking, the windows were rattling, the chandelier kept flickering.

"Filthy layabout had no job, he was unemployed." Uncle Vernon said, sending a happy smirk my way.

"As I expected!" Aunt Marge boomed, taking another large swig of cheep wine and whiping her mouth on her sleeve with the worst show of manners I had ever seen. "So he was nothing but a no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who—com"

"You take that back! _TAKE_ _THAT_ _BACK_ _RIGHT_ _NOW!"_ I yelled, rocketing up and slamming my fist on the table. "You _DARE_ insult my _PARENTS?_ People that you have _NEVER_ _MET?_ Let me lay out a few home-truths for you, _MARGIE._ Let me tell your drunken, fat, slovenly, lazy, cruel, bitchy, dog-obsessed arse the _TRUTH_ _OF_ _THE_ _MATTER!"_ The table went very quiet, then Aunt Marge went into a full-bellowing rage.

"No, you insulent, mean, runty, criminal, nasty, filthy little _DEVIL'S_ _SPAWN!_ How _DARE_ you talk to _ME_ like that? You ought to learn some _RESPECT!"_ she boomed, also standing up and slapping me hard with her beefy hand across my face. I hated to admit it but all the weight behind it made it hurt like a bitch. I was so angry I was shaking all over. How _DARE_ that _STUPID_ _BITCH?_

"You, girl, _GO_ _TO_ _BED!"_ Uncle Vernon demanded.

"No, Vernon," hiccupped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed meanly on mine. "Go on, girl, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash, and drunk too, I expect—com"

"They did _NOT_ die in a fucking _CARCRASH_ and if it's _ANYONE_ who's a filthy drunk it's _YOU!"_ I roared, shaking violently. Angrily swiping hair out of my eyes, I noticed it was a vivid and rich dark red, not its usual black.

"They died in a car crash, you _NASTY_ little _LIAR,_ and left you to be a _BURDEN_ on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little—com"

"Oh just _SHUT_ _THE_ _FUCK_ _UP!_ Firstly, my parents were _NOT_ in a carcrash! They were murdered by a madman who headed a supremist terrorist organization just because they defied him! And he tried to kill me as well but failed. And my father was not a poor, drunken wastrel; he went to a school for the gifted up in Scotland as did my mother and _AS_ _DO_ _I!_ The fortune in my trust vault could have this entire fucking _DUMP_ rebuilt in _GOLD_ and that's _NO_ _LIE._ And my mother, a _SLUT?_ My father was her high-school sweetheart that she didn't even break down and date until she was _SIXTEEN!_ She was also top of the class and _HEAD_ _GIRL,_ my father was _HEAD_ _BOY!_ Before that my mother was a _PREFECT!_ He was also on the varcity _FOOTBALL_ _TEAM!_ And both my parents worked, I'll have you know. My father was in the British army's special forces, the Aurors. Also, my mother was training to be a researcher for the government, researching things so top-secret that she couldn't even tell anyone about them. And as far as being greatful, why should I be? From ages one to almost eleven my room was the fucking _CUPBOARD_ under the fucking _STAIRS!_ And now my room is Dudley's _SECOND_ _BEDROOM!_ Let's not forget that I'm forced into a _BOY'S_ _CASTOFFS!_ So take all that information and shove it up your fat, vindictive, _UGLY_ _ARSE!"_

"Why you...why you—com" Aunt Marge suddenly couldn't speek. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger — but the swelling didn't stop. Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech. The very next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls and the remaining Dursleys' faces. She was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami.

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"NOOOOOOO! _MAAAAARGE!"_ Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself.

"Sic 'im, boy! He's trying to hurt your mistress! _SIC_ _HIM!"_ I hissed vindictively at the dog. He actually looked at me with something akin to respect. Growling angrily, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

"Good dog." I smiled viciously. Uncle Vernon was forced to let go of Aunt Marge so I grabbed her instead. I opened the doors that led out onto the patio and shoved her towards them.

"Have a nice trip, Auntie Marge. Oh yeah, and in case you haven't figured it out by now? My school is a school for magic. My parents were magic. I am a witch. Bye-bye." I said with a smirk. Shoving her out of the doors I didn't even bother closing them, I just tore out of the dining room, sprinting towards the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as I reached it. In seconds, I had dragged my trunk to the front door. Sprinting upstairs, I rushed into my room and threw myself under the bed, grabbing up all my contraband. Wriggling out, I grabbed Hedwig's cage and dashed back downstairs to my trunk, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"Come back in here you _FILTHY_ _BRAT!"_ he bellowed. "Come back and _PUT_ _HER_ _RIGHT!"_ but a reckless rage was still burning like a fire within me. Pulling my wand out from my pants, I pointed it at my pig of an uncle.

"That cow deserved it." I said viciously, breathing rapidly. "That loathesome _BITCH_ deserved what she got. And now I'll be going; you just _KEEP_ _AWAY_ _FROM_ _ME!"_ I fumbled behind me for the doorknob. With shaking hands I finally was able to throw open the door. Seizing my trunk and Hedwig's cage, I rushed outside and began walking in the darkness whose color my hair had returned to, only the light of the full moon to guide me.

Chapter Two: What Goes "Growl" On A Full Moon


	53. My First Godchild

My First Godchild

An attempt to write a Fairly Odd Parents fic where a fairy daughter of Cosmo and Wanda gets her first godchild… yeah… Man, I was bizarre back when I wrote this…

Chapter One: fairy test and Graduation.

Cosmo and Wanda couldn't be more proud, their second child, Tara, was going to go through fairy testing today along with other fairies. This would be the first fairy godparent testing ceremony since their own seing as Cosmo was the youngest fairy in fairy world before they had their son Poof. Poof had had to have his own private training and testing but seeing as Poof wasn't "another Cosmo", they had lifted the rule of no children so many fairy couples had had them including, to Cosmo and Wanda's utter dismay and wonder, Cosmo's mother and Wanda and her twin Blonda's father, mama Cosma and Big Daddy. Ah well, at least the inlaws weren't so bad but Cosmo and Wanda now shared a half-sister who was being tested with Tara named Viola and a half-brother who was a few years younger named Cherub. WANDA, Cosmo, and Poof were actually sitting next to Mama Cosma, Big Daddy, Blonda, who surprisingly took time off her "busy schedule" as a zappiless actress to see her niece and half-sister get tested, and Cherre, which is what he liked to be called.

"And now, puny fairies I introduce to you the class of 2022. If these puny wanna-be fairy godparents pass the test then they will receive their licenses. This year as wanna-be fairies we have Blainy Abrakedab," a fairy with baby blue hair and eyes flew out, he was son of Binnky and Moira, another fairy they knew, "Lacey Brightwing," a ditsy-looking fairy with blonde hair and dark blew eyes flew out, "Ethan Everglow," a fairy with brown hair and eyes flew out, "Tara Fairywinkle," the whole clan, Cosmo, Wanda, Poof, Blonda, Cherre, Mama Cosma, and Big Daddy cheered as Tara flew out. She was like a mixture of Cosmo and Wanda. She possessed the mischievous and sometimes reckless streak that Poof had but had Wanda's temper times ten. Needless to say several cuss words, much to her parents' dismay and brothers' amusement, made it out of her mouth in a screaming rant. Instead of having purple hair and eyes like her brother, the mixture of pink and green, Tara had green eyes like Cosmo and soft pink hair like her mother's which was a little lighter and went down to her waste where it curled out, it was wavy all the way through. She wore a casual pair of jeans with white sneakers and a blue T-shirt. She was very smart like Wanda but could sometimes space out a bit like Cosmo. She was voted in her yearbook as "Most Sought-After Girl In School", all the guys drooled over her, unlike Wanda, but she was very hard-to-get, only ever having one boyfriend who she had decided just wanted her because his father could never get Wanda and because she was pretty. That relationship ended in a string of yelling, cuss words, and other sorts of profanities. Even though she was the daughter of their least favorite people, in Mama Cosma's case Wanda and in Big Daddy's case Cosmo, both were extremely proud of their first granddaughter. She smiled at the crowd before flying over to the rest of the group. That's another thing she was, charismatic. The announcing continued. "Henry Goodwind," Jorgan continued, a fairy with indigo hair and eyes flew out, "Luna Iar," a vain-looking girl with blonde hair and blue eyes flew out, "Javier Magnifico," Tara had dated him for quite a time and he was rather serious about her, probably thinking that since his father couldn't have Wanda then he might just have Tara. He had Wandisimo's dark blue eyes and black hair which was short and fell into his eyes, "Nora Openridge," a shy-looking girl, one of Tara's friends with orange hair and light brown eyes, flew out, "Daniel Sparks," a handsome fairy with dark brown hair and sea green eyes, who Tara kept looking at somewhat longingly, flew out, "And Viola Winger!" Jorgan finished. Vi and Tara were best friends. Viola had Big Daddy's dark hair but Mama Cosma's pale green eyes. She was just as much of a spitfire as Tara and, like Tara, could be quite intimidating and scary, both traits they got from Big Daddy, also, like Tara, could be very gentle and over-protective except without the bomb-in-the-pillow-case means of protection Mama Cosma had taken more then once to keep Her "Cosmo-lolo" away from Wanda. All of the contestants, from Blainy Abrakedab to Viola lined up, let the test begin!

Jorgan banged his huge wand on the ground and the fairies were now at a long table with sheets of paper in front of them.

"Here are the rules, puny fairies. Their will be ten tests, if you fail three, you are out. If you cheat, you are out. If you whine and whimper and holler, _YOU_ _ARE_ _OUT!_ For the first test, I will ask you wanna-be godparents here a question, you will write your answers down. Their will be ten questions. If you get more then three wrong then _YOU_ _FAIL!_ Let's start. Question One: What will happen if a child exposes you for what you are?" their was a scribbling of pens as the young eighteen-year-olds wrote their answers. "Question two: If your child wishes to go back in time, should you let them? Question Three: What are the rules about other children your godchild might know with fairy godparents? Question Four: What are the rules about wishes pertaining to crushes and love? Question Five: What happens if your child abstains from wishing for a prolonged amount of time? Question Six: Describe the possible effects of time travel on your child's own time? Question Seven: Your child wishes for his or her baby-sitter to find a significant other so they'll leave you alone, what should your response be? Question Eight: Why should you never let your godchild get hold of a genie for "rule-free" wishing? Question Nine: What happens if your godchild becomes truly happy? Question Ten: What is the over-all purpose of fairy godparents?" The young fairies finally finished writing their answers.

"Ah, I believe for question one I asked you what would happen if your child exposed you for what you are, state your answers starting with you, Abrakedab!"

"Erm...well...I guess they'd get in trouble?" the fairy answered weakley.

"Well since, like, they exposed their fairies, everyone who, like, heard about them would, like, become fairies themselves including the godchild, I mean, who wouldn't want to be a fab fairy?" Lacey Brightwing answered.

"Their fairy would be taken away." Ethan said.

"What would happen would be that the child's fairie or fairies would be immediately taken away and their memories removed along with the other person or people's memories. The only known human to have skated past this obsticle at all, let alone several times, was named Timmy Turner!" Tara answered with a smile.

Everyone else answered that question and the ones following. Blainy missed four all together and failed the first test, Lacey got only three right, Ethan was able to get seven-and-one-half points, Henry Goodwind got eight right, Luna Iar, to her credet got nine right, Javier got ten correct, Nora got nine right, Daniel Sparks got seven right, and, much to the Fairywinkle clan's delight, both Tara and Viola got ten right and also some bonus credit for knowing so much.

"Test number two! For this test, I will call you up individually and make wishes in the form of a human child. I will grade you on how many wishes you grant or don't grant according to Da Rules. If you get more then two wrong, you fail!" Jorgan turned himself into a little boy with red hair and brown eyes. Blainy floated forward.

"I wish my mommy and step-daddy would break up!" Jorgan said in a child's voice which was quite hilarious.

"You got it!" Blainy said, waving his wand.

"_NO!_ You cannot mess with true love, puny fairy!" Jorgan yelled in his own voice. Blainy wound up getting three wrong, Lacey five wrong, Ethan three right, Henry three-and-a-half right, Luna four right, Javier, to his displeasure, didn't get any right except for one, Nora got four right, Daniel got all of them right, and, to the clan's pleasure, so did Tara and Viola.

Soon, it was down to the last test. Blainy, Lacey, Ethan, and Luna were already out. The only ones not in danger of failing were Tara and Viola because they had passed the last nine tests with flying colors. Daniel, to his credit, had bearly failed the ones he _did_ fail.

"This is the tenth test, wand-ups! If you cannot do more then twenty wand-ups then you _fail!"_ Jorgan said. The six remaining fairies, Tara, Henry, Javier, Nora, Daniel, and Viola, took out their wands. "_GO!"_ Jorgan snapped. All of the fairies started their wand-ups. Henry wound up falling on his seventh, poor Nora was just short and fell on her nineteenth, Daniel fell on his twenty-fifth, Javier on his thirty-second, and Tara and Viola just kept going.

"Maybe...we...could...stop...together?" Tara asked as she went up and down.

"Yeah...that's...a...good...idea!" Viola said.

"Three...two...one...stop!" they said together, falling on their fiftieth wand-up.

"Excelent, bonus points to puny Viola and her puny niece Tara!" Jorgan said, pointing out their strange family.

"Hey, I'm still older!" Tara said indignantly. "Vi is like my cousin or my sister!"

"Yeah!" Viola said as she shakily floated up.

"Very well, Abrakedab, Brightwing, Everglow, Goodwind, Iar, and Openridge, better luck on your next test. Perhaps some of you should go into different careers!" Jorgan said. "As for you, Magnifico, Sparks, Winger, Fairywinkle, congratulations. You are this year's graduating fairy godparents!" Jorgan said. "Top of this year's class we have Tara Fairywinkle and Viola Winger. The two of you along with Mr. Magnifico and Mr. Sparks now have your licenses!" Jorgan banged his wand and the four of them received their licenses which flew into their hands, adding to their magic to make sure they could meet the needs of their godchildren. "Soon you will have your godchildren assigned to you, congratulations graduating class of 2022!" Jorgan said as he pointed at the sweaty, exhausted godparents-to-be.

They were all so proud, they had both done so well! After a round of comgratulations, Tara and Viola decided that they would go out to celebrate bringing Poof and Cherre along. It was truely a wonderful day and a whole new road had been paved.

Chapter Two: Assignment

Tara's POV

It didn't take Jarhead Jorgan too long to come up with an assignment for me. I got the papers just a week after graduation, June 10th to be exact. I smiled at the manilla envelope and cracked it open.

Name: Jade Ruby Emerald Diamond Aquamarine Buccksaplenty

Age: Ten

Birthday: August 6th

Parents: Remmy Cash Bucksaplenty and Trixy Tansy Tang-Bucksaplenty

Siblings: none

Place of Residence: Dimsdale California, USA

Reasons for Unhappiness: Though her family is extremely rich they pay no attention to her, only spending a few minutes a day. The rest of her day other then school she is watched over by the most top-of-the-line Vicky-bot available, diamond with ruby eyes and hair. At school she is not popular because she refuses friendships due to the fact that she doesn't want people to be friends with her for her family's money. She hangs out with some of the most unpopular kids around, Thomas and Tamantha (Tommy and Tammy) Turner, David (Davie) McBadbat, and Alison (Alli) Abrams. The Turner children have fairy godparents Cosmo and Wanda as you might already know and live in a middle-class neighborhood. Davie lives in an old trailor with his father, his mother walked out on them. Alli's parents are still together and the Abrams family lives in an upper-class house in town. Davie is an only child while Alli has a little brother, Troy. Alli is a genius like her father and so is Troy. Davie and Tommy bearly scrape by while Tammy and your goddaughter Jade are very bright students. You might have heard of Remy Bucksaplenty who had Wandisimo Magnifico as a godparent, Timmy Turner who had your parents as godparents and you and Poof as godsiblings, Chester, much like his son and Timmy's best friend, and AJ the genius and Timmy's other best friend. Their other two friends, Elmer and Sanjay, have moved away to Los Angeles, a more gay-friendly town. Veronica Starr married Tad Chadwell and they have a son, TJ, who Jade has a huge crush on. Chad Tadwell is living the single life still as is Vicky Flannigan, owner of all of the Vicky-bots. Her little sister, Tootie, is Timmy Turner's husband and mother of the turner twins. Francis Grey, resident bully of the last generation has a daughter, Francine who also goes by Francis who is as much of a bully as her father and loves to throw Jade and her friends in dumpsters among other things. Jade is a very unhappy girl which is why she needs you, please prepare yourself immediately for your assignment.

I smiled sadly at the picture of the girl. She was tall like her mother was at that age with her mother's dark blue eyes but her father's blonde hair which was long and curled up at the ends. She was wearing a pair of sneakers, capris, and a pink shirt with matching bandanna. Yes, I could do this, I could do this!

Jade's POV

The bell rang signaling the end of the school year! I knew I should be happy for summer but it also meant more of the Vicky-bot. She was programmed to let me do whatever I wanted before 7:00 PM but was totally horrible after that. That was when the staff went home for the night and she could torment me without any problems The hours from 7:00 to 10:00 were absolutely horrible. Not only did I have to do her scrubbing and polish her and everything else, I have to wash the dishes, polish the silver, dust, and do god knows what else! At least she wasn't as bad as Tommy and Tammy's bot, their's was just as ruthless but she had full control over them from 3:00 onwards and all of the weekends most of the time unless they were able to escape the house and come to mine. I ran over to the Turner house to play some video games with Tammy and Tommy. Both of them were totally awesome, especially Tommy. Even though I was a good student, I was still a video-game nut just like Tammy, Tommy, Davie, and even Alli. We ran inside the house to see the Vicky-bot waiting for us. Theirs was made of steel but was still just as scary and unbreakable.

"Twerp, twerpette, and...oh, another twerpette!" said the bot as she hoisted Tommy and then Tammy up with her pincer-like hands and then extended a third one to hoist me up into the air. "It's a good thing I have one more of you, I need a polishing now _MOVE_ _IT!"_ the robot yelled, dropping us in a heap.

"Hey, Icky, I'm not even your charge!" I said. "And they're with me, they were just going to my house!"

"If you're the charge of one of us, you're the charge of all of us and _DON'T_ _CALL_ _ME_ _ICKY!"_ the bot yelled.

"Then what's your name? Bicky? Dicky? Ficky? Gicky? Hicky? Jicky? Kicky? Licky? Micky? Nicky? Picky? Quicky? Ricky? Sicky? Ticky? Wicky? Yicky? Zicky? Oh yeah, it's Icky-Vickykins, right?" I asked, smirking at the very dangerous robot.

"_MY_ _NAME_ _IS_ _VICKY-BOT!_ For that, Twerpette, I'll make sure your Vicky-bot works you five _times_ as hard!"

"Oooh, I'm so _scared!"_ I mocked.

"_MAKE_ _THAT_ _TEN_ _TIMES!_ _NOW_ _SHUT_ _UP_ _AND_ _GET_ _YOU_ and _MY TWERPS_ _OUT_ _OF_ _THIS_ _HOUSE!"_ the robot yelled, throwing the three of us out of the house all the way to the curb before slamming the door.

"That was _awesome!"_ Tommy exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air.

"It most certainly was _not!"_ Tammy argued. "You shouldn't have set her off, you'll be in for it tonight with yours!"

"I know, Tammy, but it was _so_ worth it!" I said.


	54. My Sister's Daughter

My Sister's Daughter

An attempt to write yet another good Dursleys raising a female Harry fic. I don't remember what my intent was with this fic, and what my chapter two would have been about…

Chapter One: Raise You Right

Their are many people that believe that their are alternate timelines, realities, parallel universes. Some of these universes have different outcomes than others. In one particular universe James and Lily Potter had a son, Harry James, who eventually was orphaned, survived the killing curse, and was sent off to his relatives who hated him, thought he was scum and a freak, and never told him of his magic. In the universe where this story takes place most things are the same except for a few key points. First off, Lily and James had not a son, Harry James, but a daughter, Katerina Lily. The events of halloween 1981 are the same, however. Our story truly diverges from the other universe on the morning of November 2, 1981.

As she always did Petunia Dursley woke up early, a good half hour before either her beloved husband or dearest son would. Creeping across the room Petunia slid on her robe and went out of the bedroom and downstairs. She slipped quietly into the kitchen to see what she could throw together for breakfast. Their was still some milk left but their were a few empty bottles just waiting to be put out. With no further adieu Petunia picked up the bottles and tip-toed to the front door. Upon opening the door she almost screamed in shock and dropped the glass bottles in her arms. . Their on her front steps was a little pink bundle that looked suspiciously like a baby. Setting the bottles on the porch Petunia gingerly picked up the child and brought her inside. Whose child was this? Why was she on Petunia's front steps unless...unless...no, no, no, she dare not think of the implications. Lily was a witch...she had married a wizard...they must be alive...mustn't they? A mounting feeling of dread inside her, Petunia looked closer at the baby. Finding a letter in the blanket's folds she pulled it out. Not daring to read it just yet she looked into the baby's face. Her heart seemed to be encased in a block of ice as she looked, the child looked so much like Lily. She had seen her niece, Katerina, several times before, how could she not recognize her? But their was a part of her trying not to recognize her, trying so hard to make it seem as though this child was not her sister's little girl but it was all for nothing. Katerina's face was round, her nose small and cute, her eyes a startling emerald green glancing inquisitively up at Petunia. Just like Lily did when she was an infant Katerina had fair blonde hair with slight strawberry highlights. Petunia was certain, however, that by the time Katerina turned fifteen or sixteen her hair would all be the same rich, dark red that Lily's became. The funny thing about the Evans sisters was their hair. Petunia had been the one born with dark red hair that eventually grew blonde highlights. By the time she was around five her hair was strawberry blonde. It stayed about the same color until she was about nine when it gradually became more blonde. By the time she was sixteen it was all blonde except for strawberry highlights which she still carried today. Lily's was the opposite, she was born with the golden blonde hair Petunia currently had and it became strawberry blonde and then more and more red. The last time Petunia had seen Lily she could barely see the gold streaks in her otherwise dark red hair just as the red in Petunia's hair could barely be seen in all the blonde. The Evans sisters looked quite similar, really, but Petunia had a slightly longer neck and sharper face. The sisters shared the same startling emerald eyes. Yes, little Katerina's hair was just like Lily's but their was one distinguishing difference. Both the Evans sisters had wavy hair but Katerina's hair was curly, in unruly little ringlets. She had a slightly thinner face than Lily's, a higher forehead, and different ears as well as longer legs with knobby knees and hands with longer fingers. Petunia's eyes snapped up to the child's forehead. Their in the center was a freshly-healed scar in the shape of a lightning-bolt that had not been their before. No, no, no, this didn't mean that her baby sister was dead...it couldn't...could it? With shaking fingers Petunia opened the letter.

"Nooooo!" From upstairs Vernon jerked awake in bed and Dudley began to cry. Not even bothering to straighten the bed Vernon jumped up, rushed into Dudley's bedroom, snatched up his sniffling son, and hustled downstairs. Sitting on the couch in the living room was a near-hysterical Petunia.

"What's the matter, Pet? Can you please tell me what's wrong?" Vernon asked, sitting down and wrapping a beefy arm around the slender shoulders of his wife.

"Baby...sister...Lily...murdered...madman! James...too...the killing...curse...but our niece...our niece...she survived...take care...my sister..." Petunia rambled. Vernon looked down then at the child in Petunia's lap. He had known Lily a bit as a teenager when Petunia started bringing him around the house. He had only found out about Lily being a witch when he had married Petunia. He didn't know all the specifics on magic and the war but he knew some basic things like the killing curse was green and to always dodge it if you're faced with it because their's no counter and nobody has ever survived. Now, reading the letter in his wife's trembling hands, it seemed as though their niece was the first. He had only met James a handful of times but the two men had bonded over sports and good, cold beer and quite liked each other. He had seen their daughter just as much as he had seen James and she had her uncle wrapped around her little finger. This poor, sweet, innocent baby.

"I'm so sorry, Pet." he said, squeezing his wife with his one arm, the other cradling Dudley who was glancing curiously at his cousin who he got along well with.

"My baby sister...oh Vernon...how could this be? We were becoming so close again after I was so jealous...I don't know what to do!" Petunia cried.

"There there, Petunia, everything will be okay, I'm sure of it. We can tell her all about her parents and their schooldays and what they were like, especially Lily. We'll do right in raising her even if you decide to hate magic for taking her parents away." Vernon said. though Vernon Dursley didn't look like the sharpest crayon in the box what with his bulky frame, thick, fat blond head, smallish blue eyes, muscle, and fat he could be deeper than he was given credit for.

"You're right, Vernon. We'll do right in raising Katerina. Do you here that, Kitty-Kat? I'm going to raise you as my own."

Chapter Two: Wise Beyond Her Years


	55. Life Sucks

Life Sucks: Vivienne's Story

Yet another shadow children universe story with an OC who's parents are so ridiculously rich they keep having illegal children that they can buy the fake IDs for…

Chapter One: Tenth

Heya! What's up! How do you do?

Oh I don't give a damn because I'm feelin' blue.

And now I say it's time for me to complain.

This is my story so lemme just explain!

Nice, huh? I'm a bit of a poet, it's the only thing I can do to keep myself sane. I'm one of ten, that's right, _ten_ kids. In our country that's basically like suicide, the law is that parents can have only two. It's like my parents have started a tradition after the third child, Robert. On the day each of us turns thirteen we're given fake identities and whisked away to some boarding school or another that secretly harbors third children as soon as the next school term starts. During the time before that term, on the very day of the birthday, the family comes and collects us one by one. I'm the youngest out of all of us and the only singleton other then Rob. My oldest two siblings, Carrietta and Marrietta (Carrey and Mary), are twins and are eighteen and off to college. Robert (Rob) is seventeen and under the alias of James Fontleroy. The next two, the fourth and fifth children, Jackson and Jillian (Jack and Jill), are sixteen and are in school as Zachary Davis and Leslie Taylor. For the fun of it, the two pervs pretended to be dating for a time. After them their's Justin and Joseph who are fifteen, the sixth and seventh children. They're known as Domonique and Dontay Vascillo, the only ones of us who get to be related. And their's also Phillip and Liliana (Phil and Lil), they're fourteen and are known as Fred Sanders and Aqua-Marie Lake, they're the eighth and ninth children. Lastly, their's little old me, Vivienne, Vivienne Copeland, Vivi, Viv, whatever. I'm the tenth child in a world just meant for two. I'm going to get my fake identity tomorrow and their's nothing I can do.

The morning of August 13, I stretched out in my luxurious king-sized bed. I would miss this, god knows what family I'll get stuck with. Rob got stuck with some slum family, Jack is now a farm boy at his new home on summer and holiday breaks, Jill's got a good family, more Barons like us, Justin and Joseph are in a family full of twins, parents who each have a twin, an uncle and an aunt who maried a twin, even down to twin birds and twin cats. Phil's family is very eccentric from his emails, and Lil's also got a really nice Baron family, both parents are double agents for the Population Police on the side of the resistance, their oldest daughter was killed in a car crash. I sighed and got out of bed. I then padded across the wood floors of my room and to my connected bathroom. I went in and got in the huge marble shower. I took my time as I lathered up my hair with my favorit lavender shampoo and scrubbed down with my Achai Berry soap. I then got out and towled myself off with a fluffy white towel. I looked at myself in the mirror as I brushed through my hair. It's such a deep shade of black that it almost seems to shimmer blue in the right light. When it's dry it's curly but the neat sort and goes down to my elbows. I've grown my bangs out and swept them to the right. My eyes are kind of round and a strange shade of violet that Mom says I get from her grandma. My skin has a natural tanned color too it and is flawless so far. I'm also tall and willowy but haven't yet develop very much, I'm only just thirteen, though. I went out into my room and into my connected closet, I have a weakness for clothes but everything's packed up, my room doesn't even look like my room anymore. I put on a light blue lace-rimmed tank top and a medium blue skirt that goes to just above my knees and matching sandals. I then ran out into the hallway and down the main set of stairs and walked calmly into the living room where my parents, Anthony and Elizabeth, sat patiently. The only present that I would get, I knew from seeing everyone else get them, was the fake identity and the new life. I sat down on the cream colored couch and placed my piano-fingered hands in my lap.

"We just want you to have a better life!" Mom said. _ Then why the hell did you have so many of us just to kick us out at thirteen with the risk of all eight of us getting killed?_ I thought to myself but I stuck with a simple answer.

"I know, guys." My parents handed over the plastic card and I read what it said.

Name: Emma-Jade Lake

Date Of Birth: September 13, 2021

Parents: Katherine and Steven Lake

Sibling: Aqua-Marie Lake (older twin)

I actually smiled at my parents and at my picture on the identity card. I was actually going to get to be Lil's sister again! Not that the others weren't my siblings but I'd missed her the most, we're closer almost then her and Phil. Sometimes people think we're the twins, not her and Phil. We both look practically the same except she's ten months older then me, it was a good thing we'd be going as twins and that I had an age boost. According to this, I'd be fourteen in a month's time. I smiled and hugged my parents. Their came a honking from outside and I smiled.

"That must be them! You'd better get too them, young lady, you've caused them quite enough trouble!" Dad said.

"Yes, sir!" I said, playing along. I went out of the living room and out the door with my dad carrying all of my worldly possessions. I saw a big black limousine in our driveway. I ran up to it and jumped in the already open door to see my sister who I hadn't seen in ten months grinning back at me.

"Li—comAqua!" I squealed.

"Oh Viv—Emma-Jade!" Lily (only Phil and I can call her that) squealed.

"I'm so glad to see you!" we both squealed as we hugged each other.

"You can drop the pretense, girls, we're not bugged!" my new mom said as we drove away.

"I'm so happy to see you, Lily!" I said. "I've missed you, all of you. It's so lonely since it's only been me around and Mom and Dad couldn't wait to get rid of me I'm sure. I've really no idea why they had so many of us! I would be cool with you, me, Joe, and maybe Jill and Carrey but _ten_ of us? It's a shock our house didn't become our funeral pyre by now!" I said.

"Ten? I nearly forgot. I don't think I've _ever_ heard of so many children being born since before this stupid law was passed!" my new dad said. I was starting to like my new family already.

"I'm...um...I'm sorry about the real Emma-Jade!" I said.

"She went the same way as her sister, teenagers!" Mom said.

"Yes, it was quite a shock!" Dad said as we continued down the road.


	56. Narnia

To Narnia

An attempt to write a story where a female Harry, fresh from the second war, gets sucked into Narnia with Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy via the Room of Requirement… And, as per my standard of the time, she's way overpowered…

Chapter One: Through The Room

I sighed as I walked through the castle. Voldemort was finally gone...but at such a heavy cost. Many of the ones I loved had died, Sirius, Dumbledore, Draco (who had turned out all right after all), little Collin Creevy, Daphne Greengrass, gossip queens Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, sweet little Hannah Abbott, Severus Snape (who I had grown close too), and even perfect ex-prefect prat prick Percy. Most importantly, I tried to tell myself, Voldemort had died. It was such a price, though, such a price for the death of one evil man and his followers. The battle had only ended just a week ago, I was helping fix up the castle again, repair broken walls, that sort of thing. Their would be a memorial going up in the center of the Hogwarts entrance hall showing lists of the fighters, survivers, and those who had died fighting, fighting for me. Of course they were fighting for me, I was Hayleigh Lily Potter, the bloody-girl-who-just-wouldn't-bloody-die! It was all my fault all those people were dead, Voldemort wanted me. Even my sacrifice in the forest hadn't worked, I hadn't died though I wish I had somewhat. I at least still had the rest of the New Marauders, Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny even though we would remember Draco, our lost member forever. I was only seventeen, too young to be feeling this way. Then again, I had always been too young for the things Fate decided to pore on me. I swear I was Fate's favorite play thing, Fate just _loved_ to screw around with my life. I hadn't even gotten in a propper seventh year of schooling, I could bearly classify myself as the powerful and revered witch, savior of the wizarding world, everyone thought I was! How could I be so "powerful" and feel so powerless? I mean sure I was a metamorphmagus and a seer with a talent for wandless magic but what did that matter? What did it matter when I put everyone I ever cared about in jeopardy? Also, their was this new prophecy I had made two days ago, The savior of the wizarding world and, by extention, her whole world, (me, shock shock), must be the key in a new war coming ahead against the witch of whitest snow in a world far different then her own. She shall team with four ordinary children of power, valliance, justness, and fairness to defeat this evil. The thing making the witches equal shall be widely known and things will be better for it. The savior shall fight a war but this time not completely her own. Oh yes, I was just _chipper_ about that prospect, another war with another psychotic person fighting alongside what sounded like Muggles. As I was caught up in my musings I didn't see Hermione coming around the corner of a seventh floor corridor. I ran into her and fell back with an "Oomph!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! Are you all right?" she asked as she helped me up.

"Dandy, Mione, just dandy!" I said sulkily.

"Everything will be all right, Hayle, everything will be all right!" Hermione said as she rushed off down the corridor. I smiled and readjusted my bag on my shoulders. I was wearing my old Hogwarts robes, I felt most at home in them here, they made things seem les surreal. I had all my chilling things in my messenger bag and planned on going to the room of requirement, something I had done a lot recently. When I finally reached the blank wall across from the idiotic wizard trying to teach trolls ballet I focused on a place where I could relax.

"_Give me a place where I can go to where I can relax, slip away, be myself, get away from all this stress!"_ I thought three times pacing. Instead of the usual door their a wardrobe popped out. I shrugged in exaspiration, maybe it was a secret passage. Feeling like a mental fool I opened the door, being careful not to shut it because it's stupid to do such a thing when going inside a wardrobe, and climbed in among several fur coats. I kept crawling back until I bumped into someone.

"Ouch, Edmund, be more careful!" the someone said, it was a boy who seemed about my age.

"I didn't do anything! We've got to get back further to hide from Mrs. McCready!" said another boy's voice, he sounded about thirteen.

"Honestly! Won't you shut up, you two? You'll get us caught!" said a girl's voice, she sounded around fifteen or so.

"Susan's right!" said another child, a second girl who sounded about ten or eleven. Curiously, I crept along with them until I found myself falling face-forward into a pile of snow.

"Pleck, bloody hell, why's their snow in the room of requirement? I thought it had gone mad when it made this wardrobe, now I'm certain it's stark-raving bonkers!" I said as I brushed snow off my robes and clumsily stood up.

"Who are you?" the oldest boy asked.

"No, who are you. I don't recognize you from Hogwarts, is this that vanishing cabinet Zabini mended last year? Are you Death Eaters?" I demanded, emerald eyes flashing and my unruly black hair with natural streaks of my mum's red growing all red with anger.

"Wha-what?" the older girl, Susan, asked.

"Oh...wha...god...I've heard of universal travel before but always thought it impossible...oh my god! Tell me, are you witches and wizards?" I asked. The four gave me a quizzical stare and the younger boy seemed to think I was mad.

"What do you mean?" the younger girl asked.

"Oh...oh damn...you're Muggles!" I stammered.

"What's a Muggle?" the younger girl asked.

"Non-magical people." I said as my prophecy came back to me and I turned my hair from red back to it's original black with red streaks.

"How _did_ you do that?" Susan asked amazedly.

"I was born like this. You see, their's an entire world of witches and wizards that most non-magical people know nothing about. Tell me, you don't look like you're from 1998, that's for sure. I'm only just wearing my school robes but I'd be wearing jeans otherwise. When and where are you from?"

"1943!" the oldest boy spoke up. "You mean to tell us you're from fifty-five years in the future?"

"Guess so! I'm from England, I was in my school in Scotland when I got pulled here." I said.

"We're from London but were evacuated to a house in the country because of the air-raids!" Susan explained.

"Oh, that's right, the Nazis. Hitler and his stupid Nazi troops remind me of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, prejudice bigots, twats, gits, pricks, prats, murderers!" I muttered darkly, the four cast me incredulous looks. "Right, a story for a different time. You're from my world but a different time. I'll tell you about magic later. I guess all magical law doesn't apply here. Right, intros. I'm Hayleigh Lily Potter and I'm seventeen. My parents were murdered by that Lord Voldemort I mentioned. He tried to kill me but couldn't, that's how I got the scar on my forhead. I love to write, sing, I'm into photography, and I play musical instruments as well as prank people I don't like and hex people who get on my nerves. No worries, I won't hex you lot, though." I said with a laugh as I flicked some of my unruly hair out of my emerald eyes. "By the way, most people just call me Hayle."

"Nice to meet you, Hayle, I'm Peter Pevensey and I'm seventeen as well." the older boy said. He was tall and well-muscled with skin that was slightly tanned and light brown hair. The eyes looking out at me were blue like the most beautiful skies, like I was looking into his soul.

"I'm Susan Pevensey, I'm fifteen. I mostly enjoy reading!" said the older girl as she swept a piece of slightly darker brown hair out of her blue eyes.

"Edmund, thirteen!" the younger boy simply said, his face and brown eyes showing impatience, his hair, which was darkest of all, was slicked back somewhat.

"Hi, I'm Lucy and I'm ten! It's so nice to meet you and I'm so excited about the magic you're talking about!" the younger girl said as she came bounding forward, her dark golden blonde hair bouncing behind her and her hazel eyes sparkling.

"So Lucy _was_ telling the truth and you lied and said it was all pretend!" Peter snapped at his brother.

"That's such a nasty thing to do, Ed, how could you?" Susan demanded.

"You mean to tell me that he knew about this place?" I asked. They then proceeded to tell me of the story of Lucy finding the wardrobe and Edmund saying it was all pretend when he had been in their too. My eyes seemed to blaze even more green, my face heat up in anger, my hair flamed the reddest it could go. I loomed over Edmund and took out my holly and phoenix feather wand. I gave it a little flick saying _levicorpus_ inside my mind. Edmund dangled upside-down like he was held up by a hook.

"How could you do anything like that to your family? If I were you I'd be thankful I had three loving siblings like you. All I have are my aunt, uncle, and cousin who don't like my lot. _ My_ parents died when I was one year old, my mum died to save me, I never had anyone I could call _true_ family growing up. I met my godfather when I was thirteen and he was killed by his own cousin when I was fifteen. Listen to me now, Edmund Pevensey, you be greatful for what you have and stop being such a damned prick who makes his little sister feel like a jibbering idiot when you _know_ she was telling the truth. I have never seen the like of you in my entire _life_ and that's saying something because I've seen a _lot_ of sniveling brats but you are the worst. You think you're better then them don't you? You really do disgust me." With that, I flicked my wand and let him fall into a pile of snow. The other three Pevensey children looked awed and rather frightened. "Sorry for that, you three. I just don't understand how a brother could do that to his little sister."

"That was brilliant!" Peter said. "He deserved it."

"I must say, though, that you gave me a fright!" Susan said.

"You remind me of my best friend Hermione, "you gave me a fright". I think I'm going to like you guys!"

"What should we do now?" Susan asked.

"Lucy should decide!" Peter said.

"I'd like you all to meet Mr. Tumnesss!" Lucy said.

"But we can't go hiking in the snow dressed like this!" Susan said.

"Let's take some of those coats their. Technically we won't even be taking them out of the wardrobe!" I said as I went back and looked for some that looked warm but light and flexible. I tossed four out to the Pevensey kids laughing at Edmund's horrified expression.

"That's a girls' coat!" he whined.

"I know! It's for your sissy, pansy-ass, cowardly attitude and your blatant lies!" I said.

"Um...hey...cussing might be a normal thing in 1998 but could you keep it to a minimal here?" Peter asked.

"Sure! Trust me, I'm the most mouthy girl in school closely followed by another close friend, Ginny. I promise I'll keep it to as much of a minimum as I can especially in front of you, lucy. It's a bad habbit but it's a part of me." I said as I put on my own coat making sure that it covered my bag. "Shall we go?" Lucy nodded and led us through trees and bushes and on a trail until we got to a little cave. The door appeared smashed and it looked like their had been a struggle.

"Oh no, Mr. Tumness!" Lucy said. Their was suddenly a psssing sound from behind us and to the right. I, being still jumpy from war, whirled around.

"Who's their? Show yourself!" I demanded. A little beaver came out and pssssed again.

"Did that beaver just pssss us?" Susan asked.

"I dunno. Lemme get on his own level." I said. I then jumped up and forward and landed as an equally brown beaver.

"Hey little beaver, what do you want?" I asked in whatever you'd call the language of beavers. The beaver stayed silent. I sighed and turned human again to shocked stares. "Right, I can become any animal or any person or change myself however." I told them. It was then that susan stepped forward and held out her hand.

"Here little beaver, here!" she cooed.

"I'm not going to smell it if that's what you mean!" the beaver said.

"You're talking, beavers can't talk!" Susan stammered.

"That's what I said when I found out I was a witch, that it couldn't be real, but it is, magic is!" the beaver seemed to glare at me.

"What? What have you got against witches." I asked.

"They're evil, that's what!" the beaver snarled.

"Evil? That's Lord Voldemort. I just fought in a wizarding war of my own where I either had to kill the most evil wizard of the times or be killed and you're calling me _evil?_ I suppose their are deeper prejudices then in just my world! Why do you say witches are evil?"

"The White Witch! She's made it winter here for a hundred years streight but _never_ Christmas. Come to think on it, you look a mighty lot like her." the beaver said.

"A hundred years?" I asked. "No witch or wizard in my world could live that long and produce such powerful magic for that long. The oldest wizard I ever knew was Albus Dumbledore but he died, was murdered actually. The five of us are from the same world but different times. They're from the year 1943 and I'm from 1998." I said.

"i've got my eye on you, witch!" the beaver said. "I'll take you all back to my house, I'm not on _her_ side, the White Witch's."

"Where is your house, Mr. Beaver, i can get us all their much more quickly and without fear of spies you kep thinking of." I said. The beaver looked apprehensive for a moment but soon spoke.

"On that hill their by the frozen river!" he pointed to a hill in the distance.

"Everyone grab onto me." I said. "Side-along appearation is hard with one, let alone five, people." they did as I asked and I smiled. "Three...two...one..." I spun on the spot bringing them with me. We landed a half second later on the same hill. The others staggered a bit but I helped them up.

"What...was that?" Edmund demanded.

"Easy, Snippy!" I said. "That's called appearition, the ability to basically teleport from one place to another...ouch! I looked down to see that their was a small chunk of skin missing from my right hand. I took out my wand making the beaver tense.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm about to heal myself, I splinched myself because I was too concentrated on making sure you all made it in one piece!" I snapped. "Splinching is when you leave a random body part behind. Would you rather I bleed all over your property, Mr. Beaver?" the beaver nodded mutely. "Episki!" I whispered and tapped the cut. It healed up leaving a little red scratch.

"You can do magic like _that?"_ the beaver asked. "I never knew their was good magic!"

"What do you think appearition was?" I muttered.

"Good indeed, she wordlessly made me go upside-down!" Edmund complained.

"You deserved it you prat!" I snapped. "You lied to your family."

"I'll give you a chance, witch." the beaver said.

"My name is Hayleigh, Hayleigh Lily Potter. They're related, I'm like a fifth wheel. You can call me hayle."

"All right! The Mrs. will be wanting to meet you four...um...five, come inside!" the beaver led us up and through a little door into a cozy little dam.

"Oooh, it reminds me of the burrow!" I said as I took in the place.

"The what?" Peter asked.

"It's a place I would go every summer after classes let out for the year. One of my best friends, Ron, and his sister, another best friend Ginny that I mentioned earlier, lived their. It was their family's home. They were two out of seven kids, it's just six now. Mrs. Weasley kept the house so nice and comfortable. It was like a safe haven away from my horrid aunt and uncle's house. Once, when I was twelve, I was locked in my bedroom with bars on the door and window and everything. Ron and two of his older brothers Fred and George, two more best friends of mine, came and rescued me in the middle of the night in their dad's enchanted flying car. Those are totally illegal, you can't enchant non-magic artifacts but their dad was nuts about non-magic things. Anyway, this reminds me of their home except for the fact that their's no sweaters knitting themselves or pots and pans washing themselves."

"What?" asked a woman's voice. "How's that possible?"

"Magic, I'm a witch. All my friends are witches and wizards. My dad was a pureblood, one of a completely magical family and my mom was a Muggle-born, someone who has no magical family. My aunt, uncle, and cousin are muggles, my aunt is my mum's sister. I was raised by them...though I can't really say raised. Kept, maybe, enslaved, surely, but not raised."

"What happened to your parents?" asked Mrs. Beaver who seemed not to care at all that I was a witch.

"Dead, they were murdered right in front of me when I was fifteen months old. The murderer tried to kill me too but the curse backfired and almost destroyed him."

"Could you please explain?" they all asked collectively.

"The five of us humans are from the same world but different times. They're from the year 1943 but I'm from fifty-five years later, 1998. In our world their is magic but witches and wizards generally keep to themselves because Muggles, non-magic folk, never accepted us. We can't even tell Muggles of our existance unless it's necessary for example if I were to marry a Muggle or I was a Muggle-born witch who had to tell my family. I am of this secret magical world, a halfblood if you want to call it that. My mum was of Muggle descent, a muggle-born, and my dad was totally magical descent making me half and half but no less powerful. Some pureblood supremacists say that purebloods are the best, the most powerful. They inbreed a lot to keep the line pure. My godfather was disowned from his family who was like that for being a "muggle-lover". His parents were second cousins, in fact. Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, you can compare the wizarding bloodline charts to those made by the nazis. Their logic is that if you have one Jewish grandparent it dilutes the blood, right? Well in the magical world to some if you only have half magical lineage then you're half the wizard or witch they are. It's stupid and rediculous but that's it. I was born on July 31, 1980. I told them a brief synopsis of what happened to my parents, of each year at Hogwarts, and that I lived with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. I think the beavers pitied me now, me being the orphan, they didn't know the half of it. At least they weren't wary anymore.

"Oh dear!" Mrs. Beaver said. "To be so powerful but feel so powerless."

"I'm sorry if I was wary of you, Hayleigh!" Mr. Beaver said. "You aren't her kind of witch."

"I understand. This White Witch sounds almost as bad as Voldemort."

"I can't believe those relatives of yours were so terrible!" Susan said.

"I know, I can't believe how they were to you, you're not a freak!" Peter said. I definitely knew that this was one Peter I could get to like.

"So can you really change all your looks and stuff?" Lucy asked. I smiled and did a morph into Edmund's face.

"Oh, I'm just going to be a sulky little git because I'm jealous of Hayle's cool powers!" I mocked in his voice before turning back. Everyone laughed except Edmund who looked very sour.

"Why don't I start dinner!" Mrs. Beaver said.

"I'll help, it'll be quicker and we can eat sooner!" I said as I jumped up. With a flick of my wand, (if you haven't noticed I prefer to use my wand), I brought the stove to life. I then put it away and mentally levitated out some ingredients. Just as I was about to put some noodles in the pot I went into a vision. It was of Edmund running away thinking of the White Witch and the Turkish Delight she'd give him. I snapped out of it and growled, little idiot.

"Did you have a vision?" Peter asked me.

"Where's your lunkhead little brother?" I demanded looking around wildly. I didn't see him and I frowned.

"That little idiot is off to the White Witch, thinks she'll give him Turkish Delight, whatever that is. I'm going to chase after him before he gets himself captured and killed." I then transformed into one of two of my true animagus forms, a large gold lion with green eyes and a green tuft at the end of my tail.

"You look like...you look like..." Mr. Beaver stuttered. In shock, I turned back.

"Who?"

"Aslan, the great lion, all the pictures anyway. The only reason I know you aren't are the obvious reasons and your green eyes and that tuft!" Mr. Beaver said.

"It is one of my two animagus forms, I get the lion part from my Gryffindor heritage but the green tuft from my Slytherin heritage. I also have a snake form that is green with gold eyes and tail tip. The difference between these forms and my other forms is I can only become the other or human and I can't change the colors, that's how it is with high-level metamorphmagi who are animagi as well. The lion will be faster in the snow." I smiled and turned back before bounding out of the house and through the snow. I could smell the little idiot, he was about a hundred yards ahead of me. Unlike other animagi, I can talk in my forms if I altar my voice just like I can sound like an animal when human.

"Edmund, you little idiot, get back here!" I called. He looked back and frowned at me.

"The White Witch will reward me. You aren't near as powerful as her anyway!" I growled in annoyance and let him go ahead. It would be a long run. I became human and got out my magically enhanced I-Pod and headphones. I turned into a lion again and wandlessly put a sticking charm on

it, levitated it onto my head, and made sure the earbuds were in my ears. I then started running full-speed after Little Idiot Edmund to the tune of the Weird Sisters.

He kept running north for what seemed like hours until he reached a grim-looking castle with a courtyard full of stone creatures that I guessed were once real, that was ancient magic their. I turned back into my human form and caught Edmund by the shoulder.

"You really think she'll _reward_ you?" I demanded. "She's trying to trick you, silly boy, trying to get what she wants. All evil rulers are the same. If you go in their then you will surely be imprisoned or turned into yet another stone statue!"

"I brought you to her, that would grant a reward." he said.

"Fine, little idiot, I'll come with you but don't expect me to save your scrawny little neck!" I snapped. I folowed the stupid boy into the castle getting more and more creaped out by the second but I had seen much worse before, stone was better then dead and bloodied bodies. I searched out to see if I could find the witch's mind. Their was a barrier around it as hard as stone, I frowned. Edmund and I were met by an ugly little dwarf.

"And who's this?" he asked Edmund nastily as he grabbed both of us. I shook him off.

"None of your business, dwarf. I thought your people were extinct. Then again, this is Narnia, not England." I said cooly. The dwarf yanked us into the thrown room where a tall woman with glinting jade eyes and unruly black hair with highlights of red just like an older version of me stood, she looked to be in her early twenties.

"Ah, Edmund, and who have you brought? A sister? No...you look familiar...I know you from someplace..."

"That's right, I'm not his sister and I only came to get the little idiot out of trouble is all." I said with a frown.

"How _dare_ you talk to me like that!" the witch snapped.

"I'll talk how I like, thank you!" I said as I held my chin high in confidence, I was just as tall as the queen, both of us were about five ten but she looked far more inhuman then I. I could only get one thing out of her mind, Jadis, her name and Emeris, the name of her sister, how scared she was that I could be her.

"Where's my turkish delight?" Edmund asked.

"You aren't getting it, little idiot, I told you the witch was tricking you but _noooo,_ you think that you're _so_ smart!" I snapped.

"Who are you, girl?" the witch asked, half scared of this Emeris lady in her head.

"Hayle!" I answered.

"Excuse me, I will _not_ _HALE_ to _YOU!"_ the queen snarled.

"No, my name is Hayle, Hayleigh Lily Potter to be exact."

"Ah, take them to the dungeons!" she ordered. When the dwarf grabbed us by the arms I groped for Edmund's hand but just missed it as I vanished on the spot back to the Beaver dam. Their was nobody their. I expanded my mind out to here frantic thoughts, Aslan's How, must get to Aslan's How!" I turned into a blue eagle with bronze-tipped wings and sped up to where they wer.

"I couldn't get him out, I was right. I don't see any danger for him in the near future, he'll be fine but this is war!" I said. "So what exactly is the plan?"

"We're all meeting at Aslan's stone table, we're coming out with a battle plan." Mr. Beaver said.

"Excelent!" I said as I became human.

We trecked through the snowy forest as quickly as we could. By nightfall we were all tired and worn and my robes were ripped, thank goodness I had cast a strengthening charm on my bag. As Mr. Beaver was about to put up a makeshift tent I rifled through my bag that had lasted me through everything and pulled out the tent we had used before. With a flick of my wand and a few spells the tent was up.

"Go on in, it's bigger then it looks!" I said. I wish I could see their incredulous looks all over again as they entered the fournished house that looked like a tent.

"This is amazing!" Peter exclaimed. "So this is what magic is like, huh?"

"You haven't seen anything yet. How about some dinner? I won't use magic this time. I wouldn't be surprised if the White Witch had magic tracers." I said. "I should have thought of that when I set up this tent!" I got out all the ingredients I would need for spaghetti and started to work diligently. Within about an hour it and some garlic bread were done and I ladled the pasta into bowls and passed the food around before making myself a plate. Mr. Beaver and Peter were the first to start eating, massive grins broke out on their faces.

"You weren't lying, you _are_ a good cook!" Peter said.

"Aht-aht-aht, _I must not tell lies!"_ I joked as I brandished my fork at Peter who laughed.

"I'm going to set up some magic-detecting devices near the flap so they'll let me know if she comes. I think some of us should take watch, I'll take first." I pulled out the battered watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's and looked at it.

"It's 9:00 now. I'll keep watch until 12:00, someone else can keep watch from 12:00-3:00, and a final person from 3:00-6:00."

"I'll take second watch!" Peter said.

"Yes, and I'll take third!" Mr. Beaver said. "You're quite right, it wouldn't do to be caught by surprise." Mrs. Beaver, Susan, and Lucy went into one of the sections of the tent to sleep while Peter and Mr. Beaver went to another. I stuck my arm in my bag and pulled out my sneakoscope and a few other things. I also made sure my wand was right by me and the pouch from Hagrid was around my neck. I also brought out a book Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them so I might know at least some of the things I might be up against. I knew their were dwarves but what else? I made myself comfortable at the opening of the tent and time flew by.

"Hey!" someone said. I gasped and jumped, pointing my wand at them before I realized who it was.

"Oh, sorry, Peter. Wars make you jumpy like that!" I said.

"This whole we're-in-a-different-world thing is strange but the strangest thing is knowing that their's always been a hidden one within your own!"

"I know, I was amazed when I found out I was a witch. The Dursleys never told me. What I told everyone was an abridged version of my life, their's much more too it. My aunt and uncle made me believe that my mum and dad were worthless unemployed alcoholics who died in a car crash because they had drank too much and that was where I got my scar. I never knew a single thing about magic until I got my letter. I don't open up very easily...only to those I can trust my life with...and I, quite frankly, don't trust your brother half as far as I can throw him right now. He even goes as far as saying "you're not as powerful as _her"_ and "she'll reward me for this", stupid boy. Argh, I've been itching all evening...of course, do me a favor, please. I'm about to turn into my lion form, I left something on myself, I want you to take it off." Peter nodded and I transformed while undoing the wandless sticking spell. I transformed back to Peter's incredulous stare.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It plays music, it's called an I-pod!" I said. "It's magically enhanced so it holds all I want it too it the batteries won't go flat!"

"Amazing! All I've ever seen are records!" Peter said.

"Yeah! On the screen it should have all the info about each song as it plays. You can go through the songs if you like, I've got _some_ fourties stuff on their and some old witch named Celestina Warbeck that Mrs. Weasley likes but she's got too much vabrato for my tastes, I'm more of a rock type of girl, Weird Sisters, that sort of thing! Enjoy yourself. Mr. Beaver can have a listen too. Oh yeah, and if the little silver instrument their starts spinning around or does anything at all let me know, it's called a sneakoscope, g'night!"

"Good night, Hayle!" Peter said. I smiled and went into the girls' section of the tent and looked through my bag. I found a green nightgown and put it on before getting into a bunk and falling asleep.

The next morning we were all awoken by Mr. Beaver's shouting. Me, still war-paranoid, jumped out from my top bunk and landed nimbly...or maybe not-so-nimbly...on the ground and ran out to the living room area with my wand out.

"What is it, Mr. Beaver?" I asked.

"I here sleigh bells, it must be her and your machine thing's whizzing like their's no tomorrow!"

"Everyone stay inside, I'll deal with her!" I said. Peter, Susan, Lucy, and the beavers nodded _no._

"We'll come with!" Peter said.

"Fine!" I snapped as we stepped out. The tinkling grew closer and closer until instead of seeing the witch who looked way too much like me, I saw a jolly-looking old man on a reindeer-drawn sleigh with a large bag behind him. Lucy squealed with delight.

"It's Father Christmas!" she exclaimed.

"He doesn't exist!" I muttered thinking of all the times I as a child had never received anything from him.

"Of course I do, Hayleigh Potter!" he said merrily.

"How do I know you're not the witch in disguise? Proove it, I can't trust you until you do!"

"I am not Jadis. I know that you do not believe in me because growing up your relatives said that you were a bad little girl and didn't deserve gifts while your cousin got enough to cover a feasting table. In truth, I cannot make it onto Earth. I once could and that is where my legends began but not anymore."

"Nobody was supposed to know about my relatives' treatment of me!" I hissed.

"Very well, onto gifts. First to the Beavers, your dam has been finished. I will also have a sewing kit and saw set delivered. Peter, son of Adam, step forward." Peter did while shooting concerned looks at me.

"To you I give this sword and shield for the battles ahead, you will do well with them!"

"Thank you, Father Christmas!" Peter said as he stood back.

"Susan, daughter of Eve!" Father Christmas said, Susan stepped up. "This bow and quiver of arrows will do you quite well. You shall not fight in the first round but it will be useful! Also, if you call this horn then help shall always come." Susan thanked him and stepped back, Lucy was called forward next. "Lucy, daughter of Eve, do take this dagger if you ever shall need it and this cordial to help heal others!"

"I think I can be brave!" Lucy said quietly.

"It is not for you to fight, young Lucy!" Father Christmas said as she stepped back.

"Are those phoenix tears?" I asked from my spot, not expecting anything.

"Yes, you are very knowledgeable!" Father Christmas said. "Hayleigh, daughter of Eve, step forth."

"Are you sure you have something for me?" I asked as I came forward.

"Of course! I feel you shall need this in the battle more then your wand, you have the missing piece in your bag." he handed me a shield that matched the sword of Gryffindor perfectly. I reached into the bag around my neck from Hagrid and pulled it out. "Ah, just as I thought!"

"But why does she get to use a sword and shield, she's a girl!" Susan said curiously.

"It's my birth right, this sword was supposed to go to me, this is the sword of Godric Gryffindor and only true Gryffindors can use it. This shield is the stuff of legends. So I'll actually get to fight with my sword?"

"Yes! Most ladies here stick to the bow and arrow but you are no ordinary lady. Your blood melds with the sword perfectly and you, I daresay, will be one of the most deft wielders we have. Good luck to all!" with that, Father Christmas left.

"How about breakfast?" I asked as we went inside.


	57. Ohana

Ohana

Some attempt to write a Lilo & Stitch and Harry Potter crossover where a female Harry goes to live with Mertle's family for reasons… and… yeah…

Chapter One: Little Lilias

Expect a surprise...that's what her sister's criptic letter had said. Waiting at the Kawaii airport as she was instructed to do Azalea Edmunds didn't know what to expect. A tiny girl, looking about four or five coming up to her was the last thing she expected.

"Are you my auntie Zaylia?" she asked in a small voice. The child looked so much like Lily...Azalea's favorite sister...thick, wavy, dark red hair, a pale, round face, and emerald green eyes. The only real differences were that the girl's eyes had flecks of hazel in them and they were hidden behind big, bulky black glasses.

"Erm...I suppose so...what's your name?" Azalea asked.

"It's Lilias...just Lilias..." the little girl trailed off.

"Then yes, I'm your aunt Azalea. Where are Petunia and Vernon? What about Dudley?

"Aun' Tunia and unca' vernon sent me on my own. Say I'm too much a...a...a burden. There's papers in my bag...custy papers." the little girl said, holding up a battered bacpack. How could this child be a burden? She was so small...so thin...and her clothes...goodness. How could Petunia treat Lily's child so? She knew that Lilias was seven, her Myrtle's age and yet she was so small. Azalea simply shook her head and took the bag, throwing it on her own shoulder.

"Take my hand, dear." she said to the little girl. Lilias nodded slightly and did so, her little hand grasping tightly onto Azalea's larger hand.

An hour later she pulled into the driveway of her house. Getting out of her black Mustang convertable Azalea took a deep breath and picked up the now-sleeping Lilias from the back seat.

"Who's that, Mom?" Myrtle asked as she came inside.

"Your cousin, Lilias, from England. She's your aunt Lily's daughter and I want you to be nice to her." Azalea said. Myrtle sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Mom." she said.

"I mean it, Myrtle Rose, you'll show her respect and not give her any problems like you like to do to that sweet, orphaned little Lilo girl with the blue dog." Azalea said sternly.

"Yeah yeah, so where's she gonna sleep?" Myrtle asked curiously.

"I'll be putting her up in the bedroom next to yours, all right?" Azalea asked.

"kay." Myrtle said. Azalea smiled at her daughter. She definitely got most of the Evans looks; the red hair, the green eyes, the body structure, but like her father Myrtle wore a pair of glasses and her hair was a bit lighter red. Adjusting Lilias in her arms, Azalea made her way upstaihs.


	58. Oraculum Parvulus

Oraculum Parvulus

An attempt to take the soul mate trope and drop it on its head or something… In which it's a Ron and female Harry who are the soulmates, and Hermione is the bad one… I actually had this published for some time on FFN, but took it down. But now, here it is again for your reading pleasure… or mocking pleasure, whatever!

Chapter One: Beaten and Broken

I was broken. Broken and hurting. Sirius was dead and I couldn't help but think that it was all of my fault. Then that twinkling old bastard Dumbledore had to drop the prophecy on my head. "I wanted you to have a proper childhood, my girl," bla bla bla, all fake platitudes and lies. God...he made me so mad...how could I have been following him so _BLINDLY?_ Fifth year still had a few weeks left at that point. Every day I went to Pomfrey's Lair, also known as the hospital wing, to see my friends if for no other reason then I felt guilty about them being hurt. After a few days it was just Ron and Hermione who were stuck in Madam Pomfrey's clutches and Ginny, Neville, Luna, and I would come together to visit. I barely spoke, though, no matter how much they kept wanting me to do so. Well...not all of Them...but Hermione and Ginny especially. They were trying to act like my bloody grief counsellors.

"You'll feel better when you talk about him, Ryanna." Hermione would say.

"It's okay...really it is, Rya...I understand how you feel." Ginny would say but she didn't. Sure she'd been possessed by a damn _DIARY_ of all things and she had been stupid like me but she hadn't seen a loved one die as I had. How _DARE_ _SHE_ try to say she _UNDERSTOOD_ and treat me like a _BABY_ when I was a year _OLDER_ then her? Ron didn't understand but even at the time I was grateful because he didn't pretend that and he tried so very hard to cheer me up with his stupid sense of humour that I loved even then...even if I didn't even realise that I loved it. He also was just there for me; I felt like he was the only person I could rely on, his shoulder was always available to cry on. But as I did, I would catch Hermione looking on with disgust but I didn't understand why. Was she jealous? Was she angry with me? What was going on? She didn't think Ron and I were more then friends, did she? I liked Ron in a strictly platonic way, didn't I? Neville understood a bit more what it was like to see loved ones snatched away even if he was a baby when his parents were tortured. Hell, that'd be traumatising for _ANY_ child. Then, he had watched his own grandfather die. I felt a kindred spirit with Luna, especially. We had had some long talks about things...the fragility of life, the shortness of it all. She was right there when her mother died in that accident, nine years old, unable to do anything but she told me she still felt as though it was her fault, that she ought to have done something. Instead, the last thing her mother did was shield her from the unavoidable explosion. I was broken out of my musings of the last few weeks by a voice.

"Hey...Rya...are you all right?" Ron asked, shaking my shoulder.

"Huh? Oh...yeah...dandy as candy." I snarked.

"There's no reason to talk like that, Ryanna Lily Potter, and you know it. You don't need to take your grief out on everyone else, you know. I know you're hurting about Sirius but you need to handle it differently, be _MATURE_ about it." Hermione said in a patronising tone. I opened my mouth to make a nasty retort but Neville shook his head, Luna looked at me understandingly, and Ron squeezed my shoulder just a bit. I couldn't help the slight flush that entered my cheeks. Instead of snapping at her, I spoke in a cool, measured voice.

"Hermione, I would really appreciate it if you would just let me alone and stop nagging me about Sirius. Everyone mourns loved ones in different ways and grieves in different ways. I get the impression that you've _NEVER_ seen anybody die and your little grief books are that, just books, and books are a sorry substitute for real life and experience. All I'm saying is just _PLEASE_ stop acting like the righteous know-it-all." I said. Hermione scowled at me, an angry, indignant scowl.

"Come on, Ryanna. Don't treat your friend like that. You didn't see _ME_ moping around after I found out I had been _POSSESSED_ all year." Ginny said. I bit my tongue yet again and let out a cool response.

"Listen to me right now, _GINEVRA_ _WEASLEY!_ _NOBODY_ died then. You _NEVER_ saw someone you cared about _DIE_ unless you were a bit fond of the basilisk. Also, as it happens, I _DO_ recall you _MOPING_ _AROUND."_ I said before going into an imitation of eleven-year-old Ginny's voice. "Oh Rya...Rya...I'm going to be _EXPELLED!_ Merlin...they'll be _SO_ disappointed in me...and then I'll get disowned...and kicked out onto the _STREETS!_ What do I _DO!_ You don't here _ME_ going Oh Ginny...Ginny...I'm going to be _Arrested!_ I led my Godfather to his _DEATH!_ I'm _SUCH_ a _BAD_ _LITTLE_ _GIRL!"_ Ginny's face reddened in anger but Hermione shook her head as if to stop her from saying something she shouldn't.

The rest of the ride was spent in an awkward silence. Hermione and Ginny still looked pissed off but at least I had Ron, Neville, and Luna. Eventually we reached the station. I looked down at my attire and sighed, baggy hand-me-downs from my boy cousin Dudley. The six of us got off the train and split up. Neville went to his gran after saying goodbye and Luna went to her father, promising to write. Hermione left for her parents without saying a word and Ginny did the same, rushing towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley but Ron stayed behind.

"Hey, you'll be okay, Rya. If you need someone to vent to or whatever you can always owl me. I'll try and get you to the Burrow ASAP. I'll see you later." he said. Then, he gave me an awkward one-armed hug. Both of us blushing like mad, we separated.

When the ticket inspector signalled to me that it was safe to walk through the magical barrier between platforms nine and ten I walked through, filled with trepidation. That only increased when I found a surprise awaiting me on the other side. Three people stood there to greet me and they were _NOT_ the Dursleys. Mad-Eye Moody stood there, looking sinister even with a bowler hat covering his magical eye, carrying a staff and wearing a travel cloak. Tonks stood to his right, dark eyes sparkling, a bright and cheery smile on her face, her spiked pink hair gleaming in the dirty sunlight of King's Cross's many skylights and windows. She wore a pair of heavily patched Muggle jeans, a light purple Weird Sister's shirt, a black choker with some sort of pinkish purple stone hanging off it, and chunky black boots. Lupin stood to Moody's left; he looked more grey and worn then when I last saw him. He wore a shabby coat and, beneath that, a shabby old pair of Muggle jeans and a light jumper.

"Hello, Rya," he said.

"Hi," I said quietly, averting my eyes, "I didn't expect...what are you all doing here?"

"Well," said Lupin with a slight smile, "we thought we might have a little chat with your aunt and uncle before letting them take you home.

"_WHAT?"_ I squeaked, heart accelerating in panic. I knew what would happen if they tried to threaten my uncle and it would _NOT_ be pretty for me. Getting back some semblance of composure I continued.

"I just mean...wait...I mean...erm...I...I dunno if...if that's...that's a good...erm...good idea," Blast, I still sounded like a blithering _Idiot!_

"Oh, I think it is," growled Moody, who had limped a little closer to me. "That'll be them, will it, Potter?" The grizzled ex-auror pointed over his shoulder, magical eye obviously zoomed in on them. I looked for myself and there they were, the Dursleys. My heart beat even faster at this, they did _NOT_ look terribly pleased at my entourage, not at all.

Well shall we do it, then?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah, I reckon so, Remus," said Moody. He and Lupin took the lead across the station towards the Dursleys, who were apparently rooted to the floor.

"Good afternoon," said Lupin kindly to Uncle Vernon as he came to a halt right in front of him. "My name's Remus." Uncle Vernon turned a deep, nasty shade of puce and glared at Remus, but chose not to say anything, partly, perhaps, because the Dursleys were outnumbered, if only by one, that one being me. Aunt Petunia looked both frightened and embarrassed; she kept glancing around, as though terrified somebody she knew would see her in such company. Dudley, meanwhile, seemed to be trying to look small and insignificant, a feat at which he was failing extravagantly.

"We thought we'd just have a few words with you about Rya," said Lupin, still smiling.

"Yeah," growled Moody. "About how she's treated when she's at your place." To the casual observer, it could be said that Uncle Vernon's moustache seemed to bristle with indignation. I, however, knew that that was a sign that he was very, _very,_ _VERY_ angry, just short of ripping out clumps of his mustache among...among other things. He glared angrily at me, the thinly veiled malice in those muddy eyes clearly visible to me. Aunt Petunia looked disdainfully at me, lips pursed, arms crossed. Dudley looked on gleefully, sure that the Order members would get me in even deeper shit. I felt my heart accelerate more, my palms started sweating, and I began lightly trembling. Swelling up, my uncle addressed himself to Moody.

"Good sir, I am not aware that it is any of your business what goes on in my house—com" he started but was interrupted by Moody, making him turn an even more violent and angry shade of puce. He _HATED_ to be interrupted.

"I expect what you're not aware of would fill several books, Dursley," growled Moody. I winced and flinched away, that was _NOT_ a good thing to say.

"Anyway, that's not the point," interjected Tonks, whose pink hair seemed to offend Aunt Petunia more than all the rest put together for she closed her eyes rather than look at her. "The point is, if we find out you've been horrible to Ryanna—com"

"And make no mistake, we'll hear about it," added Lupin pleasantly. I gulped. This was _Not_ turning out well. I was in _DEEP_ _SHIT._

"Yeah, if we get any hint that Potter's been mistreated in any way, you'll have us to answer to," said Moody.

"And she's already had a rough enough time this year what with...what with...what with Sirius...Sirius...what with Sirius being gone." Remus stammered out, looking sad, not even realising what he was saying. I felt sick...I felt like a girl heading to the gallows...I might as well have been. Uncle Vernon swelled ominously. I gulped, this didn't bode well for me. It didn't matter what I did and didn't tell, what mattered to my so-called family was that I even _ALLUDED_ to the fact I was mistreated. To them I was an ungrateful little freak who deserved nothing more. It might have been almost okay but then...then Remus just _HAD_ to spill that Sirius was...that he was _BLOODY_ _DEAD!_ I wasn't just in deep shit, I was positively buried in it, suffocating, no way to escape.

"Are you threatening me, sir?" my uncle said at length, demanded it so loudly that passers-by actually turned to stare.

"Yes, I am," said Mad-Eye, who seemed rather pleased that Uncle Vernon had grasped this fact so quickly.

"And do I look like the kind of man who can be intimidated?" barked Uncle Vernon who, if possible, looked angrier than ever.

"Well..." said Moody, pushing back his bowler hat to reveal his sinisterly revolving magical eye. Uncle Vernon leapt backwards in horror and collided painfully with a luggage trolley. Even though he was startled it wouldn't have scared him enough. "Yes, I'd have to say you do, Dursley." He turned away from Uncle Vernon to survey me.

"So, Potter... give us a shout if you need us. If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along..." Aunt Petunia whimpered piteously. It could not have been plainer that she was thinking of what the neighbours would say if they caught sight of these people marching up the garden path. Uncle Vernon simply glared, he just didn't take them seriously and I knew that he didn't give a damn what they were threatening.

"Bye, then, Potter," said Moody, grasping my small shoulder for a moment with a gnarled hand.

"Take care, Ryanna," said Lupin quietly. "Keep in touch." I shook my head, I probably wouldn't be able to. Hopefully...hopefully if it...if it got too bad...well...they'd come in three days.

"Don't worry, we'll have you away from there as soon as we can," he continued. I simply nodded, flinching. My uncle had surely heard that.

"Wotcher, Rya, take care of yourself." Tonks smiled, giving me a sisterly, one-armed hug. Even though I was in deep shit because of them, it still meant a lot to me that they were trying to defend and protect me. Waving my hand in farewell, I let myself be roughly led away by my impatient uncle.

The drive home was spent in a stifling, frightening silence. Aunt Petunia simply glanced at me as though I was some sort of...of...of _ANIMAL_ that needed _PUNISHED._ Dudley, from time to time, kept shooting me nasty smirks. My uncle's face, however, was the most frightening of all. As he drove, beefy sausage fingers gripping the steering will so tight his knuckles were white, his face cycled through a kaleidoscope of different colours...red and purple and blue and pink and white...all equally frightening. Eventually, he parked in the driveway of number four and the Dursleys got out.

"What are you waiting for, you useless little _RUNT?_ Get your impudent arse out of that car and bring your...your...your _FREAKY_ _THINGS_ inside the house _THIS_ _INSTANT!"_ Uncle Vernon roared.

"Yes, sir." I said quietly, scampering out of the car and around back to the boot. Grabbing out my trunk and Hedwig's cage, I shut the boot and rushed toward the front door. Standing to the right of the porch steps, Dudley let his foot out so that I tripped over it, falling onto my knees and thwacking my head on the step itself. Big crocodile tears sprung into my cousin's eyes and he ran around through the back door, snivelling that I had deliberately stomped on his fat foot. Great, as if I needed that. As I entered the house Uncle Vernon grabbed me around the neck with one of his big, beefy pink hands. His face got right up close to mine and he spoke in a deathly whisper; I could feel his anger, smell and feel his hot breath, feel the flecks of spittle flying out of his mouth, and feel his hand tightening around my neck.

"I'll tell you one thing, you disgusting little _Freak!_ You think your freaky little _FRIENDS_ can intimidate me then you can _Think_ _AGAIN!_ I promise you now, _GIRL,_ that we...will...talk...later!" he hissed, hand tightening on my throat. As a last reminder, he socked me in the left eye making my glasses snap and dig into me and making my lens crack. Having spoken his "peace" he shoved me towards the stairs and I stumbled up them, heaving all of my things. Once I reached my "room" and shut the door I collapsed onto my bed, frightened tears leaking from my eyes.

It had been a long time since I had cried around the Dursleys, it wasn't even until last year that I had let my friends see me cry, I had learned when I was small that that only made the punishments worse. Uncle Vernon hadn't punished me, not quite so severely at least, in years, however, not since just before my eleventh birthday; I had no clue what un-vented frustrations he would take out on me. The beatings had pretty much stopped when Hagrid had first come for fear that he would come back again. They continued to just be minor when they thought I could do magic after first year. The punishments after the Dobby incident were a bit rough, starved and locked into my room, but then again, it was better then being a punching bag. After my second year not much happened but I was threatened on pain of death to behave for Aunt Marge, my uncle's sister, who, when I was little, liked to sic her bulldogs on me. Then, after third year, I let slip that the "mass-murderer" Sirius Black was my godfather and they were not so bad. That carried over, pretty much, to the summer after fourth year. However, with the Order threatening them to treat me right, my uncle's ire must have been released. Other things must be happening as well to get him so mad, problems at work, problems with other things, but now that he had a reason he would foist the blame onto _MY_ _SHOULDERS._

I shakily got up and went over to my trunk. I had no idea what my uncle would do, really. I wasn't going to take any chances, though. Rifling through my things I pulled out everything important to me or that I might need; my invisibility cloak, the album of my parents, pictures of my time at Hogwarts, gifts from my friends over the years, and, most importantly, some sweets that I had managed to save over the year and on the train today. Along with my wand which was in my pocket before, I stuffed everything into the nitch beneath the loose floorboard under my bed that the Dursleys had no clue about. Closing my window so Hedwig couldn't get in, I took my glasses off, put them on my nightstand, plopped onto my bed, curled up, and closed my eyes.

I must have fallen asleep for the next thing I knew the door to my bedroom banged open and the hulking figure of my uncle stood in the frame, eerily illuminated by the waning light of the early to mid evening sky. I flinched back as he grabbed me up and a fist met with my right eye.

"Think you can go squealing to your freaky little pals can you, you worthless little _BITCH?"_ he yelled, spittle flying, shoving me against the wall by the bedroom door.

"No...please...I didn't..." I trailed off weakly, spluttering, eyes watering and stinging with the effort of trying not to cry.

"Think you can humiliate me in front of those _FREAKS?_ Think you can _Get_ _AWAY_ _WITH_ _THIS?_ Think you'll get off _SCOT_ _FREE?_ So where's your big, _BAD_ godfather _NOWADAYS?_ Got himself _KILLED,_ did he? Can't very well threaten us with him now _CAN_ _YOU?_ Oh no, you _DISGUSTING_ _LITTLE_ _FREAK,_ it's high time that I _GAVE_ _YOU_ _YOUR_ _DUE!"_ He roared, blows raining down on me with every accentuated word. I bit my lip hard, making sure I didn't cry out or so much as whimper, that would just make it worse.

"Wasn't my...my...my idea...so...so...sorry...uncle...just don't...don't...don't do this...do this...do this...please...uncle...please." I begged as he continued wailing on me.

"Thought I'd have beaten that _FREAKISHNESS_ out of you a _LONG_ _TIME_ _AGO!_ But _OH_ _NO,_ you freaky lot can _NEVER_ _BE_ _NORMAL!_ Well I can do one thing, you vile, freaky little bitch, I can promise you that if I have my way...one way or another...there's gonna be _ONE_ _LESS_ of you _FREAKS_ in this world." there was an almost manic glee in his eyes as he said all of this. I was quivering and trembling in fear. He then hauled me roughly up by my left arm and shoved me out the door. Behind him he dragged my trunk and Hedwig's cage.

"Take the _FREAK'S_ things out back would you, Dudders?" he asked his son. Dudley nodded and hefted the trunk and cage from his father's hands. As he shoved past me he let the trunk jar my other arm. Once he was down and outside Uncle Vernon began speaking.

"Oh yes...you _DISGUSTING_ _LITTLE_ _FREAK!_ First thing's first you'll se all of that _FREAKY_ _SHIT_ treated as it _SHOULD_ _BE!_ Now _GET_ _DOWN_ _THERE!"_ he hissed, shoving me towards the stairs. I stumbled on the first one and found myself tumbling down the lot of them, landing in a tangled heap, at least a broken arm, ankle, and perhaps a concussion.

"What are you _WAITING_ _FOR_ you useless, no-good _FREAK?_ Get your _ARSE_ _OUT_ _THERE!"_ Uncle Vernon snarled as he waddled down the stairs, deliberately stepping on my right hand, the hand that didn't belong to my left arm which was broken from the fall with the shoulder dislocated from my uncle's yanking. A few fingers and perhaps the wrist itself snapped painfully and I whimpered softly only receiving a kick with the other foot. Blinking back tears, I scrabbled onto my knees and then onto my feet, limping out to the back yard.

My uncle shoved me onto my knees right in front of a smoking fire in the Dursleys' outdoor fire pit.

"This is...what I wish...that I could...do to you...you little freak...and maybe I _WILL._ This is what happens to a freak, everything that makes you such a _FREAK_ is in this trunk, isn't it? And in your little pockets, _HMMM?_ Well watch it burn...watch it burn like all _FREAKISHNESS_ should." he said in a low, cold voice, first ripping off my clothes and throwing them in the fire before throwing my entire trunk in there as well. "I can't burn you...kill you...not now...but I can do almost as good...almost." he continued. "Hold 'er down, son."

"Right-O, Dad." Dudley leered before sitting on my legs so I was stuck on my stomach, barely able to raise up my torso. I saw my uncle slip off his belt...he had done this before...but what he had done next he had _NEVER_ done before. The cool metal buckle of the belt he thrust right into the flames, holding it there for several seconds. Then, with a manic grin, he swung up and then back down, the hot buckle digging into the soft flesh of my back. A second and a third time he did it, then a fourth, fifth, and sixth. I bit my lip in pain, a rogue tear sliding down my cheek. Just as he was about to do it a seventh time there was an angry hoot and Hedwig flew towards us, beak and talons gleaming in the moonlight.

"_SO,_ the little _FREAK'S_ little _FREAKY_ _PET_ _OWL_ has come to play, has she?" Uncle Vernon sneered. Then, faster then I could expect or that Hedwig could dodge, he took out a small hand pistol and shot my first best friend...my snowy owl...my Hedwig...right...between...the...eyes.

"_NOOOOO!"_ I screamed out as my owl fell right into the open flame.

"Shut _UP!"_ Dudley roared, punching me in the head. I blinked and saw stars. Shrieking and hooting, not quite dead yet when the small bullet hit her, Hedwig burned up in the flames and I found myself truly crying; I cried for Hedwig, I cried for Sirius, for Cedric, for my parents. The Dursley men continued flinging insults at me, pummeling me, hitting me with the red hot belt buckle, but I was just too upset to care. All I could think about was the death of Hedwig, my first true friend.

I must have fallen unconscious for the next thing I knew I was being shrieked at to get up and do the chores. I whimpered, my back felt on fire, my arm, shoulder, hand, and head hurt, I could barely move.

"Are you up yet you lazy no-good _FREAK?"_ Aunt Petunia demanded, barging into the bedroom. My only response was a groann. _ SLAP._

"Don't you _DARE_ cheek me like that, _GIRL!_ Your _UNCLE_ will here about _THIS!"_ she snarled, slapping me in the face. With that, she waltzed out of the room and slammed the door.

That night the beating was worse, they'd done my stomach and I ended up with at least a cracked rib or two. Also, at the end of the night, I was "given" my old room.

"This is the _ONLY_ place where _FREAKS_ _LIKE_ _YOU_ _BELONG!"_ my uncle had roared. Then, he shoved me into the now very cramped cupboard under the stairs.

The cycle continued for a number of days that simply seemed to run together. Where was the order? Why weren't they rescuing me? Every day things got worse and worse but nobody ever checked up on me. I began, slowly but surely, to begin thinking as I did when I was a child; that nobody loved me, nobody would ever come for me, and that was just what a freak like me deserved.

Chapter Two: Blood and Tears

For me, summer started off normally enough. We were staying at Headquarters again and were drafted into cleaning the place up. The twins were there usual prankster selves, Ginny was moping about not being able to floo over to her boyfriend's house, Dad was still working hard at the Ministry, and Mum was...well...Mum. I was glad to be out of school, really, especially with all the adventures we had had. The brains had only left a bit of scarring on my arms and that might even fade in time. I really was worried about Rya, though. She had done so much, cared so much, and I was afraid she'd be blaming herself for _EVERYTHING._ I had overheard the confrontation with her so-called family, saw her flinch, saw her tremble. I didn't know much about abuse but if there was _ANY_ family I would suspect of making an innocent, sweet, smart, talented, brave, wise, humble, kind, gentle, beautiful...erm...pretty, fifteen-year-old girl suffer it would be those Dursleys.

That's why I became worried after the third day and she hadn't owled us. By the sixth day I was frantic with worry and confronted not only Mum but the headmaster.

"Professor...sir...has Rya owled yet?" I asked him as he was leaving an Order meeting.

"Ah, Ronald, I am afraid young Ryanna has not contacted us yet." he said in a gentle voice.

"_WHAT?"_ I demanded. "But Moody promised...I heard him...that if she didn't owl every three days someone would check up on her." I protested.

"Quite true, Ronald." the old man agreed.

"So has anyone?" I asked.

"No, not yet. Give the girl time, my boy; I'm sure when she's ready she shall contact us." he said. Then, with a swish of his purple robes, he was out the door.

For the next few days I kept trying to owl her using whatever owl I could find including Pig and the Order's owl. The Order's owl came back, looking worse for wear with no letter and Pig didn't come back at all. This was really freaking me out; I was worried about her. I kept trying to ask some people about how she was, if she had owled, if anybody had checked up on her but most everyone alluded my questions. The only ones who genuinely seemed to care were Mum, Dad, Lupin, Tonks, and even Moody.

"Girl's got gumption, I say. Barmey ol' codger, don't see why he keeps assigning us stupid missions; it's like he doesn't want her checked up on." the old auror had said. The twins cared as well but they still weren't being let into the Order and they weren't around as much. After a week and a half of Break Hermione came and started getting on my nerves from the beginning. When I told her how worried I was she'd say things like "Honestly, Ronald, I'm sure she's fine," and "Just let her be. If the great _RYANNA_ _LILY_ _POTTER_ just wants to be an immature brat about all this then _LET_ _HER,"_ and "If you spent as much time worrying about your homework as you do worrying about Ryanna you'll be a straight O student." That one really got to me. Nag nag nag nag nag, that's all she _EVER_ does. On the night of June 15, two weeks exactly since we'd been out of school, I finally exploded at the dinner table.

"It's been two weeks! _TWO_ _BLOODY_ _WEEKS!"_ I roared, throwing down my spoon which sploshed into my bowl of beef stew.

"Ronald Billius Weasley, watch your language!" Mum demanded.

"_NO!_ I'll speak as I bloody well _LIKE!_ It's been _TWO_ _BLOODY_ _WEEKS!_ _I_ haven't heard from Rya, _HERMIONE_ hasn't heard from Rya, _GINNY_ hasn't heard from Rya, as far as I know _NEVILLE_ and _LUNA_ haven't heard from Rya, and I _DAMN_ _WELL_ _KNOW_ that the _ORDER_ has, without a doubt, _NOT_ heard from _Rya!_ What the _HELL_ is the matter with _YOU_ _PEOPLE?_ You swear if she doesn't owl you'll check up on her and _WHAT_ _DO_ _YOU_ _DO?_ Here's what, you just leave her alone, you don't even check up on her, you just go _BACK_ on your _WORD_ as _WIZARDS_ that you'd be _THERE_ _FOR_ _HER!"_ I roared, anger bubbling up inside me, eyes wide, cheeks flushed in anger.

"Dear boy, please calm down. I am sure she is only grieving for Sirius; they were quite close, after all. If she wants to spend the summer alone to sort out her thoughts then I do not see why we should not let her. In fact, I think it best that Ryanna stay at Privet Drive for the remainder of the summer. It will give her time to herself, time away from our world, time for the girl to grieve. I am sure that someone can pick up her school supplies; it will be good for her." Dumbledore said. I felt even more furious and pounded my fist onto the tabletop making all of the dishes and goblets rattle as I rocketed up and glared at the headmaster that, at one point, I had respected more than anybody. As my anger mounted, his glass of pumpkin juice exploded into his beard.

"_HELL_ _NO!_ How could you even _THINK_ to let her stay with those...those...those _PEOPLE?_ I've seen the way she looks at the end of the summers; I've seen the way she eats, as though at any moment someone will take it all away; I saw the locks on her door, the _BARS_ on her _WINDOWS!_ And you want to leave her _THERE?_ _THERE_ of all the _BLOODY_ _PLACES_ in the _BLOODY_ _WORLD_ she could stay? And even if she _WAS_ grieving, as you so _APTLY_ put it, then why wouldn't she at least _OWL_ us in the _FIRST_ _PLACE_ to say "Hey, don't owl me, I don't want to talk?" or even if she was in a shitty mood, "Sod off you bloody tossers; I don't give a damn what you have to say and I don't want to here from you _AT_ _ALL?"_ I think that it's pretty goddamn suspicious that she hasn't at least _DONE_ _THAT._ That's just _NOT_ the Ryanna Lily Potter that I _KNOW!_ And have you ever thought what could be happening while we just _SIT_ _HERE?_ She could be either one of two things. Either A: she's so bloody depressed that she's on the verge of...or has already tried...or even succeeded with...with...with suicide...or B: her so-called _RELATIVES_ are using her as some sort of bloody _PUNCHING_ _BAG!_ I swear...I swear that if _YOU_ don't do something about this then _I_ _Will!"_ by the end of my little tirade I was trembling with anger, still red-faced, bleary-eyed, and breathing hard. Everything in the room was rattling and several glasses had exploded by this point. Before anybody could get a word in edgewise I ran out of the kitchen, not even bothering to right the kitchen chair that I had upset. As I reached the main staircase of Grimmauld Place I dimly noticed that Mum's shock had worn off and she was now screaming for me to return downstairs...yeah right...like I really wanted to see anyone right now. Angrily I burst into my room and flopped on my bed; now, now I needed to come up with a plan.

Later that evening Mum had come in and given me a real earful about disrespect and language and respecting one's elders and a bunch of other shite I didn't really care about. I knew that Mum _DID_ care about Rya but she was just too faithful of the headmaster, unaware of his machinations. In the end, I had gotten properly pissed off and told her just what I thought about the whole damn business. After shrieking me a little more deaf she declared that I was not allowed out of my room for fear I'd "start another incident" and that my meals would be brought up to me.

The next morning found me in bed, thinking about what I was going to do. A knock sounded at my door and I scowled.

"_WHAT?"_ I demanded.

"Calm down—com"

"Ickle Ronnykins—com"

"It's just us." Fred and George chimed as they entered my room. Behind them they hovered not only just one but three trays of food. The two shut the door and sat on the vacant bed, levitating a tray over to me and setting their breakfasts on their laps. After a few complicated wand movements from both of them they began to speak.

"We're on your side, little bro." they said.

"We have to get Rya out of there." Fred said.

"I don't get it, they're all being so thick." George agreed.

"So you're with me?" I asked them suspiciously.

"Ronnykins." Fred said.

"Rya is like our sister." George said.

"And you know us." Fred continued.

"We don't take "no" for an answer." George said.

"And we know how you feel about her, baby brother." Fred said.

"Once you have her, just tell her. Tell her how you feel. Give her the love she's never received before." George finished.

"But wait...how...you two...but...what if she..." I trailed off.

"She won't reject you." Fred said.

"Trust us for once, please?" George added.

"Have you seen us so serious before?" they asked.

"No...I guess not...I guess you're right. But how d'you know I'm so...well...conflicted?"

"We can just tell." they said.

"It's the way you look at her."

"The way you act with her."

"The way you want to make her happy."

"The way it's obvious to see you'd go to the ends of the earth for her."

"And she's the same with you." they chimed together.

"You...you...you're right, you're totally right. And when I see her I'm going to tell her that...that...that I'm in love with her. I think that the best time to rescue her is tonight." I said.

"Already on it!" the twins stated in tandem.

"We put a clear sleeping solution in the pumpkin juice, butterbeer, and firewhiskey." Fred informed me.

"And in case someone drinks water we coated the rims of the goblets in a clear powder." George added.

"It should knock them out after about twenty minutes for two hours or so." Fred continued.

"But we've got backup in the shape of a wolf and a clumsy metamorphmagus." George finished.

"What d'you mean?" I asked.

"They overheard us plot last night." Fred started.

"And they wanted in." George continued.

"Said they'd look out for us." Fred took over.

"Make sure they all stayed asleep." George finished.

"Well...okay then. So tonight?" I asked, finishing my breakfast.

"Tonight." the twins agreed. with a mock-salute, they levitated the trays and left the room.

That night, I dressed in my Muggle best...an orange T-shirt, jeans, and trainers. I combed my hair, scrubbed my teeth, and shaved, even. The twins entered into my room around half past six as I was pacing back and forth. They wore identical outfits, jeans, trainers, and red T-shirts under bright green dragon-hide jackets.

"Ready to go, little bro?" George asked.

"Erm...yeah...I'm ready." I said, fingering my wand that was in my front pocket.

"Good." Fred said. Then, grabbing my arm, he appearated away. It was like being squeezed through a straw of some sort and I didn't like it at all. We landed on the corner of Privet Drive and started walking down the sidewalk towards number four. As we neared we could here the sound of smack after smack and a low, menacing voice.

"Nasty little freak...you should have died with your parents...beat it out of you...beat it out of you! Can't you see it? Nobody's coming for you! _NOBODY_ _LOVES_ _YOU!_ _ADMIT_ it, you little freak! You _FILTHY_ _URCHIN!_ Say it! _SAY_ _IT!_ Say that you're an unworthy freak and that _NOBODY_ loves you!"

"I...no...I won't." Rya's voice stammered, weak and frail.

"Rya, Rya, Rya, _RRRRRYYYYYAAAAANNNNNAAAAA!"_ I yelled, ripping from my brother's grip and taring up the path. I burst through the unlocked door and saw a horrible sight in the entrance hall, a big, beefy man about to smack Rya, who was face-down, with a spiky belt.

"Get _AWAY_ _FROM_ _HER!_ Get your filthy hands _OFF_ _OF_ _HER!"_ I roared, launching myself at the man. My arms went around his middle and I yanked him backwards.

"What are you _DOING?_ This little freak _DESERVES_ it!" the man roared, whirling around to glare at me. "Wait...you're one of those...those _FREAKS,_ aren't you?"

"Yes I _AM!"_ I snarled, punching him hard in the jaw. He might have been bigger and fatter but I was taller. From nowhere a fist collided with my head and I stumbled back.

"Nobody hits my dad, _FREAK!"_ shouted the fat boy I recognised as Rya's cousin.

"And _NOBODY_ hits our _LITTLE_ _BRO!"_ the twins roared right back from the doorway. It seemed like they had totally forgotten about magic, that or they just wanted to pound him, for the next second he was being held down and beaten soundly by my shorter, somewhat stouter, brothers. I snapped back to the task at hand, Rya's pig of an uncle. I tackled him to the ground and delivered a hard fist right to his head. He hit back and got in a few good ones as we rolled around the floor and into the living room, causing mass destruction, but I got in better.

"This...you great Pig...is...for...my...Ryanna!" I snarled. Then, with a hard punch I knocked the older man out.

"_VVVVVEEEEERRRRRNNNNNOOOOONNNNN!"_ came a shrill scream and a bony, horse-faced woman launched herself at me. Luckily, since they were done with Pig Jr., the twins restrained her but not before she could get a whack in with the frying pan she held aloft.

"Nobody threatens our family, blood or no." they said together. I nodded, head still spinning...that was going to hurt like a bitch tomorrow.

"Let me go...you ruddy freaks...I'll call the police...I will!" she shouted.

"And for what? Just to be arrested? We think not." Fred said.

"We'll be going now." George agreed. I nodded and, moving past my brothers and Rya's aunt, I went into the entry hall where she still lay, face-down. She was totally naked, welts and lines everywhere, bleeding out. Her normally sleek, smooth, and straight thick black hair which was streaked with red was fanned around her in a matted, bloodstained halo. She looked so skinny and pale, emaciated. I walked over so I was in front of her.

"Ron...you...you...you _CAME!"_ she croaked, trying to scoot herself up. Her normally vibrant emerald eyes were dead and haunted, her face pale and much too haggard-looking.

"Don't speak...you're injured...but of course I came. Fred and George, too. Now where's your stuff? We're getting you out of here." I told her.

"Burnt it...he burnt it...and Hedwig...dead...shot...burnt...and Pig too...I'm sorry...but floorboard...under bed...wand...map...cloak." she stammered.

"We'll get those, don't worry. Rya, I came to tell you...to tell you...oh god, Rya, I love you!" I gasped out, gingerly turning her over, picking her up, and holding her bridle-style. Way to go, genius, what a time to tell her; it must be the slight concussion but I had to continue, had to reaffirm how I felt. That feeling was only strengthened as she spoke her next words.

"You mean...you mean that sort of love?" she asked quietly.

"Rya...yes...yes I do. I understand if you don't...and I'm so, _SO_ sorry I wasn't here sooner...oh God...I'm so sorry..." I trailed off. I saw some of her old sparkle return as she spoke.

"Ron, shut up and...and let me talk...I...I...I love you, too." and with that she passed out in my arms.

"We need to go, bro." Fred said.

"So her condition can be better monitored, she's in bad shape." George said.

"Fine, let's go." I said. The twins roughly let go of Rya's aunt, grabbed me by an arm each, and appearated us away back into my bedroom. I gingerly set her on the spare bed and pulled up a chair beside it. Apparently, we were past two hours for an irate Mum came rushing into the room.

"_RONALD,_ _FREDERIC,_ and _GEORGE_ _WEASLEY_ how _DARE_ _YOU—com"_ but her rant was stopped short as she saw Rya on the bed. "She...but he said...how...I don't understand...oh Merlin...my fault..." and then she fell into a blubbering wreck.

"Mum...Mum...MUM! She...Rya...Ryanna needs help...she's so injured..." I trailed off. Mum snapped into action then, calling out orders, demanding Madam Pomfrey, all while she was still hysterical. I didn't see either Hermione, Ginny, or Dumbledore in all of this but the rest of the Order was frantic.

"Poor dear...bruising...broken leg...concussion...broken hand...broken arm...broken ankel...broken ribs..." Madam Pomfrey fretted, running her spells.

"She...she...she was naked; she wasn't...wasn't...wasn't...you know...was she?" I asked fearfully, shifting around from the position she had forced me in on my bed when she saw the lumps on my head. Fred and George were in similar states, forced into beds in their own room.

"No...and I thank God she wasn't...poor girl...how could I have never known? How could I have not noticed? And you lie right back down this instant, Mr. Weasley, before I have to restrain you." Madam Pomfrey said. Sighing dejectedly, I slumped back onto the mattress.

"But she'll be all right...won't she?" I asked quietly.

"Of course she will, Mr. Weasley, just give it time. Now you're stressing yourself out with that concussion of yours. I suggest you get some rest."

Chapter Three: Vodis ego pardis

I never expected it to be like this. For me to tell Ron how I felt in such a way. Before that fateful rescue I wasn't sure exactly what I felt about Ron. What did I feel? What did love feel like? But through my hazed vision, as I saw the worry crinkling Ron's face, as I saw the love in his eyes, as the pain lancing through my body was replaced by a happy swelling in my heart, I knew. I knew that I loved him too. I was being selfish, I was setting him up for death, he deserved better, but I didn't care. If he could love me, Ryanna Potter, the girl-who-lived, Voldemort's number one target, extreme trouble magnet, and the freak of Little Whinging, how could I not love him back? And so I told him and fell into sweet oblivion. Whether I lived or died I was happy because I knew that I was loved and could love in return.

for the next I don't know how long I was just sort of floating on that fine edge between unconscious and conscious. I could hear bits and pieces of conversation about my well-being, how Mrs. Weasley blamed herself, and how worried Ron was about me. I didn't here Hermione or Ginny or Dumbledore but I didn't care. Hermione and Ginny would have never done what Ron did and it was Dumbledore that set me up for a life of misery in the first place, wasn't it? The only person I really even gave a damn about was in the bed next to mine, only separated by a wobbly nightstand.

After awhile I felt my consciousness return to me as well as the sensations of pain. Although it was much better than at the Dursleys my pain was still a throbbing ache all over my body. I stifled a groan and stayed completely still; I could here talking. Pretending to still be out like a snuffed candle I listened to what was being said.

"This certainly puts a damper on our plans, doesn't it?" Dumbledore was saying.

"What are we to do? You know, professor Dumbledore, that now he's saved her life Ronald and Ryanna will become even closer? He's supposed to be _MINE,_ I tell you!" came the voice of Hermione, surprisingly shrill and grading.

"And you promised Potter to me. After all, the girl-who-lived marrying someone so close to the ministry would be beneficial, would it not? I won't have my snot-nosed little brother taking my prize." came, to my utter shock, Percy Weasley's voice.

"That's right. We'll give Potter and my youngest brother the potions and things will be just great! Once Potter is head over heels with you, Percy, you can get her pregnant. After she is, we can hide her away and without their beacon of hope the wizarding world will go crazy! After that, she'll step in, die the martyr's death, and leave all her wealth to her child, Percy, me, Hermione, and you, Professor." Ginny's voice rang out.

"Quite right, dear girl." Dumbledore said, his voice smug.

"But professor, why can't they be seduced any other ways? Outside the potions, I mean? Or at least using a weaker one?" Hermione asked.

"Ah, a very good question that I feel I can tell you. You see, there is a book in the Ministry, the Department of Mysteries to be exact. It registers every sort of bond between people. Our Ryanna and Ronald share the potential for such a bond. It happens to be the most potent of all. It is called the Vobis Ego Partis or, roughly translated, With You I Share. Need I say more? Because of this bond they have grown closer and closer over the years. This must stop." Dumbledore said.

"Yes, sir." the three said together.

"Now you must make sure of one thing. Ronald and Ryanna must _NOT_ _KISS!_ If they do than all of our plans shall be _RUINED!"_

"But how?" Percy asked.

"Dear boy, for someone so smart you do ask foolish questions, don't you? It is because if they kiss than the bond will become active and then we won't be able to do anything. Hermione, Ginevra, do keep your eyes on Ronald and Ryanna at all times. Percival, keep working your way through the ranks at the Ministry but we will have to plan out your repentance to your family eventually so you can officially join the Order and spy on the Ministry. Don't disappoint me, you three." Dumbledore said.

"We won't." the three said in unison. Then, they all left, shutting the door behind them.

"Bloody hell." I said and heard Ron say the same from his bed.

"D'you reckon it's...it's...it's true?" Ron asked in a whisper.

"D'you...d'you want it to be?" I asked him. "With me? I'm just a big fat target, Ron, I don't want...I could never...never endanger your life."

"You're not. I love you no matter what and now I know why. Rya, even if this vo-go-par-tis thing didn't exist I'd still feel the same." Ron said.

"What do we do, then?" I asked. Ron simply smiled at me through the darkness of the room. I could barely see him but I knew he was. Slowly he got out of bed and crept over to mine. He sat gently down on the edge of my bed and, with much care, lifted me into his arms. I responded in kind, tentatively hugging him back.

"We do what they don't want us to do. We do anything to ensure we cannot be manipulated. We kiss." Ron said.

"We kiss." I agreed. Both of us leaned slowly towards each other and our lips met. As they did so I felt this feeling...this happy, elated feeling. It was as though I was complete now but I didn't even realise I was missing anything until this had occurred. It was like fireworks going off, like there was a balloon of love and happiness inside me, like I never could be sad again. Vaguely, before I was entirely entranced by this kiss, I noticed a pure gold light expanding from us and that we were floating a foot or so above the bed, now both in standing positions.

"Arthur...do you think she'll be all right?" I asked my husband in the middle of the night, waking suddenly. I had just woken from a nightmare...Rya blamed everything on me...and said all sorts of awful things...it is a mother's worst fear for her own child, who she loves deeply, to hate them. I knew I wasn't Ryanna Potter's mother, I could never take Lily Potter's place, but still...she is like my own daughter. I had been so worried...but Dumbledore said...but Dumbledore was human after all. All my life I had looked up to the man but now I was seeing that he was, indeed, human and not some greater power. He was also a manipulator of extreme proportions, I realised, playing everyone like chess pieces. He didn't even seem very concerned about Rya at all and that did _NOT_ bode well for me.

"Hmmm?" Arthur murmured with a yawn. It was nearly midnight, after all.

"Will Rya be all right?" I asked again.

"Yes, Mollywobbles, she'll be fine, trust me. And I'm sure she doesn't blame you in the least." Arthur assured me, putting an arm around me. He knew me so well. I had been asking the same questions for the two days that Rya had been here and he hadn't gotten cross with me once.

"All the same I want to check on both her and Ron. She hasn't woken up yet and that bothers me." I said.

"All right. I'll come with you, love." Arthur said. The two of us got out of bed, slipped robes and slippers on, and walked silently out of our room. Up the stairs we went and into the hallway where Ron's room was. Ordinarily we wouldn't let the two share a room, being of different genders, but Ron wasn't permitted out of bed yet due to his concussion and Rya hadn't woken up yet. The first thing that we noticed was that a bright gold light was emanating from their room. Walking forward, I grasped the door and pulled it open, Arthur right behind me. Both of us gasped in shock at what we saw. Ron and Rya were there, floating above Rya's bed, lips locked in a kiss. A bright, beautiful, pure gold aura of magic pulsed steadily around them.

"Arthur...Arthur what?" I gasped.

"No...it couldn't be...a soul bond." Arthur also gasped. Leaning on each other as a form of support, we watched this bonding unfold. After about ten or so minutes, much longer than I would have thought one could kiss and not breathe, they parted only slightly. Ron still held Rya in his arms, her arms around his middle. Then, they began to speak to each other in Latin.

"Vobis ego partis meus pectus pectoris." Ron said.

"Vobis ego partis meus pectus pectoris." Rya repeated. "Vobis ego partis meus animus." she said just after she had repeated the first phrase.

"Vobis ego pardis meus animus." Ron repeated. Ron continued, "Vobis ego partis meus mens."

"Vobis ego partis meus mens." Rya repeated. Then she said, "Vobis ego partis meus monumentum." part of her seemed reluctant to say that, almost like she knew what she was saying, but I was pretty sure that neither of them knew any latin.

"Vobis ego partis meus monumentum." Ron also said. "Vobis ego partis meus affectus."

"Vobis ego partis meus affectus." Rya said as well. "Vobis ego partis meus vita."

"Vobis ego partis meus vita." Ron also said. "Vobis ego partis meus diligo."

"Vobis ego partis meus diligo." Rya repeated.

"Vobis ego partis meus panton. Ego diligo vos pro infinitio." they said together. Then, they leaned in for another kiss.

"Arthur," I asked my husband. "Is it really?" I was referring to the Vobis Ego Partis. The only people to even know about such things are the Minister, the chief warlock of the Wizengamot, and Unspeakables. The knowledge of all such bonds is strictly classified from the general public. Only those civilians who bond ever find out about them. There was a time once where Arthur and I were both Unspeakables, nobody knows, however, not even Albus Dumbledore himself. In answer to my question Arthur, the more linguistic of us, translated what was said.

"With you I share my heart. With you I share my soul. With you I share my mind. With you I share my memories. With you I share my emotions. With you I share my life. With you I share my love. With you I share my everything. I will love you for eternity. Yes, Molly. This is the strongest soul bond in existence, the Vobis Ego Partis." Arthur confirmed.

"Oh Arthur...our Ronald...and Ryanna...I never thought..." I stammered. bla bla bla


	59. Into the Past

Into the Past

In which next generation Lily, overpowered as my typical for this time period of my writing, is sent to the past, Marauders era…

Chapter One: The Journey to the Past

I, Lily Potter was finally going off to my last year at Hogwarts. Being so huge into classes, I was taking every NEWT class including, to my parents' amazement, Divination. I had the time turner on a chain around my neck under my robes but that didn't mean I'd not be pranking. Also, despite my pranks which were just as bad as my brother James's but more thought out, I had been made both Head Girl this year and Quiddich captain last year. Anyway, my mum and dad had both hated the subject of Divination and, to be honest, so did I in a sense. However, I needed a class that would give me some enjoyment and a laugh and that old bat Trelawney gave me just that. Plus, the mystic madwoman was still miffed that I had proven to have a much higher seer ability then she did. The only worthy thing I could now pin to her name was, "Well I made the prophecy concerning your father!" _ha!_ At least I can remember afterwards when I make any minor prophecies. The most important one being, "The one of the ferret blood shall finally reunite with his love, one with the blood of smarts and fire and they shall seal the rift of the two parties and bring peace once again.". I had made that when I was ten about Scorpius Malfoy and my cousin, Rose Weasley. Consequently, my stubborn dad and even more stubborn uncle had actually become friends with Draco Malfoy, their school enemy. Draco didn't even flip when Scorp got sorted into Gryffindor. It's no surprise, really, that Scorp proposed to Rose last Valentine's day, their wedding was set for December 20th. All us Potters and Weasleys have been in Gryffindor though Al and I made it awfully close to making it into Slytherin, especially me. I still use my "Daddy's little Lily-Flower" card sometimes but have learned to ease up a bit now that I'm older. I realize it kind of blows him away sometimes, I look uncannily like my dead grandma. Both Albus and I got Dad's green eyes, James got Mum's brown ones and Dad's messy black hair. Al's like a carbon coppy of Dad just like I look like a carbon coppy of grandma Lily, my namesake, and James looks like a combination between Mum and Dad.

"You make sure that you write, Lily Luna Potter!" Dad said.

"I promise! I'll send Cow sometime soon!" I said. I know the name Cow seems a bit mean for a bird but all us Potters and Weasleys have took up the tradition of nameing our owls after animals as nicknames and something more complex as the full name. For example, the old, nearly dead owl Uncle Ron had gotten in his fourth year was named Pigwidgon but Mum started calling him Pig, it stuck! At present, James had an owl named Chickatiro or "Chick", one of his favorite words I suppose being such a prankster, Marauder, and a bit of a flirt, Albus had an owl named Duckluian or "Duck", Rose had an owl that she jokingly calls PJ for Pigwidgeon JR, Hugo has an owl named Bullnigo or "Bull", and my owl's name is Cowherron or "Cow", you see. Such are the crazy quirks of the Potter/Weasley clan!

"Good, and please don't give McGonagall any reason to revoke your badges just because you're...you're pranking somebody's pants off again!" Mum warned as she took me from my dad's embrace and held me in one of her own. She was so much like Grandma Molly sometimes it was scary. When Mum and Dad told us about their Hogwarts days, both Mum and Dad had mentioned that my uncles Fred and George, Fred having been saved by Percy in the second war to live, had been reprimanded like this in third year before Mum could go. Mum had been upset that she couldn't go that year, much like I had felt being the only girl. When Grandma had warned them not to blow up a Hogwarts toilet seat, they had merely said that they had never done that, that it was a great idea, and that they would send Mum the seat.

"Prank the pants off, Mum, that is _so_ first year. Then again, if I did that, nobody would suspect me!" I said with a mischievous grin. Mum just rolled her eyes.

"Bye, sis, pull lots of pranks!" said my older brother by three years, James Potter, an auror-in-training.

"I will!" I said as I hugged my brother.

"Bye, Lils! Don't get in too much trouble!" Albus, the almost-Ravenclaw healer-in-training said as he hugged me.

"Yeah yeah, Al, I couldn't have become Quiddich captain and Head Girl if I was _that_ bad!" I said. Albus himself had been head boy when I was in fifth year and James when I was in fourth. Also, James had been Quiddich captain his last two years of school and Albus captain his last year, it ran in the family. Both boys had received chaser talent from Mum while I had the deft eyes of the seeker like Dad, Albus was the only one to inherit our grandfather James's sight which Dad had inherited as well. I waved at my family and got on the train, shrunken trunk in my pocket, my wand, magnolia and unicorn hair, ten and one quarter inches, which had actually belonged to my grandma Lily that they had recovered from Godric's Hollow, in my wand holster. I went down the hallway and to the heads carriage, I had no idea who the head boy was. I was almost certain that it couldn't possibly be my boyfriend, Damion Zabini, son of Blaze Zabini, another one of my parents, aunts, and uncles rivals-turned-friends's sons. He was far too mischievous and pulled too many pranks. However, low-and-behold, their he was in his Slytherin glory, also with the Quiddich captain badge on his chest.

"Damion? Amazing seeing you here as Head Boy!" I said, sitting down.

"Not nearly as amazing as seeing you here! Of course you _are_ McGonagall's favorite, daughter of Harry Potter, little miss Gryffindor golden girl!" Damion said teasingly.

"Oy, cut it out!" I said as I cuffed him on the shoulder. "As if you're any better, hmm? Let's see, snakey house, bad boy, Zabini, your grandma had a total of twenty-seven husbands that all died mysteriously including your grandfather, Dames, that _really_ makes you Head Boy material!" I said jokingly. It was then that I went into a trance-like state. I had a feeling that this would be something very major. I could tell that I was speaking in that weird ethereal voice I used during all the prophecies I had made.

"Daughter of the savior shall travel to a place of deepest need;

Where she is to change the future, to help, to guide, to lead.

And it will be a world exactly paralell;

Where it is sure that this young girl shall make all things their well.

She shall tell them the untold,

Their lives hers to mold.

Daughter of the savior shall travel to a place of depest need..."

"Lily...Lily...Lils!" Damion said as he waved his hand in front of my face. "Are you all right?" My eyes snapped open and I sat more erect in my seat.

"I...I think something might happen to me soon, daughter of the savior...me...I'm the only daughter...what could this mean?" I asked. Before Damion could answer, the prefects filed in. We talked about the rules and expectations for prefects, me half-distracted by my new vision, and then we all split off to do our rounds. My robes were on and I still hadn't enlarged my trunk or Fireflame Streak, my new broom, I'd do that later. As I was walking down the hall, I was rudely barreled into by one of my worst enemies, Glenda Goyle, daughter of Gregory Goyle and Pansy Parkinson.

"Sorry, blood traitor!" she spat. "I've no clue how you got to be Head Girl!" She ran off at that, cackling like the insane wierdo she was. It was then that I realized their was sand all over my body, that Goyle had ran into me hard. This wasn't just sand, it was time turner sand and I was being covered with it. I fingered the broken time-turner hanging limply on my neck. I accidentally gave it a nudge and their was a blinding swirl of sand, I felt like I was falling. As soon as the sensation had started it stopped. I got woozily to my feet to see that their weren't the same people around. I could see a girl with golden hair that reminded me of pictures of Narcissa Malfoy flouncing down the hallway, a pale, long-haired guy who looked like Draco Malfoy behind her. The thing was that they both looked only about seventeen. I stood up and brushed the sand off. I was approached by a boy that looked so much like Albus I gave a start, then I saw the hazel eyes and the head boy badge on his chest.

"C'mon, Evans, are you okay? And where did you get my Quiddich badge from?" he asked in a voice that sounded eerily similar to James's.

"Wha-what? You're wearing it!" I stammered. The boy looked down.

"You don't look good, let's quit patrols and go back to the head compartment, all right?" What in the name of God was happening to me? If I remembered right, the pictures of my grandfather James had hazel eyes and my grandma Lily's maiden name was Evans, this must mean that I was in the past, in their seventh year. The Ravenclaw part of my brain worked quickly and I figured out just how far back I was, 48 years, _FOURTY-EIGHT_ _BLOODY_ _YEARS!_ James Potter, my Grandfather, led me to the same compartment I had been in what seemed like a few minutes earlier but was almost exactly 48 years later! He handed me some pumpkin juice which I immediately gulped down. It was right then that a girl with dark red hair, a slender build, and emerald eyes came in. She was in utter shock at the sight of me.

"Who-who are you?" she asked as she sat down, her own Head Girl badge on. James looked in between us in utter confusion.

"My...my time turner broke and then I was here!" I stammered. "Tell me, what is the date and year!" I asked in a voice so similar to the other girls' it was scary. This was happening, my prophecy was coming true.

"Well it's September 1st 1977, of course!" James said.

"James, don't be a _prat!"_ said my grandmother before I collapsed in a dead faint.

I blinked my eyes open what seemed like a long time later. Their was a bright light and I shut them again, opening them slowly.

"Bloody freaking _hell,_ _please_ tell me that that was a dream or a sick prank by my demented boyfriend or brothers and I'm _not_ in 1977!" I said outloud as I sat up. I was in the hospital wing, I could tell. A very much younger-looking witch bustled over.

"You've got quite a bit of explaining to do to the headmaster! When are you from, dear, I think that sometimes time travel can be very exhausting." It was then that I recognized her as a much younger Madam Pomfrey.

"Madam _POMFREY!_ Oh my god you're so young! I was so sad when you retired in my third year, who was going to fix my Quiddich injuries, I thought! But god you look great!" I rambled, that was a bad habbit of mine sometimes, I talked a lot.

"Wha-what?" she stammered.

"When my time turner broke, it was September 1, 2025! I had just been so _rudely_ barreled into by my enemy, Glenda Goyle. My time turner broke, I accidentally touched it, my seventeen-year-old dead grandfather led me back to my compartment where my seventeen-year-old dead grandmother came in, they told me the year, I passed out."

"You do look quite like Miss Evans! Are you, by chance, related? Actually, scratch that, Don't want to tamper with the future!" Madam Pomfrey said.

"Actually, ma'am, I think this happened for a reason. Earlier on the train ride in the head compartment with my boyfriend, I made a prophecy. It was about the "daughter of the savior" coming back and helping a perfectly parallel world and making things well, I'm a seer, you see. In the time and world I live in, my father was the one to vanquish Lord Voldemort!" Madam Pomfrey shuddered at the name. "That's what it meant by the savior's daughter, I'm the only girl, I've got two older brothers. I think I'm supposed to help in some way but I want the trustworthy staff and people involved including you, Professor Sprout, I think that's what her name is, Professer Sluggtop...no slugbat...oh _SLUGHORN,_ I wouldn't know, he died the summer before my first year, Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledor. Assemble everyone including James Potter, Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, and Peter Petigrew along with Severus Snape, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Andromeda Tonks and husband Ted, Molly and Arthur Weasley and their children, and any members of the Order of the Phoenix you feel trustworthy enough. I trust you, Madam Pomfrey!" I said.

"Yes, of course!" Madam Pomfrey said, flabbergasted. "We'll se you in the headmaster's office, he likes sugar quills." she then bustled out of the room. I realized, greatfully, that I was still in my robes and none of my items in the pockets were dammaged. I got up, streightened up my outfit, put my shoes on, and walked up to the headmaster's gargoyle.

Chapter Two: Some Explanations

"Sugar quils!" I said to it. It jumped aside and I ascended the spiral staircase to the top where I knocked on the door and I was admited, shutting the door behind me.

"Wow, you're Albus Dumbledore! I've only ever seen you on that headmaster's picture wall back their and the chocolate frogs!" I said as I sat down in the very front of the room, in front of everyone else.

"Ah, have I retired then? I suppose I might by whenever your from, Madam Pomfrey didn't say." Albus Dumbledore said.

"Na-no, sir, you died in June of 1997! At least in my world! I made a prophecy, you see, about me helping out people of an exactly parallel world. It said I was to tell you what happens in our future so I can help brighten yours." I said, standing up and facing everyone. "I'm from September first, 2025. You see, in my time, Voldemort has been dead 27 years, my dad finally killed him."

"Who are you and who is this father of yours?" James Potter asked from the crowd.

"Lily, Lily Luna Potter. I was named after you, my first name anyway!" I said, looking at my grandma. I stepped up to her and James. "You guys are my grandparents. In just under three years, you'll be married and have a son, Harry. I don't want that to change in this reality. You guys were so in love when you died."

"How'd they die, old and grey?" came the voice of a guy with longish black hair and grey eyes, he definitely had the Black family look that Scorpius had somewhat.

"Well...no. Professor Dumbledore, when you were looking for a new divination teacher, you found Sybil trelawny—com"

"Trelawny? That weird little mystic girl in fourth year?" James demanded.

"Oh do shut up and let me talk, James, you're just like your grandson and namesake. Actually, he's named after both you and Sirius, James Sirius Potter, he's an auror-in-training." I said.

"Well apparently your father didn't have much brains in nameing, did he? I suppose he wouldn't being James Potter's son!" I whirled around at the voice.

"And god knows why he named my other brother after a spiteful little greaseball like you! You were my dad's potions teacher, a total git every step of the way! I said sharply. Everyone looked shocked. "Yes, Albus Severus Potter, he's a healer-in-training. I remember his first year. He was scared of winding up in Slytherin and Dad looked into his eyes and said, "Albus Severus, their is nothing wrong with Slytherin. One of the men you were named after, Severus Snape, was in Slytherin and was one of two of Hogwart's greatest headmasters and one of the bravest men I knew". The other headmaster was named for you, Professor Dumbledore. So don't go off on a tangent about my unborn father whose name you don't even know!" I finished.

"Bloody hell, why wasn't I so brave in his eyes!" James asked.

"Oh you were. Anyway, Sybil Trelawny made a prophecy when you were about to leave, sir. She's really a mediocre seer but this prophecy basically said that the one to defeat the dark lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies, and he shall mark him as his equil, for neither can live while the other survives, the one to defeat the dark lord approaches... This was given at the Hog's Head and a then loyal Death Eater heard part, only part. This could have either meant my dad, Harry James Potter, or your son, Frank, Alice, Neville Frank Longbottom. Both of you went into hiding, Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, I dunno who your secret-keeper was for the fidilius or if you had a fidilius but you weren't found. Grandma, Grandpa...I'm just going to call you Lilly and James and Molly and Arthur—com"

"What?" came the response of a young red-haired couple.

"Oh yeah, my mum's name is Ginevra or Ginny Weasley, youngest of seven. I see you're pregnant with Fred and George, excelent, Molly! In another two years you'll have my uncle Ron and a year after that you'll have my mum! As I was saying, Lily, James, your secret-keeper was Sirius at first but you switched it to that rat Petigrew the last minute!" I then saw the little butterball by the other three Marauders and I couldn't help myself. I ran up, knocked him out of his chair, kicked him in the balls, and punched him in his nose.

"What did Wormtail ever do to you?" James asked.

"This little worm sold you out to Voldemort! He became a little Death Eater and told Voldemort of your hideout in Godric's Hollow. Voldemort came on Halloween night. James, you told Lily to get my dad and run, you wouldn't. Lily, you ran upstairs and protected Dad even when you heard Voldemort cast the killing curse at James...I'm sorry! Voldemort came into the nursery, he called you a silly mudblood and told you to step aside, you wouldn't. He...he...killed you. It was love that saved my dad, Lily, ancient magic powered by love. That night, Voldemort was ripped from his body, a small bit of his already split soul lodging itself in my dad giving him a connection to Voldemort and the ability to speak parceltongue. He was fifteen months old when you two died. Being his only family left, he was sent to live with that horrid great-aunt of mine, Petunia! She and her husband Vernon had him living in a cupboard for eleven years, he thought you'd died in a car crash! He finally learned the truth when all these letters started coming and then Great-Uncle Vernon drove them to a shack in the middle of nowhere. It was Hagrid who first told Dad everything, gave his fat cousin Dudley a pig's tail too. Dad went to diagon alley and got his supplies, very shocked to find he was filthy stinking ritch! His wand was eleven inches, holly with phoenix feather from Fawks their, the other feather Fawks gave was in Voldemort's wand. I think it's a good idea to tell you all about his first year tomorrow, I'm beat. Oh yeah, the Death Eater that saw half the prophecy was Severus...shut up and let me talk...but when Lily was in danger, he felt so horribly guilty for messing everything up he became a spy for Dumbledore and even begged Voldemort to spare her. Voldemort eventually killed him with his snake Nagini in spring of 1998. That's why Dad called you brave, Severus, you were able to act all cold and indifferent when you really did care. You gave Dad some memories of you and Lily before and during Hogwarts, Dad showed them to me but I won't show you because they're personal. Lily, Severus, don't stop being friends. Lily, James, just stop bickering and kisss already!" I said. To my surprise, they did. After that, James, Sirius, and Remus all went over and yanked up Petigrew's left slieve to find the dark mark. They then, along with me, Lily and even Severus, began pummeling him until Dumbledore called them to order.

"You deserve Marauder status, Sniv...I mean Severus. I wish you hadn't heard the prophecy but at least you were able to do a lot of good, thank you!" James said, Sirius and Remus nodding in approval.

"Now we need a cover story for you, Mis Potter." Dumbledore said.

"The Slytherin part of me was thinking the same. I was thinking I could be Lilyanne Porter, an exchange student from the Ireland Academy of Magic. I'll have to keep my Head Girl and Quiddich captain badges hidden, they show the date too, but I've already got my Gryffindor robes! My parents' names are Henry and Virginia and I have two older brothers, John and Alden who are out of school already. All thre of us are magical but our parents are muggles, I'm your cousin, Lily, but they didn't know you were named Lily so they named me Lilyanne. We both even have the same birthday, January 22,, I've even got your wand, they were able to save it. I'll still keep my personality but add some Irish lilt to my voice, I'm very good at disguises, I'm a metamorphmagus and can alter my voice without a wand so that's easy. I don't want to change my looks, though, I like them! I'm taking all NEWT classes so I'll need a time turner."

"Very well, Miss Porter, only the teachers shall know your real name. I see that you have kept your same general name, yes?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah, that's so if people call out "Lily" I won't respond when people think my name is something else. I thought it best like that, Lilyanne is better then Lilian or Lilith, though that would be my second choice, or Lily-Marie or Lily-Jane or Lily-something-Or-Another. Oh yeah, I've got a mirror in my trunk that hooks up to my world and family, I'll have to try it out!" I said.

"It seems as though you're pretty-well cut out for Slytherin or maybe Ravenclaw too!" a much younger McGonagall mused.

"The hat thought of Ravenclaw for a second but then started thinking of Slytherin. It said how cunning I could be but decided on Gryffindor in the end like my whole family, my dad, my mum, my brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins. Anyway, I'm beat, let's all go to bed, hmmm?"

"Yes, and I'll have Mr. Pettigrew taken to the hospital wing." Dumbledore said. Before I went out the door with Lily, James, Remus, Sirius, and Severus, I took off my Head Girl and Quiddich Captain's badges and put them in my pocket.

"I'm really sorry for the way we treated you, Severus!" Sirius started.

"You're not so bad after all!" James said.

"I agree. Do you want to join the Marauders? You could be like another voice of reason!" Remus asked. Severus Snape actually smiled.

"Sure!" he said as he made his way to the Slytherin dorms. All of us made it to the Gryffindor entrence, finally, and went inside using the password, Warbalini! The common room was just as I remembered it 48 years later, nice and tosty with big squashy sofas and chairs.

"I'll show you to the girl's dorm, Lilyanne!" Lily said, making a show out of my first name.

"It's Lily, cousin, just like yours!" I said with an eye roll. "Honestly I'd have thought you'd remember! I've only been in Ireland, not on Mars!"

"Oh, sorry!" she said. I followed her upstairs and through the door of what would be my room if I hadn't been chosen as Head Girl. "I decided to just stay here instead of using the Heads quarters, so here we are." Lily said. I thanked her and took out my little trunk, enlarging it with my wand. My trunk was red and gold with three compartments, one for clothes, one for school supplies, and one with a room in it where I could hang out, I couldn't let anyone see it though because it had a whole bunch of future technologies. I put my shrunken broom in it and rifled for some pajamas. I put them on and slowly got into bed, closing my hangings. Before my head could hit the pillow, I was out.

Chapter Thre: The First Day

I was not a morning person so I really didn't appreciate being shaken awake at 6:00 in the morning by some girl I didn't even know.

"Hey, it's 6:00, Lily, don't you have to start your rounds?" she asked.

"Goway!" I moaned.

"C'mon, Lils, it's time to get up!" she said.

"Wha the hell, leemi alone!" I grumbled, turning over in my bed.

"Lily, what's wrong with you?" asked the girl, shaking me some more.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" I mumbled.

"Lilly Marie Evans, don't play dumb with me!" she said, pulling me out of my bed and onto the floor. I jumped up at once, eyes flashing.

"Who the hell do you think you are, waking me up this early?" I demanded.

"But Lily..." she started.

"I'm not Lily! I'm her cousin, Lilyanne Porter! I just transfered last night from the Ireland Academy of Magic! Knowing my cousin, she's probably already up!" I said.

"Oh...sorry...I'm Jezzaabelle McCarthy, just call me Jezzy, my mum's American, you see, so I got tagged with the wierd name."

"Oh, you can call me Lily, Jezzy. Since Lily and I were born on the same day, our parents didn't know the names of the other kid so we both basically got named the same thing, Lily and Lilyanne, Lily and Lily. Sorry for cursing at you so much." It was then that someone emerged from the bathroom.

"What's going on?" Lily asked.

"Jezzy accidentally mistook me for you!" I said. "I kind of cussed a bit more then I should have!"

"Oh! I'm sorry for not introducing you sooner, you two! Jezzy, this is Lilyanne, my cousin. She's muggle-born like me and her two older brothers are wizards." Lily said.

"You two look for the world like twins, not cousins! You wouldn't happen to be looking like Lily for the fun of it and be a metamorphmagus, would you?" she asked.

"I am a metamorphmagus but I really look like this. I'm going to get dressed!" I said.

"Okay!" Jezzy said, flicking some of her curly blonde hair out of her blue eyes.


	60. Elfish Pixy

Elfish Pixy

An attempt to write some sort of female Harry magical creature (non-veela) inheritance sort of thing. Includes ridiculous naming conventions and ancestral dream meeting sequence…

Chapter One: Magical Inheritence

Five minutes to go, I thought to myself. Five minutes until I turn sixteen. I stared out the window into the cloudy, starless night. I dare not go back to sleep where nightmares plague me, haunt me, remind me of my wrongs. My parents who loved me so much they died for me, Cedric, the first boy I ever had feelings for, and now Sirius, the father I never had and probably never will have again. They were all dead and for who? Yes, all dead for me, dead for nothing. Sometimes I wish that I was in the ground, or through the veil in Sirius's case, with them. Damn it I really do but I can't. The prophecy that that bumbling fool gave to me still haunts me even now. The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the dark lord shall mark him or her as his equal but he or she shall have the power the dark lord knows not, either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches. I really wish the manipulative old goat would have told me this sooner, I'm not just some little china doll. I really thought he cared about me but does he really? Am I nothing more than a tool? I briefly stopped my train of thought as I looked at the clock, one minute to go. Fifty seconds, forty, thirty, twenty, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...ooooowwwwwch! Suddenly their was a bright flash and I collapsed on my bed in extreme pain. Of course...my sixteenth birthday...how could I forget that all witches and wizards get a power boost or any creature inheritances? Well all I have to say is that inheritences are a bitch because this really fucking hurts. I'm never normal am I? That was the last thought before darkness claimed me.

When I woke up I was not in my room at Privet Drive but in a luxurious sitting room laying on a couch.

"Wha? Who nabbed me?" I muttered sleepily, rubbing my eyes and trying to sit up. I felt dizzy so I promptly flopped back down.

"Down you go, dear child. Don't try upping yourself quite so quick-like, understand?" came a sweet voice as a short, plump figure stepped into my line of vision.

"Spinny room...blurry...glasses?" I mumbled only to reach up and find that they were on my face already. I took them off, rubbed them, and rubbed my eyes. I looked around without my glasses on to see that I could see with sharp clarity. The person that was just a blurb before I could see crystal clear. She had a round, kind face, a smallish nose, a short, plump figure, caring chocolate eyes, and gingery-blonde hair that went in gentle curls down to her waste. The set of robes she wore were yellow with black trim.

"Who?" I questioned, sitting up. She simply smiled and ushered others over to me. Two of them I recognized at once as my mum and dad. Dad's hair was unruly and black, sticking up in the back, his glasses were on, and his hazel eyes sparkled mirthfully. He wore a set of red robes. Mum wor a set of emerald robes making her bright emerald eyes pop out, they contrasted but went very well with her dark red hair. Her eyes too were filled with mirth.

"Mu-Mum? Da-Dad? Ho-how is this...I don't understand?" I stammered, staring around.

"This is your night of inheritence, baby girl." Mum said, coming forward. "Anybody with ancestors who have knowledge to pass on come into this nether-realm, a median if you will, where the living and the dead can converse. The ancestors pass on gifts, knowledge, and advice if you prove yourself worthy of them. In any case, we explain what you will receive none-the-less and you get to meet us."

"Oh...I've never read such a thing." I said weakly.

"Ha! This is like a tradition, Flower-Bud! You never write it down because the younger generations have to experience it themselves and you can't exactly give some people false hopes now can you?" Dad said, shaking his head.

"Right...so...you're all my _ancestors?"_ I asked quizzically.

"Aye, that we are youngest lady o' me line." came a warm, booming, throaty voice. I looked to the source to see a tall, broad man with unruly curls of flaming red hair going down to the middle of his back and a beard that went down to his slightly rotund belly. His eyes were a clear, bright blue and he wore ruby red robes trimmed in gold.

"Erm, sorry, who are you exactly?" I asked.

"Well I am Godric Gryffindor, co-founder of Hogwarts School o' Witchcraft and Wizardry, the one named for Gryffindor House which, I do hope, you are in, dear little lass." the man boomed out, grinning at me.

"Ignore the barbaric brute, he thinks that his house is all that just because they go charging off into wreckless adventures that almost get them killed." drawled another man. He was tall but lean, slender, and more compacted in muscle with mahogany hair to his shoulders, sharp features, cool grey eyes, and a somewhat pointed goatee gracing his chin. He wore silver-trimmed green robes. "Salazar Slytherin, tis nice to make your acquaintance, lady. I do hope that it is my house in which you are placed."

"Nay, I protest it, Salazar. Is she not of Ravenclaw blood as well? Who is to say that she is to be in _your_ house? I can see intelligence shining in those eyes; those are the eyes of the Ravenclaw line." said a woman in bronze-trimmed blue robes. Her hair was black and cut short, only just brushing to her shoulders, her skin was golden tan and her eyes were large emeralds like my mother's and mine. I smirked, I would use this to my advantage, perhaps. "What say you to this, Helga?"

"I say nothing, Rowena, but she would fit well in all houses, I do believe, and how does it truly matter? She is our last heir, does that count for not?" asked the very first woman I had seen.

"It counts for much, sweet Helga. Now tell us, girl, to which house do you belong?" Salazar asked. I caught my parents and a few other people snickering at my predicament.

"I belong to the house of Potter for that is my last name." I said with a smirk.

"Do not play innocent with us, we see past that expression. Merlin knows we've seen it on Godric too many times to count, his look of mischief and mayhem. Tell us, what house do you belong in?" Rowena asked.

"Hmm, do you wanna know? Do you really wanna know? Do you really, really, _REALLY_ wanna know?" I asked.

"Yes yes _YES_ _ALREADY!"_ Godric said, practically bouncing. I composed my expression and said the name of the house that wasn't trying to have me in it.

"Hmmm, how 'bout Hufflepuff?" their was a chorus of _WHAT_ through the room. I smirked and winked at the three disappointed founders and little Helga Hufflepuff who was smirking just the same.

"But how—com"

"I was so sure—com"

"But with that look—com"

"Kidding, kidding, kidding." I said with a laugh. "But if you're to find out you must understand my little poem and listen to the end."

"What a Slytherin." Salazar muttered.

"We'll do it!" Godric piped.

"Little people filter in and gather in a line, I stand small and quite afraid next to two new friends of mine. Soon the professor calls me and whispers fill the hall, and I stride up and put on that old hat who claims to cap them all. "Interesting," he says, "I see all of houses four," "But where should I put you be it Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor?" The sorting hat continues to peak into my mind, and he eventually picks out the two that are first in line. He says that I would do quite well in a house known to be great, but I beg him not to do it and say "No, oh no, please wait!" And so he bids me tell him what conflict that I feel, and thus I tell him all I know and go into a speel. "I have heard all the rumors of the house of which you speak, and I wish not to be with evil ones who'd view me as new meat." The sorting hat just hums and looks deep inside of me, he hums and haws at things within my mind I cannot see. "Are you sure of this decision for I know you would be grand," "Oh yes, I must not go there, I hope you understand?" The sorting hat grew silent for just a minute more, but then with a grand boom he yelled out—com" I broke off for them all to fill in the last word.

"_GRYFFINDOR!"_ Godric wooped.

"But that was so Slytherin!" Salazar whined.

"And it was ever-so clever." Rowena groused, I laughed.

"Our daughter is brilliant!" my dad piped, Mum smiled.

"Yes, my goddaughter is!" came a voice. I whipped my head around to see Sirius looking young and healthy, black hair handsomely shaggy, grey eyes sparkling happily.

"Sirius!" I squealed, hugging him. "Oh I'm so sorry, Padfoot, so, so, _SO_ sorry."

"It's okay, Flower-Bud, it wasn't your fault."

"But—com"

"We'll talk later, Mara." he insisted, smiling as I sat back down.

"That's right and as far as the houses I say come on now, hard work to get what you want." Helga sang happily. "Now we ought get ourselves back on track."

"Yes, fine, very well. You know seven of us but you know not the last three." Rowena said, gaining her composure. Three men stepped forward. The first man wore grey robes. His hair was sandy and his eyes were dark bluish-green. One of the men had longish golden hair and kind blue-green eyes. He wore a kingly outfit of pure gold, a croun atop his head. The last man was quite old and wise-looking but truly benevolent with long, silver hair and beard and kind hazel eyes.

"I am Ignatius Peverell, third brother and rightful owner of the Deathly Hallows. It was my line that continued, my brothers passed on before they could even produce heirs." the first man said.

"You know me as King Arthur, Arthur Pendragon to be exact." the second man said with a smile.

"And you know me as Merlin, Merlin Emrys." the old man said.

"Oh...my...oh...Merlin...my...huh?" I stammered, everyone chuckled.

"That was my reaction too, Flower-Bud." Dad said. "Of course I only had Godric, Helga, Ignatius, and Merlin here to talk too. Since my parents were still alive and the Black lordship wasn't available to us because of the others that's all I saw."

"Yeah and my parents were the only _ancestors_ I had and they were still alive. They're second-cousins so their wasn't much difference their. Only Lily and James got the Nether-Realm experience." Sirius said.

"And Mum? Who did you see? I thought you were Muggle-born?" I asked, dazed.

"I am not but I thought I was. Apparently I was adopted. My true parents are descended from Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw who were married and Salazar himself was descended from Arthur here." Mum explained. "Imagine my shock when I come to this realm in my sleep the eve of my sixteenth birthday to find out that my parents put me up for adoption to keep me safe from Voldemort but were killed a few months later by him. Also, let's widen the shock to me finding out that I was descended from two of Hogwarts' founders and Merlin himself and that, from Rowena, pixy blood runs through my veins and my father was a pure, undiluted pixy himself. With the genes active on both sides of the family I myself became a pixy. A pixy is a specific type of fairy but I'll get into that later. My true maiden name should have been not Evans but Greenleaf. Pixies are creatures that thrive on nature and are often named after the plants or flowers they are nearest too at birth as well as the time of day and state of the sky when they are born and their final name before the surname is their mother or father's name depending on gender. I was born facing a vace of lilies thus my name. It was dawn outside and the cloudes were rose-tinted. My full name is Lily Dawn Rosecloud Iris Greenleaf of the greenleaf pixies. I am sad to say that you are the final Greenleaf left and one of the few pixies or part-pixies, Voldemort has destroyed most all of us." Mum said.

"Okay...wow...um...Dad? Any big surprises?" I stuttered. So I was what, half _pixy_ now?

"Well on the Hufflepuff side their's elfin blood and my mum was a true elf so...yeah. Elves are also tied very much to nature and life but more to one element than another. My element, for instance, is fire. As far as names, we have just any old first name but our middle name or names must do with the element or elements we are atuned too. For instance, my full name is James Fiorand Potter."

"Pixy...and elf...bloody hell...excuse my language...but oh...my...god!" I gasped out. "If this is all true than what is my full name? And Rowena? I've never heard a plant of that name."

"That is my human name. My Pixy name is Rowen Noona Sky Bluebell Ravenclaw. My mother, Bluebell, in case you were wondering often went by Belle, Isabel, Bella, or Isabela. We pixies are good at hiding our true selves." Rowena explained.

"And my daughter, this is your full name. You are Amaranth Lunaria Ember Starlet Aqua Aeryn Flamela Lily Potter." Mum said, my head spun.

"Eh?" I squeaked.

"But only in your official capacities. To most you will simply be Amaranth Lily Potter." Mum said, smiling.

"Okay?" I said, shaking my head.


	61. Quads

Quads

An attempt to write a fic where Harry is one of quadruplets, all considered the Children Who Lived, so yeah… One kid per house, and a telepathic mind link…

Chapter One: The Children Who Lived

From the early morning to well after dark a tabby cat sat perched on the garden wall of the most boring house on the most boring street the cat had ever laid it's sharp green eyes on. This house was Number Four Privet Drive, of course. Why was it sitting their? All in good time. Suddenly, It saw something in the shadows. That something was a man who came onto the street as though out of thin air. Everything from his buckled boots to his purple robes to his long silver hair and beard to his crooked nose to his name was unwelcome to Privet Drive, Albus Dumbledore. If people thought that magical folk were strange Albus would confirm their theories. With a little silver thing that looked like a cigarette lighter, he took all the balls of light from the street lamps. The only pinpricks of light were from the cat's eyes down the street. Albus did one thing stranger and walked up to the cat, looking at it as a human would another human, and speaking to it.

"I should have known you'd be here, Professor McGonagall." Suddenly, the cat was no longer a tabby cat but a severe looking woman with sharp green eyes and black hair streaked with gray pulled up in a bun.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"Ah, professor, I have never seen a cat sit so stiffly." Dumbledore said.

"You'd be stiff too if you were sitting on a brick wall all day." McGonagall said snappily.

"All day? When you could have been celebrating?" Dumbledore asked incredulously. "I must have seen at least half a dozen on my way here!"

"Oh yes and a fine job everyone's been doing of staying inconspicuous. Imagine that just when You-Know-Who seems to have fallen the Muggles find out about us all." McGonagall sniffed, clearly irritated. "I mean come on. It was on their news! Owls in daylight, shooting stars up in Kent...that must have been Dedilus Diggle, never had much sense...but honestly, Albus, people need to be careful."

"You can't blame them, Minerva." Albus said as he joined her on the wall.

"Is it true, Albus? What they're saying about the Potters?" Minerva asked. "That Lily and James are dead? Their sweet little children survived?" Albus hung his head in sadness.

"I'm afraid so, Minerva." Albus said.

"Oh god...Lily and James...and their sweet little children...you can't mean to leave them here can you?"

"They're far better off not knowing that they're famous, not knowing the magical world. Hagrid is bringing them."

"Hagrid? Do you really think that wise, Albus?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life, Minerva." Dumbledore said. _ But with the lives of four BABIES?_ Minerva wondered to herself just as she heard a great roaring from the sky. From the sky came a huge motorcycle with an even larger man on it carrying a bundle in his arms.

"ello Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said as he stepped off.

"Ah, Hagrid, no problems, I trust?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not at all, sir. All four little tikes fell asleep as we was flyin' over Brystal." Hagrid said. The three of them stepped over the low garden wall and looked at the bundle one last time. First their was the boy to the left, Harry James. His eyes were currently closed but when open would be almond-shaped and a startling emerald green. Under a tuft of jet black hair was a curious lightning-shaped cut. The second boy was James Sirius. He was exactly like his brother except instead of blazing emerald eyes his were hazel. He had the same new cut as well. On the other side of the bundle were the girls. The first was Hestia Lily. The tuft of hair she had was wavy and jet black streaked liberally with red and her eyes beneath the lids were hazel like James's. She had the same new cut as her brothers. The other girl was Lily Alice. She was identical to her sister except her eyes were a startling emerald like Harry's eyes and her hair was all her mother's dark red. As a hole, Harry looked exactly like his father, James Potter, except for his mother's eyes, James looked exactly like his father and namesake down to the eyes, Except for her black hair and hazel eyes Hestia looked exactly like her mother, Lily Evans Potter, and Lily looked exactly like her mother and namesake in every way down to the emerald eyes. As Hagrid set them down he let out a howl-like cry like a wounded dog.

"Shush, Hagrid, you'll wake the Muggles." hissed McGonagall.

"So-sorry, Professor. I jus' can' believe it. Little Harry, little James, little Hestia, an' little Lily off ter live with Muggles." Hagrid sobbed.

"Their their, Hagrid, it's really not goodbye after all." Dumbledore said. On a very sad note Hagrid and McGonagall departed leaving one Albus Dumbledore behind.

"It's all for your own good, you know. You shall be raised to your purpose here, I assure you." the crazy old man said to the sleeping babies. "You shall look upon me as someone to follow as it ought to be, it's all in the master plan. Ah well, better not give you any ideas, though." Dumbledore centered himself in front of the babies and began to chant, wand alternating between the four babies on the doorstep. Let these children know their place, let them beware what they shall face. To keep them where they ought to be, block up some magic now for me. Let the gifts berry themselves whatever they might be, let out just one fifth of the magic core so their magic they shall see. his Ees llahs yeht cigam rieht os eroc cigam eht fo htfif eno tsuj tuo tel, eb thgim yeht revetahw sevlesmeht yrrub stfig eht tel. Em rof won cigam emos pu kcolb, eb ot thguo yeht erehw meht peek ot. Ecaf llahs tahw eraweb meht tel, ecalp rieht wonk nerdlihc eseht tel. Ees llahs yeht cigam rieht os eroc cigam eht fo htfif eno tsuj tuo tel, eb thgim yeht revetahw sevlesmeht yrrub stfig eht tel. Em rof won cigam emos pu kcolb, eb ot thguo yeht erehw meht peek ot. Ecaf llahs tahw eraweb meht tel, ecalp rieht wonk nerdlihc eseht tel. Ees llahs yeht cigam rieht os eroc cigam eht fo htfif eno tsuj tuo tel, eb thgim yeht revetahw sevlesmeht yrrub stfig eht tel. Em rof won cigam emos pu kcolb, eb ot thguo yeht erehw meht peek ot. Ecaf llahs tahw eraweb meht tel, ecalp rieht wonk nerdlihc eseht tel." it was a power-binding spell that he himself had invented. Instead of the normal soft flash of light there was a large flash of white and he was thrown clear across the street...or he would've been if he hadn't appearated out in time. Damn, their mother's blood protection had kept him out! Didn't it sense what was for the greater good? In any case, the four special babies simply slept on. They didn't know they were special, they didn't know of the machinations of the headmaster, and they certainly didn't know that all around the country in secret and not-so-secret places people were raising their glasses and making toasts to Harry, James, Hestia, and Lily, the children who lived.

;Chapter Two: Life At Number Four

It had been nearly ten years since the Dursleys had awoke to find their nieces and nephews on their doorstep. They took them in reluctantly and raised them to be self-reliant and independent. They were not mistreated but were not smothered in affection either as their cousin Dudley was. Harry grew up to be a quiet, thoughtful boy of ten, almost eleven, who didn't speak very much but for what he wanted to say. He was very brave, however, and known for his hero complex. His hair was unruly black with hints of red in it, his eyes were brilliant green. He got his father's poor eyesight so he wore wire-rimmed glasses. James was the opposite of Harry, loud and boisterous with charisma and bravado enough for all four of them. He loved pranks and mischief just as much as his father but hid his true brilliance behind his rowdy act. He was as cunning as they came, really. His hair was made of unruly locks of pure black and his eyes behind glasses were hazel. Hestia, like Harry, was quiet but she was scary smart and often spouted words of wisdom. Most of the time, however, she was perhaps quieter than her brother. Her red-streaked black hair fell in waves to her waste and her eyes sparkled hazel, unhindered by glasses. Last was Lily, the youngest. She was perhaps even more outgoing and loud than James but just as mischievous and cunning. She had her mother's red-head temper, a strong work ethic, and a loyal streak a mile wide. Her hair was bouncy and dark red, cut in layers to her collar. Her eyes glinted emerald without the aid of glasses.

The four of them mostly stayed out of their relatives' way by staying in their attic room. It was large and airy with all they need including things from their parents that had gotten left behind. It was from them that they found out about magic.

I woke up surprisingly early, for me anyway, today was the day. Harry, James, Hestia, and I were turning eleven today. As I opened my eyes I spotted James stretching in his bed, an even more unusual occurrence. Both Harry's and Hestia's beds were empty, they must already be dressed. They're the early birds, always up by seven at the latest. They often call the two of us James and Lily "wake-us-up-at-the-crack-of-noon" Potter.

"Good morning, brother mine!" I chirped enthusiastically as I bounced out of bed.

"Shut up, Lily, it's still too early to be annoying." James groaned.

"Oh but come on, my dearest brother, you know that I can be annoying whenever I want too, right? Plus, if you _REALLY_ want me to annoy you—com"

"Okay okay, jeez!" James huffed, getting out of bed himself. Ah, the sweetness of getting my equally loud-mouthed quad brother to shut up. Harry is the brave one, Hestia is the brilliant one, James is the mischievous one, and I'm the cheeky one (or the annoying one,) it depends who you ask. I flitted over to the dresser Hestia and I shared and pulled it open. Picking out my outfit I went into the bathroom built into the attic to take a shower.

"Oy, Lily, get your arse out of there and let me in!" James called, pounding on the door twenty minutes later as I was drying my hair.

"What, so you can preen for your girlfriend...what's her name...Amy?" I yelled back.

"No...just...it's not...oh shut up!" James huffed.

"Awe Jamesie, you know that command is futile!" I cooed through the door as I slipped into my clothes, a denim overall dress with a yellow shirt underneath.

"She's got a point, bro." came the mental voice of Harry from somewhere in the house. That's one thing us quads can do, mind-speak to each other. Most times we prefer to do that instead of speaking aloud which get us odd looks. Through mind-speak is the only way to get Harry and Hestia really talkative.

"Hmmm, maybe she'll be a witch so then you can tease them all the time!" Hestia's mental voice said.

"Naw, all Muggle, I can tell." James's mental voice sighed.

"Boo-hoo, poor wittle Jamesie-poo gotta gib up his giwlfwiend. James and Amy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-NG! First comes love, then comes marriage, and then comes—com" but my mental voice was cut off.

"Come off it, Lily." James growled mentally. I simply shrugged and exited the bathroom. James playfully knocked me in the head as I passed.

"Prat." I said aloud, swatting him back and descending the steep, narrow staircase to the second floor. When I reached breakfast I saw that Harry was working on bacon and eggs while Hestia was mixing pancake batter. Harry wore his glasses, as usual, and his hair was its typical mess. His outfit consisted of denim shorts and a red-and-white striped T-shirt. Hestia, on the other hand, wore a blue denim skirt and a light-weight white button-up blouse with little blue flowers on it. Her red-streaked black hair was done up into a perfect plait. I smiled and joined her in making the pancakes. The Dursleys weren't up yet, it was only 7:00 and Uncle Vernon didn't need to be at work until 8:30. I knew that Aunt Petunia would probably stay in bed until around 7:30 and Dudley would be in bed until mid-morning or perhaps afternoon. Twenty minutes later as we sat out the breakfast James meandered into the dining room. His pure black hair, slightly longer but no less messy than Harry's, looked like he hadn't even bothered to comb it as he was wont to do and his glasses sat perched on his nose in front of his hazel eyes. He wore black shorts and a green T-shirt.

"Ah, my food is complete. Thank you, minions, thank you!" he said theatrically.

"Prat." Hestia sighed softly as she gently slapped him on the arm with the serving tongs, "accidentally" pinching his skin.

"_OUCH!_ What'd you do that for, Hestia?" James whined, the first part, (ouch,) aloud, and the rest mentally. She merely smiled innocently. Hestia did have a bit of a wicked streak.

"Your _MINIONS_ do not appreciate being spoken to in such a way. I say that "brother and sisters" would be more appropriate." Harry mind-drawled as he sat down.

"Yes yes, oh superior oldest sibling, I bow to your great intellect." James mind-snorted.

"Bah, the day you bow down to anybody is the day that pigs grow wings and fly." I mentally scoffed. The rest of breakfast went back and forth like that, mental banter as usual. Eventually Uncle Vernon followed by Aunt Petunia came down and they ate breakfast.

"Thanks." Uncle Vernon grunted.

"You're—com" Hestia and I started.

"Welcome." Harry and James finished. It always freaked the Dursleys out when we did this as it was "unnatural" so it just made us do it more.

"Erm...no chores today...happy birthday." Aunt Petunia said.

"Thank—com" Harry and Hestia started.

"You." James and I finished.

"Just make yourselves scarce, do what you like but be grateful." Uncle Vernon snapped.

"Okay, see you." the four of us said together before bolting out of the house.

"Hmmm, park today?" my mental voice rang out.

"Sure." the others chorused, smiling.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" James hollered aloud before running off.


	62. Quiet Girl

Quiet Girl

An attempt to write some sort of Harry Potter and Recess crossover where a female Harry and the Dursleys, you guessed it, moved to the town where the Recess kids live… Okaaay…

Chapter One: The Newest Ashley

The old yellow bus eventually slowed and came to a stop in front of the yellow-painted elementary school. A gaggle of school children from first through sixth grade poured off of it and onto the school lawns. As they ran off towards their classes and the old bus pulled away nobody noticed the red mini-van swerve up to the sidewalk. In the driver's seat was a woman in a gaudily-patterned sundress. Her blonde hair was cut short to her chin and her horse-like face as well as her muddy green eyes were caked in make-up. Sitting in the passenger's seat was a rotund boy of ten years of age. He wore a pair of red sneakers, blue jeans, and a red-and-white striped top. He had a thick, fat head covered in coarse blonde hair as well as squinty blue eyes. He was the spitting image of his father. In the back seat sat a little girl who looked no older than perhaps seven. In truth she would be ten in July but nobody could guess that. She wore, perhaps, the first nice outfit she could remember having. Little black slip-on shoes, white socks, a little red dress, and an emerald green jacket that went with the dress. Next to her was a new emerald green backpack. On her round little face sat a pair of gold-rimmed glasses; behind those were a pair of stunningly bright, almond-shaped, emerald eyes. Bangs covered up what was on her forehead, a lightning bolt shaped scar. The girl wore her hair in a simple braid down her back with an emerald green bow holder. Her hair was a shade of rich, dark red and was quite thick. She knew not why her aunt had been so kind with the new glasses, the new clothes, and doing her hair but she didn't care. It was a new school...a new country...America was so foreign and strange...a place to start anew.

"Oh Dinky Duddidims, you have lots and lots of fun here, okay? You're still in fifth grade here, I knew you could do it!" the girl's aunt said to the fat boy up front.

"Okay okay, can I go now?" the boy snapped.

"Of course you can, lovy, just wait for the girl." the woman said. With a happy smirk the boy threw open his door and jumped out, waddling towards the building with his red backpack.

"As for you, girl, you'd better behave yourself. Vernon just got this transfer and we're new here. We need to make a good impression. If that didn't matter I wouldn't have bothered with the new school clothes for you. The girl simply shrugged. Impressions were everything to her aunt and uncle. Her uncle had gotten the transfer to Grunnings USA but a month ago and they had lived in the country for half that. It was late march.

"I'll behave." she said simply.

"See that you do. Now go on then, out of my car!" the woman snapped. The girl shrugged and grabbed up her backpack, putting it onto her back before getting out of the car and gently shutting the door. She strode up the path and entered the school building, her cousin had left her behind. Principal's office...principal's office...where was it? Her steps echoed lightly down the hall as she walked. Eventually she found the sign and walked into the room.

"Hmmm?" asked a hunched older woman as she typed away on her typewriter.

"Principal, madam." the girl said.

"Oh, go on in. Principal Prickly is waiting. Just knock first." the old woman said. Taking a deep breath the little girl stepped forward to the heavy-looking door and knocked lightly upon it.

Pete Prickly looked curiously up from his paperwork at the door. Earlier that morning some rude little twit had just burst into his office and demanded to know where his class was. He'd said that his cousin would come later. And to think most saw the British as _polite,_ Pete sneered disgustedly to himself. Stealing himself for the worst he called out; at least _this_ kid was polite enough to knock.

"Come in!" the door was brought open gently. Framed in the door was not another fat child like Pete suspected, much like the boy but in a girl's body, but quite the opposite. The girl was small and delicate as though the slightest breeze would blow her away. Her skin was fair, cheeks and nose sprinkled with freckles. Behind gold-framed glasses was a set of bright emerald eyes. Her hair was braided, thick, and dark red. Peeping from behind her bangs was a scar of some sort, Pete thought it was shaped a bit like a bolt of lightning.

"What do you need?" he asked as the girl shut the door.

"I've come to pick up my schedule and to find out where my classroom is, sir. I apologize if it's any trouble...I can wait." the girl said. Her voice was light and just as delicate as the rest of her, her manners were quite good, Pete mused. Only when the girl needed too did she speak so much in a breath, it just wasn't like her. She could have just said, "Classroom and schedule, sorry." but answers like that never boded well for the bespectacled red-head.

"And what is your name again?" Pete asked the girl.

"I'm terribly sorry, my name is Ashley, Ashley Lily Potter, birth date July 31, 1990, born in Godric's Hollow, Wales. I think my aunt sent you my information." the girl said, yet another one of her rare speeches. Pete nodded. She was in fourth grade and was put into Miss Grotki's class.

"You'll be in Miss Grotki's class, that's room 37 down the hall. Any questions?" he asked.

"No, sir." the girl said, reverting to short-answer once more.

"All right, you can go." Pete said.

"I always could but may I?" asked the girl, just a way to let some of her true intellect through. Pete nodded, muttering about cheeky brats as she left.

Ashley walked slowly down the hall to her new class. Hopefully nobody would bully her as they did at her old school. The place seemed nice enough. The principal seemed like he could be a bit mean but only if he was crossed. Other than that, he seemed okay.

Moira Grotki smiled as she looked over her class. She would be having them start there unit on space today for science which she planned on covering first.

"Good morning, children. Today we will—com" but Moira was cut off by a timid knocking at the door. Knock...knock...knock, knock...knock...knock, nocknocknocknocknock! Who could be knocking at her classroom door...except...ah yes...the new girl from the UK.

"Do come in!" she chirped. The door slipped open barely half-way and then shut gently as a small waif of a girl came in and over to the teacher's desk. She wore a red dress with a little emerald green coat and backpack, her hair was dark red and thick, put into a braid and her eyes were emerald green behind round, gold-rimmed glasses. In the center of her forehead Moira spotted an infamous scar, the lightning-bolt scar of Ashley Potter. The same name...same parents' names...why hadn't Moira picked it up before? She had the girl-who-lived in her forth-grade class.

"Are you the new student, then?" Moira asked the girl even though she knew she was, she nodded. "Would you mind introducing yourself to the class?" again, another nod accompanied by a shrug. The girl stood in front of the desk and opened her mouth.

"Hello. Name is just a word, age is just numbers, but the name's Ashley Lily Potter and the age is nine years, seven months, and 27 days." the girl said quietly in a high, delicate voice. The class remained silent, some students blatantly staring at the girl for her odd behavior. If she had to talk, she mused, might as well throw them for a loop. She could have said "lo, m'name's Ashley, I'm nine." but she would have seemed like an imbecile, she hated imbeciles. If one could not speak eloquently, she thought, than one should not speak at all.

"All right, Ashley, you can go sit down." Moira said. The little red-head nodded and took a seat in the front at the end of a row of three students; Mikey Blumburg, Gretchen Grundler, and Gus Grizwald.

During the class that morning Ashley paid rapt attention to her teacher. Miss Grotki seemed a very nice woman and Ashley rather liked her. Soon enough the bell rang signaling the first recess of the day. Ashley gathered her things together from the last thing they had done in class, maths, and slowly put them away. She took a tattered book from her backpack, Anne of Green Gables, and slung it under her arm. Miss Grotki was wiping off the chalkboard.

"Need help?" she asked softly As the last student left the room.

"Hmmm?" Moira whirled sharply around, hand instinctively placing itself on her special pocket. Seeing that it was just the new student she relaxed. "Oh, I'm sorry. What did you ask?" Ashley cocked an eyebrow.

"Need help?" she asked again.

"Oh...that's quite all right. Go on outside and play." Moira said. The strange little girl simply nodded, shrugged, and left.

Following the few stragglers left behind, Ashley was able to find where the playground was pretty easily.

"Bit late getting outside aren't you?" came a voice. Ashley spun to her right to come face-to-bosom with a woman. She was rather old and large wearing glasses, a frumpy yellow dress, and a head of fluffy white hair.

"Teacher, sorry." Ashley answered.

"New here?" the woman asked gruffly.

"Yes." Ashley said monosyllabically.

"I see. Name's Muriel Finster, playground monitor. Your name, if you please?"

"Ashley Lily Potter." Meriel looked curiously down at the small girl. Reports from her relatives said she was a no-good trouble-maker, was that the truth? She seemed very small, meek, and quiet not to mention angelic with the round face and bright emerald eyes. Some people with red hair, Meriel mused, could be downright devil-like but hair didn't determine personality. Then again, it was always the quiet ones. Secretly, however, Meriel felt she would take the side of this child over that of the very rude, rather obese boy that had come barreling out earlier, a Dudley Dursley if she was not mistaken. She saw the book under the girl's arm and a bit of the picture, Meriel smiled a little. The girl could read, that was certain. She had an interesting taste in books as well. She must identify with Anne Shirley. She almost felt sorry for the child, being orphaned. Perhaps she wouldn't be such trouble after all?

"I see. Run along and do what you do, then." Meriel dismissed. The little girl, unlike so many other nine-year-olds, did not automatically run off and join the nearest game; she simply walked off, looking curiously around the playground. Eventually she found a nice spot under a tree and spread out. Taking her book from under her arm she flipped it open to the chapter she was reading where Mrs. Rachel Lynde is properly horrified. Just as she was getting to the point where Anne was biting Rachel Lynde's head off, which Ashley thoroughly enjoyed, somebody tapped her on the shoulder. Letting out a terrified squeak she dropped her book and looked into a boy's tan face. He was shirtless and shoeless, his shirt wrapped as some sort of turban on his head covering some of his longish black hair.

"I'm sorry for startling you. You are sitting where I usually sit." he said.

"Sorry. is Third Street not a no shirt, no shoes, no service sort of place then?" she asked, getting up. Before the odd Asian boy could retort she was already walking away. Finding a bench near a strange-looking tire pile she stretched out and began to read. As Marilla was about to punish Anne, she was interrupted.

"What are you doing?" asked a rather upper-crusty-looking girl with dark blonde hair cut to her shoulders.

"Reading." Ashley retorted.

"Why? It's recess." the girl scoffed.

"So?" Ashley retorted, going back to her book.

"Whatever. I'm Ashley, Ashley Armbrooster." the girl introduced.

"Oh." the book-loving girl responded. Three other girls stood next to the standing Ashley. "These are my friends: Ashley Brenner, Ashley Quinlin, and Ashley Tarrands. There's another Ashley, girl goes by her last name, Spinelli, but she just won't join us. How about you, will you?" Ashley A asked. The other three girls, a dark-skinned girl with black hair, a girl with dark brown hair, and a girl with blonde hair looked eager.

"Hmmm, no." Ashley said.

"But...but why? That's just—com" Ashley A cut off.

"Scandalous!" the four preppy Ashleys chimed together. Ashley couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Because. Do you mind? I'm reading." she said, berrying her nose in her book again.

"But why?" Ashley A stammered.

"Reading out here?" Ashley B said, shaking her head.

"I don't get it." Ashley Q admitted.

"Reading when you don't have to! It's just so—com" Ashley T trailed off.

"Scandalous!" the four chimed together.

"Original." Ashley said with a snort, returning her attention to her book. "What do you mean?" Ashley A asked.

"Dense, the lot of you." she said from the cover of her book. The four girls rolled their eyes and clopped off, clearly displeased with the newest Ashley. She simply shrugged and continued her book. About ten minutes later she was interrupted again, this time by six kids.

"Hey." said one boy with a baseball hat on his head. His eyes were brown, his hair was reddish brown, and he wore sneakers, jeans, and a brown jacket over a white T-shirt. "Wanna play kickball with us?"

"No." Ashley said, going back to her book.

"But why not?" asked a black boy with somewhat spikey black hair and chocolate brown eyes who was wearing a 1 jersey, shorts, and tennis shoes.

"You'll get beat up." Ashley responded with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" asked a small boy with blond hair, blue eyes, and big, square glasses who was wearing a dark green shirt and khaki pants with brown shoes.

"My cousin." Ashley said simply. "Now do you mind? I want to return to my book."

"You don't have to get all nasty with us, sheesh." snapped a girl with a beany hat on, black pigtails, and intense gray eyes.

"Come on, Spinelli, there's nothing like a good book." smiled a girl wearing a blue dress. She had a thin, freckled face, round glasses, dark blue-green eyes, and stringy red hair in messy pigtails.

"Especially poetry." said a rather large boy with blonde hair and


	63. Raising the One who Couldn't Raise Me

Raising The One Who Couldn't Raise Me

An attempt to write a female Harry thrown back in time who ends up raising both her mother AND Severus Snape who, in this universe, both lose their parents at a young age…

Chapter One: Hello 1966

"Miss Potter, have you anything—com"

"Anastasia, what are you—com"

"Miss Potter, now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gone—com" the questions bombarded me from all sides and all I was doing was walking up Diagon Alley to go to Gringotts. I simply frowned and kept walking, trying my best to ignore them. Finally, I was able to slip inside the grand bank. I rushed up to the nearest teller I could find and spoke.

"Excuse me...I need to make a withdrawal...a full-account withdrawal...please...can you help me?" I panted.

"Why? Have we not done enough for you, ungreatful witch? Is it our fault that some of our foolish brethren chose to support that megalomaniac? Oh no but wizards here, there, and everywhere keep coming to—com" the goblin ranted before I cut him off.

"Look, it's nothing against you but I just want out of this place for good." I said with slight irritation, shaking some hair out of my eyes. The Goblin showed a slight widening of eyes before he schooled his features to a cool indifference.

"Hmph! Anastasia Potter wishes to leave the wizarding world? Very well. In what currency do you want your withdrawal? Would you like any heirlooms to be taken out as well?" he asked.

"No heirlooms, please. I want them safe. I would like half as wizarding currency and half as British currency." I said. A half hour later I had two bottomless moneybags in the shrunken trunk I carried as a charm on my charm bracelet. Taking a deep breath, I walked outside into the pandemonium.

"Miss Potter do—com"

"Ana will—com"

"What do you feel about murdering—com"

"So what—com"

"_ENOUGH!"_ I finally yelled, everyone silenced. "Look. This is the first and last time I will be saying this. First, shut up and let me alone. Second, don't even _BOTHER_ trying to find me because you won't. I have nothing to live for here. All my friends? _DEAD!_ All my family? _DEAD!_ All my enemies? _DEAD!_ Everyone that matters? _DEAD!_ From this day forward I give up living in the magical world to live among the Muggles. This will be a place where I can be just Ana, nothing more, nothing less. That is what I want most in the world." Suddenly, from the bright blue of the clear August sky a lightning bolt came arcing right towards me. I didn't try to dodge or anything. If I was to dy now then so be it. I'd be with everyone I loved. I raised my arms up towards my fate, head lifting up to watch its descent. A smile spread across my face. Everyone and everything seemed to be frozen, time itself seemed to be frozen. At long last the bolt of lightning struck, meeting my scar in a fit of irony. Instead of feeling any sort of pain I felt a pleasant and jubilating tingling all over my body. The shapes and colors blurred around me into an amalgamated mass of colored blobs and then I felt myself gently falling into darkness.

I abruptly sat up what felt like only a second later. I had a slight head ache...but if I was dead...shouldn't I be feeling all light and free and painless? And where was I? Where were all my loved ones? I didn't know why but I had the feeling that I was still alive. I looked around me, I seemed to be on a bench at a Muggle park. People were milling about all around me, families and couples and children. At least, I mused, I was dressed properly. I was wearing a pair of light, slip-on trainers, a denim skirt that went down almost to my knees, and a light blue tanktop trimmed in white. A few yards away there was a stern-looking woman rounding up a large group of children all dressed in similarly drab uniforms. Some looked as young as three or four, others as old as twelve or thirteen. An orphanage, then? As the children were put into two single-file lines, one for boys and one for girls, I could have sworn that I saw one little girl with red hair and green eyes. Before I could think more on it they had all gone.

Sighing and stretching I got up off the bench. I needed to take a walk. First, I needed to know the date.

"Excuse me," I asked an older woman, "I've lost track of the days. What day is this?"

"Oh, well this is August 13, 1966, of course." she said. I stifled my gasp. Merlin...1966...I was exactly thrirty-two years in the past to the very day. I shook my head and kept walking. Finding the entrance to the park I stepped out onto the street. The town wasn't the nicest, it was run-down and shabby-looking. As I walked, I thought about what I was going to do. Where was I? Why was I here? Couldn't someone give me a sign? I was walking through a neighborhood now. The houses were somewhat dilapidated although most looked to be clean enough.

I was just passing a rather run-down looking house when I heard a commotion from inside.

"But Tobi...I was just showing Sev..." a woman's voice said meekly.

"D'ya r'ly thinkat I cara _DAMN_ bit ya _FUCKIN'_ _FREAKY_ _WITCH?_ I ain' goina stan' for it! No sunna mine's gonna be a _FREAK!"_ came a harsh, slurring voice.

"But Tobias...you used to..." the woman continued.

"Shutta fuck _UP!_ If ya no' goina listn a me rules 'en ya won't be _AROUND_ t'show tha' sunna yars tha' freaky shih'. Die in 'ell ya filthin' witch-bitch!" the man continued. There was a cock of a gun. I ran towards the house as fast as I could. From inside I could hear little feet pattering downstairs.

"Mummy _NOOOOO!"_ a little voice yelled out just as a gunshot rent the air. At that moment, I burst through the front door into the shabby living room. Standing over the fallen woman was a filthy man with mean grey eyes, a hooked nose, and dirty, matted brown hair. The woman was pretty, she had a thin face, pale skin, a curtain of black hair, and black eyes filled with pain.

"Shattup ya filthy lil—com" the man started, aiming the gun at his son. I jumped into the house and lept right in front of the man just as he shot a bullet that would've punched a hole in his son's head. Instead, it tore through my left shoulder, muscle and tendon and bone, going so deep because it was such a close shot.

"God damn it, you fucking _BASTARD!_ Like I need another _SCAR?"_ I growled.

"Wel'snot yar prob'm, yar j'sta norma girly encha? L'me dealith 'em freaks meself woncha?" he slurred.

"Go to Hell." I growled, leaping forward and punching him good with my right arm. The drunk swayed and toppled like a pile of bricks.

"If I had the power I would arrest you. As it is, the best thing I can do is to call the Aurors." I then hissed, binding the man with my wand. The little boy I had heard earlier was standing over his mother. He looked remarkably like her. The main difference was that he had a hooked nose, although the hook was much less prevalent then his father's. In fact, he quite looked like, well, Severus Snape. With a shock, I realised he probably _WAS_ Severus Snape. It was an odd feeling, seeing my once-hated but now-respected potions professor so young and vulnerable. I had seen the memories of his parents fighting, the memories that showed he lived in an orphanage the same as my mother, but it was another thing to see for myself the incident that virtually orphaned the child.

"Mummy...please help my mummy..." he cried.

"Stand aside, sweety. I'm not a healer but I'll try my best." I said, ignoring my own shoulder which hurt like fucking hell. With an underpowered summoning spell I was able to work the bullet slowly out of the woman's chest. It was the best thing I could think to do now because the bullet in her would only hurt her more. Her breathing was ragged and labored.

"You can't...I was a healer...nothing to do...my heart...please...whoever you are...take care...my Sevvy...take care...my Sevvy..." she was able to gasp out.

"No...no...c'mon, Eileen was it? Stay with me..." but it was too late, much too late. Her heart stopped beating.

"Muuuuuuuuuummyyyyyyyyyy! Muh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-ummy!" the little boy cried out in heart-wrenching agony. "No...Mummy...no...please..."

"There there, sweety." I said, patting the traumatised child on the head with my good hand and wrapping that arm around him in a one-armed hug so his head was burrowed into the right part of my chest. Wincing, I pealed my shirt off. With a slow summoning spell like I used on Eileen I slowly tried to work the bullet out of my shoulder, wincing as I did so. In the meantime, I kept talking to the child, wincing and adding in muttered curses as I did so. "You'll (wince) be all right, you'll (ouch) be all right. Can you (damn it) tell me your (bastard) name, sweetie? How (fuck) old are (shit) you?"

"I-I-I'm (sniff) Se-Se-Severus (sniff) Snape and I'm (sniff) si-six." he stammered. "Who-Who-Who (sniff) ah-are (sniff) yo-you?"

"I'm (Jesus) Anastasia (bloody...) Evans and (damn) I'm eighteen. I'm (mother) going to summon the (arsehole) Aurors, dear, and we'll (holy...) get this all (fucking...) sorted out, okay?" I said gently...or at least as gently as I could as I was still trying to get the damn bullet out with little success unless you count pain as a success. Finally giving it up as a bad job for now, I took my arm from the child and held it to the wound, applying pressure. He still kept his head against my chest, probably not caring that I was splatting blood on him. He was already dressed in grimey clothes anyway and looked as though he hadn't had a good bath in awhile. He also nodded into my chest so I knew he understood. With my wand I cast a patronus, the familiar doe coming out of it. Rapidly I relayed my message, my patronus nodded and galloped through the walls of the ramshackle house.

Stretching in his seat Charlis Potter dipped his quill into the pot of ink for what seemed the millionth time that day. He was honoured when he was chosen as the head of the DMLE, especially since he had a wife and child, but he missed the field. It seemed as though it was more paperwork then fieldwork these days. It had been relatively peaceful for the past twenty-one years, ever since Grindelwald had met his defeat at the hands of Albus Dumbledore. Sure, there had been a few budding dark lords and ladies but they had been easily taken care of, like Ravinikus and Raelita Lestrange, for instance. There two sons, Rudolphus and Rabastan, were now living with there aunt, Mrs. Ryla Malfoy, her husband Abraxus, and their cousin, Lucius.

Charlis was brought out of his musings as a patronus galloped right through the door and stood in front of him. Not many people in his department, to his shame, knew how to cast a patronus so he had no idea who it was. Was this a messenger? Those were even more rare. His questions were answered when a voice of a young girl, barely a woman, came out of the patronus, rushed, quick, and pained with curse words liberally thrown in in pained mutters.

"Go to the (fucking) head auror or the (bastard) director of magical (shit) law enforcement and give them this (bloody) message...erm...I didn't (ruddy) need to say that, did I? Erm (ouch) anyway, I'll (mother) continue. Informant: Anastasia (Jesus) Evans. Location: Number thirteen, Spinner's End, East Millin, Yorkshire, England. Situation: (bloody) Murder. Muggle (devil) husband, witch (Morgan) wife, wizard (merlin) son. Muggle (nasty) murdered witch. Weapon of (shit) Murder: Shotgun. Cause of (painful) Death: Shotgun bullet to the (bleeedin) chest. Perpatrator: Tobias (bastard) Snape. Total Crimes: Murder of the (revolting) wife, attempted murder of the (poor) son, assault. Murder Victim: Eileen Snape. Witnesses: Severus Snape (gurrr) and Anastasia Evans. Extra notes: I tried (fucking) to heal Eileen but I'm no (bloody) healer, I (damn) couldn't do it. Poor little Sevvy needs a (arsehole) calming draft. Also, I could (ouch) go for a (motherfucking) healer, bastard shot me in the (goddamn) shoulder when I jumped in front of the (sticky) bullet meant for his son. I've got him bound and (stubborn) tied. I haven't (son of a) done anything with the (bitch) evidence except I did wrestle the (bastard) gun out of the perpetrator's (tangled) grasp. Please come (ouch) quickly."

Charlis's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. The girl had used almost entirely proper auror protocol when she sent the message and everything. The only thing was the cuss words but how could he blame her? With a slight smile on his handsome face, he got up from his desk and rushed into the hall where all the Aurors were situated in their cubicals.

"I need a small team of Aurors and a few with healer training to come with me. There's been a murder, two witnesses."

"Count me in, old boy, this might be a trick." said Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, standing up. He had gotten the eye twenty-two years ago after a battle against Grindelwald's forces when he was young, only twenty-two himself.

"I as well. I have healer training." said Augusta Longbottom, a younger woman with a husband and son at home.

"Don't forget me, I've got healer training." said Hecate Lovegood, a relatively new recruit.

"I'll be going as well. As the receiver of the message I have to." Charlis said.

"What's the full situation, Char?" Moody asked.

"A young witch happened upon a scene of domestic violence which turned into murder before she could get there and stop it. Muggle husband, witch wife, very common. The son of the couple is apparently a wizard so it probably has to do with that. The father attempted to shoot the son as well but the witness intercepted that so the bullet hit her instead." Charlis explained. The other four nodded, getting up and gathering together what they needed.

"So, Charlie-boy, what's the address?" Hecate asked cheerily when they were at the Ministry's appearation point.

"Number thirteen, Spinner's End, East Millin, Yorkshire, England." Charlis recited. Just as he did so, they all popped off.

They came upon a shabby house, even from the front porch they smelled the copper scent of blood, thick and heavy. Charlis quickly opened the door, wand out, and stepped into the grimy living room. All five aurors looked at what was all around them. The first thing they saw was a man, conscious but securely bound on the floor. Close to him was a woman who was crumpled to the floor, skin pale in death, a gaping shotgun wound in her chest. A bloody bullet was on the floor next to her. A little away was someone who looked, to Charlis anyway, quite young. Sixteen at most. Her shirt was off, being held against her left shoulder. It looked to have once been a nice blue but was now soiled. She still had her skirt on, and trainers. A little boy was curled against her chest. He seemed very small and fragile, barely half as old as his own James, Charlis thought. His eyes were drawn back to the girl. She looked so much like a Potter it was scary. She had the same thin face, knobby knees, and even the same black hair as most all Potters did. However, her eyes were a startling emerald green and her hair was unruly like Dorea's and James's heavily streaked with a vivid but dark and rich red. Charlis and his son James were the only Potters left, weren't they? Charlis had no siblings or cousins, did he? Shaking his head, he snapped back to reality.

"Oh thank God! I thought you lot would never..." the girl trailed off when she saw Charlis. With a shake of her head she kept talking. "Anyway, I thought you'd never show."

"We're here, girly." Moody said gruffly.

"I need to ask, what is your name?" Charlis asked. He knew that as he was the head of house Potter all members over seventeen, if willed by the head, had to answer truthfully, which he did will. If this girl was over seventeen, although he doubted that, a Potter and knew it she'd be forced to say so.

"Anastasia Lily Ev...erg...Ev...Potter." she said. Charlis was shocked to think that this small girl was older then seventeen. This girl must know she was a Potter, then, because if one was a Potter and they didn't know it they would say the surname they were used to. But Charlis had no other siblings, did he? No nieces or nephews? No cousins, right? The family tapestry showed only him, his wife Dorea, and their son James. In any case she looked horrified that she had let that slip.

"Oy...how the...how the bloody hell did that happen?" she stuttered indignantly.

"Privileges of the head of house, Miss Potter." Charlis said smoothly.

"Are ya sure 'bout this girl, Charlis. I'm not too sure 'bout her." Moody said.

"Alistor, shut your yap and let us sort this out later, won't you? We can get down to that later. Right now, we've got a crime scene here." Augusta snapped.

"Thank you." I breathed, releaved that someone had some sense. Like I really wanted my _GRANDFATHER_ of all people grilling me? Looking up from the sniffling child I almost jumped in surprise. My presumable grandfather looked to be in his mid forties with very similar facial features to me and my dad as well as hazel eyes and black hair. However, his hair was not unruly but slightly wavy and somewhat longish, almost to his shoulders. Standing with him was a younger-looking Mad-Eye Moody. He was much less scarred and his nose and leg still in tact but his electric blue magical eye whizzed around in its socket. Also, there was a woman that I recognised immediately as Augusta Longbottom, the woman who had spoken on my behalf. Funny, I never saw her as an auror. The last person was another woman who looked much like my friend Luna. She had the same dirty-blonde hair but her eyes were gray, not silver-blue. I could only assume she was one of Luna's grandmothers, probably Grandma Lovegood as I knew Zeno Lovegood had had that hair and those eyes.


	64. Rings

Elleth

An attempt to throw a female Harry into the LOTR universe… without reading all the source material… I don't know what I was going for here… Right, onward!

Chapter One: Lileth

"There's one thing that I can feel that you will _NEVER_ understand, Tommy-Boy!" I hissed as we circled each other.

"_HA!_ Is this your precious _LOVE?_ Look around you, Potter! All that you _LOVE_ are dead! All that you have _TRIED_ to protect are dead because of _YOU!_ But don't worry, you'll be joining your beloved blood-traitors and mudbloods soon enough!" Voldemort hissed. How dare he? How dare he tell me that the deaths of everyone...everyone I love are my _FAULT?_ _HOW_ _DARE_ _HE?_ My thoughts flickered to Ron, killed by an acid-green spell meant to freeze all of his blood and stop his heart, Hermione, raped, tortured, raped more, and killed, Ginny, drowned and set on fire, the rest of the Weasleys burnt in their own house in the night, Dumbledore, killed by Voldemort himself, McGonagall, beheaded, Remus, Tonks, and their unborn child killed in the night, Sirius through the veil, almost everyone that I loved was gone and not coming back; I had nothing to live for but to kill Voldemort or be killed by him. I felt a great rage well up inside me.

"_NEVER_ _AGAIN!_ _NEVER_ _AGAIN_ shall you harm an innocent, _NEVER_ _Again_ shall you commit such heinous crimes, _NEVER,_ _NEVER,_ _NEVER_ _AGAIN!"_ I cried. Then, as he was surprised, I rushed forward. "_AVADA_ _KEDAVRA!"_ the green spell zoomed towards him like a speeding bullet and hit him right in the heart. I rushed forward, the sword of Godric Gryffindor which I had been carrying ever since the Weasleys were killed the summer after my fifth year unsheathed and in my hand. With a swift motion off went Voldemort's head, he couldn't hurt anyone anymore.

"Never again." I repeated softly as the snake-like head rolled away from the body. The remaining light-siders cheered triumphantly but a horrified _NOOOOO_ came from the Death Eaters. Finally, I thought as I whiped my sword on my bloody, filthy, torn-up robes and shethed it on my back and my wand in my arm holster, no more Voldemort. Here's how things have gone down. I'm sixteen...just sixteen. As soon as Voldemort made himself known at the Ministry at the end of my fifth year it's been all-out battle, battle everywhere; even the Muggles are starting to notice things. Voldemort was able to make it through the blood wards at Privet Drive and kill my aunt, my uncle, and my cousin but I was somehow able to evade him once again. I've been on the run since then, everything important in a small, bottomless, near-indestructible black leather sachel that I never take off of me. It's really the size of a medium-sized fanny pack. I have wizard robes which really look more like dresses to Muggles, potions ingredients, potions, even a small resizeable brewing cauldron and some other instruments. I have toiletries as well, a hairbrush, toothbrush, and shampoo that I'm almost out of. A few days ago, December eighteenth, Voldemort and his forces were finally able to start battle in Hogwarts which I had not returned too. It is now Christmas eve, December 24. I looked up at the clock that still, somehow, remained unbroken. Somewhere in the castle a bell began tolling out midnight. As I was thinking of everything that had happened I didn't notice what was happening until it was too late.

"Transportus universo altero!" came a mad scream. Before I could dodge the curse hit me full-force. Everything went into a blur of color. I was falling...falling...falling...and then I blacked out.

Legolas, elf-prince of mirkwood, was taking a walk through the gardens at the palace of Rivondell, whatever it's named, when something utterly bizarre happened. In a strange flash of golden light appeared a figure in the pathway. Legolas stepped up and rolled the figure onto it's back, examining it. The figure was a girl, a human girl, little more than a child. She was tall, think about five eight, and slender, almost too slender. She wore a strange pair of black robes ripped and stained with blood. Poking out of one sleeve was a strange wooden stick. On her back their was strapped a shethed sword of gold encrusted with rubies. Something was carved into it in some strange language but he paid it no mind. What was a woman doing with a sword? The woman was quite pretty, especially for being a mortal human. She had a kind, round, almost elf-like face, her skin was somewhat tanned, on her forehead a lightning-bolt shaped scar was etched dead center. He gently pulled back an eyelid to see that her eyes were a stunning shade of emerald. The girl's hair was in tangled curls only to a little past her shoulders and was a shade of deep midnight black. Legolas could see streaks of dark red running through it, streaks barely noticeable for the blood matted in the girl's hair. She smelt like battle but she wore no armor. What sort of a mystery was this girl?

I woke up what seemed like ages later covered by a blanket, on a soft bed. With a gasp I bolted upright.

"What?" I gasped. "Where am I? Where is my wand? How did I get here?" I rattled off, scrabbling out of the bed.

"You are in Rivendell. You apparently just showed up in the gardens with signs of battle on you." said a voice from the corner of the room. Finally finding my wand, I spun around and pointed it at the person, a woman with pointed ears.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"I am Arwen of Rivondell, daughter of Elrend." she said. "And who, may I ask, are you?"

"Hmph, finally someone who doesn't know my story!" I muttered. "Either that or she's just toying with me."

"I assure you that I am not toying with you, I am truly curious." she said.

"All right then, I believe you for now. I am Lilith Jade Potter...erm...of England...erm...daughter of Lily and James?" I said a bit uncertainly.

"It is nice to meet you, Lilith Jade Potter." Arwen said.

"Please...my name's just Lilith...Jade is my middle name and Potter is my surname. Where exactly is Rivondell?" I asked.

"We are in Middle Earth, of course." Arwen said with a smile.

"Middle...Middle...Middle _EARTH?_ You mean like the elves and the dwarves and the hobbits of the shire and frodo and Samwise Gamgee and Merry and Pippin? Like Aragorn and Legolas and Gandalf the Grey?" I rattled off, Arwen looked shocked.

"Ye-yes. How do you know of such things?" she asked.

"Oh Merlin...oh merlin...where is my sachel?" I asked. Arwen silently pointed to a chair in the corner of the room. Against it lay my sword, freshly polished, and on it lay my pouch. I opened it up and stuck my arm in. Finally finding what I wanted I pulled it out, a bottle of Ogden's best.

"So you're saying that I'm in the world with a fellowship and a councel and elves and dwarves where witches and wizards barely exist? Bloody hell." I said, taking a swig from my bottle and letting the fire of the liquid go down my throat and out my ears in smoke.

"What is it that you drink, Lilith?" Arwen asked. "And how is your pack so small but so big?"

"This is firewhiskey, of course. I can't seem to go much without it. My pack is so large because I put an expansion charm on it." I said.

"Expansion charm?" _Arwen_ asked.

"of course, I'm a witch." I said.


	65. Rogue: Payback's a Witch

Payback's A Bitch!

An attempt to write a female Harry fighting against Voldemort and Dumbledore gets thrown back in time to her younger self fic… Also paired with Draco, I think…

Chapter One: Second Chances

"Approaching target. Target surrounded, Dragon?" I asked through my communication watch.

"Affirmative. All available Fighters are posted at the outermost perimeter. Faerie and her team are to the west, Bear and his team are to the east, and I and my team are to the north. Status on ward progress, Rogue?" Dragon AKA Draco Malfoy, my husband of twelve years, said, his voice coming out of the watch, only audible to me and me alone. The Fighters that Draco referred too were the Freedom Fighters, an organisation that the two of us, with the help of Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood-Longbottom, AKA Bear and Faerie, had created to combat the Death Eaters after those in the Order of the Phoenix led by the not-so-pure-and-holy Albus Dumbledore had turned their backs on me for falling in love with a Malfoy and taking a more offensive, active stance in the war. Many Order members became Fighters when they realised Dumbledore's thoughts. This did not, however, include Percy and Ron Weasley. Percy, feeling their was no better option, joined the Death Eaters, eventually spying for me and getting me information when he could and Ron turned his back on me completely. The last time when Ron, Hermione, and I, the so-called Golden Trio, were still together we were eighteen. We were already growing distant, Ron and I, because I was dating Draco Malfoy. Hermione didn't seem to care but she never really defended me for Ron was her boyfriend and she just wanted him to be happy. Before she was ever forced to pick a side, her parents were killed in a Death Eater raid in Crowly in August of 1998 and she killed herself not long after, feeling as though she had failed them. On that day Ron didn't seem to care but I mourned the loss of a great mind and a great friend. That was when the Golden Trio became more of a Silver Duo, not a very happy one either. Ron and I parted the night Draco proposed to me, my nineteenth birthday, and Ron joined Dumbledore's fight against me claiming I'd "gone dark" which wasn't totally a lie but wasn't true in the sense he meant it. As far as I knew the jealous fool was still alive, just waiting for the day to bring me down. I snapped back to the task at hand and relayed my findings.

"Fair but difficult going. Voldemort really is paranoid about all this. It would have been so much easier to get in before he found the bloody place. I'm currently dismantling the outermost perimeter and identification wards and they're tricky enough. I suppose the old snake really is paranoid about protecting the last piece of his soul that isn't in him. It would have been _so_ much easier if we'd have known that the locket was in Grimmauld Place before the Death Eaters lay siege to it, then I could have just grabbed it and been done with the entire business when I was seventeen and not thirty-two. Their's some darker spell work further in I'm going to have to take apart, nasty bits of work. I'm the only one who can destroy them too other than Voldemort, they're parcelmagic wards. Merlin, I wish Berlin was still around, he could be some help on the things that are of the more ordinary variety." I said. Berlin, that was what we called Bill Weasley because he could bring down wards and break curses quicker than anyone and with as much force as the people bringing down the Wall of Berlin in 1989. He was a very loyal member of the Fighters and had died trying to bring down wards to Durmstrang which was being used as a Death Eater base of operations. He had been able to bring down all the wards and curses but at the price of his life. Needless to say the Fighters fought extra-hard in Bill's memory that night. That had been three years ago now.

"I worry, Rogue. Have you really got it? Are you positive the locket is even here? Will you be all right?"

"I swear I'll be fine, Dragon. Berlin and the Curse-Masters taught me all I know and I am sure I shall succeed. Though difficult and potentially dangerous to an untrained witch or wizard, and especially an untrained witch or wizard who cannot speak the tongue of snakes, the wards on the Slytherin castle that I cannot get through by right of blood, the wards that Voldemort cast, are much newer and therefore weaker than those that surrounded Durmstrang that Berlin died for. Now we must cease communication so that I can properly concentrate." I said, snapping my arm back to my side. I stood, feet planted shoulder-width apart, and kept moving my wand around in intricate patterns with my right hand as my left hand did the same, each finger acting like a natural wand. After much work and drain on my magic I felt the last of Voldemort's wards fall. It was time for Slytherin's wards now.

"I, being the blood heir of the noble, mighty, and most great Salazar Slytherin request entrance to this castle. It has been wrongly used and for foul purpose and I wish to protect all that lays inside." I hissed in parceltongue. A wash of warmth ran over my body and I felt my vast magical reserves replenish themselves. I ran towards the castle doors, sending a quick message to my partners.

"Dragon, Faerie, Bear, all down, plan is go!"

"Aye!" the three shouted in triumph. I smiled. As I ran in and through the castle I began mentally configuring the wards, allowing certain people in. What I never thought of was keeping people out. I could here the Fighters surrounding the castle and smiled. I knew through my peculiar connection with Voldemort just where the horcrux was, in Salazar's old potions lab. I pelted towards it and flew through the door into the room. Oh great, another potion, I groaned as I saw it suspended in green goo. With a frown I conjured a goblet and a pitcher out of the air, I knew just what to do. I took a goblet full of potion and tried to dump it on the floor, it just went back into the cauldron. Next, I took it and dumped it into the conjured pitcher, it stayed. Ah Tom, you silly fool! Did you really think nobody would try dumping it into something else? I smirked and continued emptying the cauldron until only the locket lay within. Being very careful, I made sure the gloves to my basilisk armer were snug and reached in, picking up the locket. I pointed my wand directly at the S and began to chant in something nobody could understand, something so obvious but, at the same time, so obscure.

"Og live siht tel ot emit si ti won, luos a fo eceip a, live htiw detcefni si ti. Dluohs ti taht yaw eht ton si won, doog ecno dna erup ecno saw taht meti na. Rednammoc sti sa drol krad eht sa nellaf sah, ruednarg fo meti na, ytuaeb fo meti na. Og live siht tel ot emit si ti won, luos a fo eceip a, live htiw detcefni si ti. Dluohs ti taht yaw eht ton si won, doog ecno dna erup ecno saw taht meti na. Rednammoc sti sa drol krad eht sa nellaf sah, ruednarg fo meti na, ytuaeb fo meti na. Og live siht tel ot emit si ti won, luos a fo eceip a, live htiw detcefni si ti. Dluohs ti taht yaw eht ton si won, doog ecno dna erup ecno saw taht meti na. Rednammoc sti sa drol krad eht sa nellaf sah, ruednarg fo meti na, ytuaeb fo meti na." On the last word there was a flash of bright white light followed by a black shadow seeping out of the necklace. I smiled as it dissipated, this was the last one. I slid it into a special pocket of my robes with all the others and sighed, now all I had to do was corner that son-of-an-inbred-bitch and kill him. It looked as though that time would be closer than I thought as I felt unknown presences go through the wards, _DAMN!_ I never disallowed anyone!

"Rogue, Death Eaters...and lots of them!" Draco said.

"My side too!" Neville communicated.

"The Munchers-Of-Death are closing in!" Luna added.

"All Fighters meet me in front, I repeat all Fighters meet me in front! The mission was successful and now it is time for the final battle!" I called through my communicator, opening it to all the linked ones the Fighters shared. I got a collective "_AYE!"_ from the group and smiled, they'd be with me until the very end. Horcrux in hand, feeling better than I had in more than a decade, I charged towards the castle entrance. The scene I came upon would have been bone-chilling to me when I was fifteen but it was the norm now. All Fighters wore full-body basilisk armer; boots, underclothes, leggings, over-pants, shirts, vests, gloves, high collars, hoods, and breathable face masks. One could hardly tell except by stature which of us was male and which of us was female. I wore the same outfit as them for I was not their superior, I was their equal and a big part of this war whether I liked it or not. The Death Eaters wore wizard-style robes of black with hoods and white skull face-masks. Ha...ha...hahaha...I wonder if old Tom realises just how much he dresses his little pureblood pets like Muggle grim reapers? The snake-faced tosser probably doesn't. He'd say that the design was all his genius idea anyway. Already my small, well-trained contingent was battling the larger but more poorly-trained Death Eater brude. I watched, transfixed, as the spells arced back and forth between the two groups. This wasn't the battle of the ministry in my fifth year where we just threw stunning spells at the Death Eaters and they retaliated with lethal force; this was where both sides fought to see who could be the most lethal of all. I saw Chameleon, also known as Nymphadora Tonks, discretely transfigure her outfit into a temporary Death Eater costume. She was brilliant; she would go around and cut them down disguised as their family members or, if none, Voldemort himself. She was fearless in that regard. She had been fighting even more ferociously since she was hit with the spell that made her miscarry her and Remus's child back in 2002 making her unable to conceive more and still more fearsomely after the death of her beloved in 2011. Remus was simply known as Moony. That had been one of the hardest deaths for me, Remus was the last true link to my parents, Sirius had been dead almost seventeen years now, through the veil in that ill-fated battle at the DOM in June 1996. Tonic, also known as Ginevra (but mostly Gin and Ginny) Weasley, the last true Weasley standing, was throwing deadly curses left and right to avenge her family. Her parents' home had been burned in the night on Christmas day of 1997, with their sad excuses for wards they stood no chance. Only the Weasley parents, Molly and Arthur, were home that night, they never really saw all the horrors of the war. It wasn't even the Death Eaters that did it, it was Dumbledore and his blasted Order to show that he had power, that that was what would happen to those who opposed him. He also hoped that the remaining Weasleys would then join his side, that never happened with the exception of Ron officially joining him in August of 1999. I suspected, however, that he had been in league with Dumbledore long before that. It only turned the Weasleys further against them and strengthened their resolve to fight. Bill, known as Berlin, went down with the Durmstrang wards in 2006, Charlie, also known as Spike for his love of dragons, was killed as he went on a one-man raid of a Death Eater stronghold in 2009; he and Norbert...or rather Norberta...took out more than a hundred new recruits before being shot down by a contingent of Death Eater superiors. Percy, also known as Duo for his spying, died as a Death eater spy in 2001, Voldemort found out his plans and his head was displayed on a pike until the flesh started rotting off. The twins, Fred and George, also known as Bam-Bam and Boomslang for their love of potions and explosions, went up in the Battle of the Ministry, 2003. I mean that literally; they didn't want any of the Death Eaters getting hold of their inventions in their joke shop. They warned everyone they could before going in and setting off all the explosives they had. The Ministry went up with the Death Eaters, the twins went up with them, they couldn't get out in time. Their was Ron, the traitorous arse, and Ginny, the last and littlest Weasley. She wasn't so little, I had to remember, Ginny was 31, not the little ten-year-old I first met at nine and three quarters when I was just a little waif of a girl myself; skinny, malnourished, and unloved.

Snapping out of my dangerous revery I jumped headlong into the fight, helping Glitch AKA Collin Creevy fight a clearly poorly-trained Death Eater. The poor guy had practically been driven off the edge by the murder of his little brother, Dennis, back in 2000 and further off when his much-younger cousin, Alessandra Coventry, had been rounded up, put in a Muggle-born concentration camp, and slaughtered after turning eleven in 2004. The Death Eater, feeling rather tired of fighting, just threw an AK at Collin to be done with him. He tried to dodge but couldn't, the spell hit him in the chest. Poor Collin...he was such a sweet, enthusiastic kid once.

"For Collin you masked _BASTARD!"_ I shouted as I aimed a whip-like cutting curse at the Death Eater. Everybody on the wrong side of my wand knows just how deadly my aim is...the Death Eater never had a chance. Everyone who fights me knows just who I am; they call me Bleeding Violet. Before he or she could even say "Oh shit!" his or her head was chopped clean off. I summoned the mask off to see the face of Zacharias Smith, a year-mate of mine that was in Hufflepuff. Pompous bastard got what he deserved. I wonder if he knew that Moldy-Voldy was the one to have stolen Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's locket from his great-aunt Hepzibah? I frowned and turned back to the battle. I saw a Death Eater without his mask, Theodore Nott. I recognised him as a Slytherin year-mate of mine. He had slaughtered his sister, her Muggle husband, and their unborn children back in the early days of the war. Concentrating hard and using my half-dormant metamorphmagus ability I made my features similar to hers before taking my hood down and putting an illusion over myself so that I looked to be wearing the same thing Cassandra was when she died. I shot a curse at him making him whirl around. I was just as fond of this tactic as Tonks was but I couldn't do it nearly as well. Apparently, due to my never realising my talent before my magical maturation, I could only do a bare minimum including hair, eyes, skin, and slight facial alterations. And to think I could have become a full-fledged metamorphmagus if I had known.

"Ca-Ca-Cassandra?" he stuttered.

"You killed me, Theo! You killed me and my husband, my son and my daughter!" I said coldly and a touch cruelly.

"No...please...forgive me...don't kill me...have mercy!" he begged.

"That would be too kind, you filthy swine! I am going to kill you...slowly and painfully as well." I said with a cold laugh. Before theo could say anything more a curse shot a knife right through his heart. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell down dead. Morphing back to normal I dawned my hood and mask once more and searched for my next target. It looked as though Voldemort was bringing out the big guns now. In the distance I saw Draco in fierce combat with a Death Eater.

"Join us, Draco, you could do so much better." came the silky voice of Lucius Malfoy from beneath the mask.

"_NEVER!"_ Draco growled fiercely.

"Hahaha, very funny, Draco. Leave the Potter bitch, come to our side." Lucius coaxed.

"_NO!"_ Draco yelled.

"I've got your back, babe!" I said through the special soul-bond mind-link that we shared, positioning myself behind Lucius. Just as the Death Eater tried to throw an AK at his own son I threw a slow-acting heart-shredding curse at him and Draco threw a slow-acting brain-liquifying curse.

"Ah...Lucius...my loyal friend." a voice sighed sadly, Voldemort had come. It was true, I had killed Bellatrix Lestrange, his other most loyal, when I was eighteen.

"If I have it my way, Tommy-boy, more than just your prime Death Muncher will be dead by the time this battle is over." I said coldly, facing my foe.

"And who are you to say so, wench?" he demanded. The two of us circled each other, the other combatants giving us a wide birth as we did so.

"Your worst nightmare." I said, pulling back my hood and mask. My thick, raven black hair which was in a thick, braided bun on top of my head before fell loose to my waste, my green eye glinted without glasses to get in the way as they had in my youth, and my lightning-bolt scar stood out in the middle of my forehead. The war and aging had taken its toll on me, it was plain to see. My face was gaunt and haggard, stress lines and scars marring it. A spell had obliterated my right eye in the London Massacre in 2000, the same battle where Dennis Creevy had been killed. All that their was in its place was a hauntingly empty eye socket. I could sort of "grow" an artificial, unseeing eye as I had done when I played the part of Cassandra Nott but I don't keep that up much, it is magically tiring to me. My hair, once unruly, had become more tame as I aged but was still quite wavy. Several streaks of grey had already made it into the black. I was short for a woman from a childhood of malnutrition, only five three. I was thin from not eating properly, being on the run for so long, but I was in near-top physical form.

"_POTTER!"_ Voldemort hissed.

"That's right, Tombo Ridiculous, and _THIS_ _ENDS_ _NOW!"_ I hissed.

"_HA!_ You think that _YOU_ of all people can beat _I,_ _LORD_ _VOLDEMORT?_ _I,_ who has done more then _ANY_ _OTHER_ to ensure my _ABSOLUTE_ _IMMORTALITY?"_ he laughed, high, cold, and cruel. I sneered right back at him and thrust my hand into my special pocket.

"Oh. Do you mean your itty-bitty, soul-fragment-housing, _LITTLE_ _TRINKETS?_ Your _HORRID_ _HORCRUXES?_ I got them all, Tommy Boy. The ring, the locket, the cup, the diadem, your _BELOVED_ _SNAKE,_ I got them _ALL!"_ I hissed, throwing them all at the snake-faced man.

"_Nooooo!_ How...how...how could you?" he roared before throwing a curse at me that would have cut me into bloody little ribbons. The battle was on. Back and forth we shot spells, spells that would have downed any normal witch or wizard before now but we were both far outside the spectrum of normal. Now that he was mortal again he was tiring, I could see that and I used that against him. I shot off a loud explosion hex at his feet, sending up a fountain of parched grass and dirt into the bloody orange December sky.

"_HA!_ You missed, Potter. Honestly, you're _SO_ _PATHETIC!_ Do you think that you could be any more so? _I_ don't. You shall be easy to—com" but whatever he was about to say was cut off as I appearated right behind him and blew off his head with the same spell, blood and gore raining down onto me. The headless corpse of Tom Riddle finally fell to the ground for the last time. I cried out in triumph, raising my wand up high. I looked around...there weren't nearly as many people cheering as I thought there would be. My eye skimmed over the bloodstained grounds of Slytherin's castle. All the Death Eaters were dead...and so were the rest of my Fighters...my family...except for Draco, Neville, and Luna. Draco bounded over the body of his dead father to get to me. He threw his arms around me and kissed me with all he had.

"You did it...you really did it, love." he breathed.

"Yeah''I did...I did." I sighed. Soon enough Neville and Luna were done with their own victory kiss and the four of us were in a group hug...it was over.

"What has happened to you." breathed a voice from behind me. The four of us spun into formation, Draco and me in the middle and Neville and Luna flanking us. Standing there was Dumbledore, wand out, with a fan formation behind him. The people closest to him carried large guns, Muggles then, and the people protecting the Muggles had wands.

"Excuse me?" I demanded.

"You have fallen far, my dear. You would have never done that had you not been so corrupted by darkness." he sighed.

"I am _NOT_ _Bloody_ _CORRUPTED!_ I did what I _HAD_ _TO_ _DO!_ If it were all up to you Voldemort would _RULE_ _THE_ _WORLD_ by now. This is war, Dumbledore, Muggles have fought wars like these for _MILLENNIA!_ _WIZARDS_ have fought wars like these for _MILLENNIA!_ It's the _CIRCLE_ _OF_ _LIFE,_ Dumbledore. And you, you're willing to cast me out as some dark devil when I've just _SAVED_ _ALL_ _YOUR_ _ARSES!"_

"Everyone deserves second chances, my girl, but you murdered them before they could repent." Dumbledore said.

"You are _Not_ _GOD,_ Dumbledore. It is _NOT_ up to you to judge them." I snarled.

"It is not up to you to murder them without _GIVING_ _THEM_ _A_ _CHANCE!"_ Dumbledore roared.

It is not murder, Dumbledore, if they, in turn, have _MURDERED,_ _RAPED,_ and _TORTURED._ Unlike Voldemort, I do _NOT_ _KILL_ _INNOCENCE!_ Think what you will of me, Dumbledore, but this war is _OVER!_ Voldemort is _GONE!_ The Death Eaters are all _DEAD!"_ I growled.

"She is quite right. We did what we must." Luna cut in.

"What else were we to do? Let him destroy the world?" Neville demanded.

"Miss Lovegood, what would your father say of all this? And Mr. Longbottom? What of your parents and grandmother?" Dumbledore asked.

"My father died in the London Massacre _TWELVE_ _YEARS_ _AGO!"_ Luna spat.

"And my parents and gran were killed in the Battle of St. Mungo's _TWO_ _YEARS_ _LATER!"_ Neville snarled.

"My dear children, then I am sorry to do this to you. May you be forgiven, all of you, and especially you, Violet Potter. _ FIRE!"_ Dumbledore roared. Before we could even move scores of bullets and green killing curses flew out from the guns and the wands...we never had a chance...in an explosion of pain my world went dark around me.

Chapter Two: Waking Up

The darkness seemed to last for a long time after that. Suddenly, I heard a sharp rapping sound.

"Up, get up, _NOW!"_ I opened my eyes and...what the hell? How'd I get back in the cupboard? I hadn't slept in this god-forsaken place for more than twenty-one years! What was this, _HELL?_ Some sort of _TRICK?_ Then again, I somehow felt it wasn't. Then it hit me: I was seeing with both of my eyes. Reaching up with my hands, I touched my face only to feel the soft skin of a child. My hands, as well, were tiny. I marveled at the lack of scars, the presence of both of my eyes.

"Are you up yet, you _UNGREATFUL_ _LITTLE_ _BRAT?"_ came the screeching voice of my _LOVING_ aunt.

"Nearly...nearly...bloody hell..." I mumbled.


	66. Rosella Enchanted

Rosella Enchanted

An attempt to write a Harry Potter crossover with Ella Enchanted movie, where the universes are kind of mashed together… features Prince Draco, female fairy Albus Dumbledore, house fairy Molly Weasley, etc…

Chapter One: My Life, A Summary

Let me tell you a little about myself and my country. I live in the beautiful land of Hogwartia nestled between the Everflow Sea to the west, the Crystalline Ocean to the north, the country of Beaubatma to the east, and Durman to the south. Their are four main parts to the kingdom, To the east is the beautiful region of Hufflepuff whose people are as soft-spoken and loyal as those in the neighboring country of Beaubatma. Some of the main towns in Hufflepuff are Loyola, Tendra, Kin City, Busytown, and the most well-known city, Helga. To the north is the region of Ravenclaw where the people tend to be just as smooth in whit and thought as their see flows. Some of the most well-known towns in Ravenclaw are Whitville, Logicara, Sensetown, Autura, and, the most well-known, Rowena. To the west is my favorite land, of course, the land of Gryffindor where the citizens are brave and as unpredictable as the waves of our sea. There are some well-known towns in my land as well. Their is Bravada, Couratown, Daring, Chiva, and, the most well-known town in the land, perhaps even more then Merdon, Godric. Godric was where a very evil wizard was killed that the king, queen, and their men had been trying to get too for years but that's another story for another time. In the south their is a region called Slytherin whose people are just as cunning and sly as the people over the border in Durman. The first town in it is Cunn, then there's Sarcasma, Ambitair, Sin City, and their most well-known town, Salazar. Their is a city which lies in all four territories which is called Merdon.

In our kingdom their are several different races that exist. The first and most troublesome are ogres. Their are also gnomes, giants, elves, centaurs, and many other things. Different varieties of fairies make this place their home and their are ones, like Althea of Merdon, who are their at the births of babies to give them special "gifts". I, sadly, am one of these "gifted" individuals. It doesn't help that Althea is my totally immortal grandmother who uses big magic without any regard for anyone else. Their are, of course, humans but their are two different types. Their are the ordinary people without any specific abilities and their are people like me, my mum, and dad who are witches and wizards. All non-magical people are classified as "Muggles" and all magical humans are classified as "magi.

Now, for surely you wonder, what about myself? My name is Rosella, Rosella Lily Potter of Godric, Gryffindor. My parents are Lily Evans Potter, a witch born to Muggles, and James Potter, a pureblood wizard. My birthday is the thirty-first of July and I am just barely seventeen years old. My features are much like my dad's, a somewhat thin face, high cheekbones, damnably unruly black hair, but I have my mum's eyes and some dark red streaks in my hair from her. Also, I am more like Mum in that I am petite, my mum being half fairy and my dad a fairy friend, something like an eighth fairy, and have the distinguished little fairy feet. As I write this I'm only five three and probably the biggest klutz in the world. I do, unfortunately, have to wear glasses like Dad does. Fairy blood doesn't help the senses much, just gives me more magic, even fairy magic since I'm just over a quarter fairy. Only those with above a quarter fairy in their blood can use the magic. My story starts at my birth when a fairy, Althea, who is present at all births, gave me a "gift", or as I call it, a curse. Like I said, it doesn't help that she's grandma dearest. "I give you the perfect child." she had said to my mum, Lily Evans-Potter, a witch, half fairy, and her daughter, and my dad, James Potter, a wizard and fairy friend. A fairy friend is someone who has a little bit of fairy blood, if you didn't catch that. I was rather fussy then so she proved her point, cerulean eyes twinkling maddeningly. "Go to sleep." she ordered. Automatically, my emerald eyes closed and I fell into slumber.

"What have you done to my Rosella, Mother?" Mum demanded.

"She will follow every command directly given to her, it is the gift of obedience, my darling Lily-flower." Althea said. Then, eyes twinkling, dark red hair swirling around her, she vanished. And so there I was, a cursed baby or, in Althea's words, gifted. Mum was always gentle with me and tried to never give me a command, Dad was the same way except he did nudge me to cause lots of mischief at school. My godmother, Molly, who was an immortal house fairy, short and plump with flaming red hair, was a bit more strict and had trouble not dishing out commands.

"Rose, wash the dishes." she would sometimes say. I would run the water over them but not scrub them. When she would say, "Rose, scrub the dishes," I would barely touch them with the sponge. Finally, she would rephrase it as a request and not a command. I remember once when I was almost nine I had a friend named Cho who was of Ravenclaw. Cho was a year older then me and always came around to hang out. One day, I told her my greatest secret, the secret of my curse. She used it to my advantage to make me lose to her, do whatever she said, you get it. My friendship with the young Ravenclaw ended that day with me breaking her nose.

"Don't you ever tell anyone of your curse ever again unless it is absolutely crucial." Mum had ordered, giving one of her few commands.

I had proven my magic at a very young age and Mum and Dad started to train me when I was five. At six, I went to a magical primary school but sometimes had trouble because the other kids ordered me around a lot. In retaliation, I pranked them. When I was nine, as is the standard age, I got a wand. Mahogany and dragon heartstring, eleven and one quarter inches. I only had a few months to be trained with it before disaster struck.

On Halloween night, three months after my birthday, that evil wizard, Voldemort, came for me. Mum and I were sorting through my haul on candy. When people said, "Take as much as you like" I never hesitated in grabbing huge handfuls from Muggles and Magi alike. Voldemort blasted right through the front door and killed Dad on the spot.

"Run, Rose, run!" Mum commanded. I didn't do anything but run in place, I wouldn't leave.

"I said run!" Mum shouted, so I did. I ran into the living room to see my dad's dead body. I shook back a sob and directed all my anger at the snake-faced man smirking over it.

"One down, two to go." he murmured.

"Not if I can help it you great snaky git!" I yelled but Mum jumped in front of me.

"You will never kill my baby!" she yelled.

"But I will kill you if you do not step aside!" Voldemort hissed.

_NEVER!"_ she yelled.

"Have it your way, avada kedavra." and with that my mum, my wonderful mum, fell over dead.

"I will have my revenge!" I yelled. "I will make sure that killing my parents is the last thing you do!" I said, choking back tears but purely and totally enraged.

"You dare speak like that to me, you filthy half-blood, half-breed brat." he hissed. I don't mean it was like he was hissing, he was actually hissing.

"Oh, and you _aren't_ a "filthy half-blood"? At least _my_ mum is, _was,_ a witch, your father was a Muggle. Get your aarse out of this house before I kill you!" my voice trembled with rage at the sight of my parents' dead bodies.

"Ah, so you speak the tongue of snakes eh, Potter? No, I shall not leave." Voldemort hissed. I did something that was at the same time very brave and very stupid. I lunged at him, tackling him to the ground, and snapped his wand into tiny little pieces with one hand as I squeezed his skinny, scaly neck with the other. His breathing was becoming more ragged with every passing second but I showed no mercy to the man who murdered my parents.

"Stop!" he ordered. I stopped only long enough to punch him in the face and grab him by the throat with both hands, trying my best to pin him down. Voldemort might have been deadly with a wand but he had no muscle, he would never live without it, maybe. I say "maybe" because he raised a thin, white finger to a few inches in front of my forehead.

"Avada...kedavra." he rasped out. The green jet of light neared the middle of my forehead in what seemed like slow motion. This was it, I was going to die. But then it hit me, cutting into my forehead with white hot pain, I struggled to keep my hold on the filthy murderer beneath me. Suddenly, it bounced off me and hit Voldemort square through his gasping mouth.

"Oh." he said, and then he fell limp, dead of his own curse. After that, everything went black.

An Auror squad, the police in Hogwartia, with a few trained healers, doctors to you Earth Muggles out their, arrived the next day to find me unconscious, hands still squeezing the throat of the man nobody could beat, the bodies of two people that had been their dear friends, my mum, a treasured healer, and my dad, a celebrated auror, a few feet away, lying dead right next to each other. My godmother, who had been visiting her descendants, was racked with sobs. At first they all thought that I too was dead but when Molly lifted me up and put me on the couch, she realized I was still warm and my heart beat, albeit slowly.

"Look at this scar!" Molly gasped, pointing at the cut on my forehead. I would later find out that it was in the shape of a flower, a rose.

"It has residue from the killing curse on it, that must mean...that she survived!" gasped one of the healers.

Later, once I had woke up, I had given my memory of exactly what had happened. I became famous, a sensation, "the girl-who-lived," everyone called me. Creatures around the land called me "the slayer-of-evil" and "the wizard slayer". I must admit that I disliked the hyphenated names except perhaps wizard slayer, that was kinda cool. What was _not_ cool, however, was when I was ordered by the Gryffindorian government and, higher up, the Hogwartian government, to live with my last living "relatives, my mum's Muggle half-sister, a widow, Petunia Evans Dursley, and her two children, Hyacinth, who was my age, and Marigold, age eight. They have different mums, my mum's mum, apparently, was the fairy Althea and Petunia's mum was a completely human Muggle. First, however, their was a huge funeral in Godric Town Square that was to be attended by the Royal family and everything since my parents were very high up in ranks and loved even in the most unlovable quadrant, Slytherin.

The morning of the funeral I dressed in a black set of wizard robes, put on black dragon-hide boots, and made sure my gold rose pendant with a little ruby for the middle of the flower which was on a delicate thin chain hung around my neck. Mum had given it to me as soon as they had realized I was, indeed, a witch and not a Squib, a non-magic, muggle-like person born to a witch and wizard. She had put a never-lose charm on it so I, who loses things often, could never lose this and a charm so that only I could take it off. Molly helped me make my hair more manageable and it fell in soft curls to my waste now. My emerald eyes were red-rimmed with crying which Molly had not covered up with a spell, let people know that I, the girl-who-lived, was human too. I put on my oval, gold wire-rimmed glasses and went downstairs where Molly, also in black, folded me into a soft, loving hug.

"Everything will be okay, dear." she assured. "I'm still allowed to stay with you at the Dursley Manor and I'll have all of your properties cleaned regularly, whatever you want I'll make sure you have it at your aunt's house."

"Thank you!" I sobbed.

" please come now, let's go outside, we'll be escorted by carriage, the royal family has offered to come in with us for what your parents, and now you, have done for the government."

"You mean King Lucius, Queen Narcissa, and Prince Draconus?" I asked.

"The very same, dear." Molly said, ushering me outside. Their stood a tall carriage made of the finest ebony wood I had ever seen. A coachman bounded out and offered his hand up to me. I nodded in the negative and hauled myself into the carriage, ripping my robes and bloodying my knees in the process. Molly was helped on a second later.

"Tsk tsk, look at you! Sit still and let me heal your knees and repair your robes." Molly commanded.

"Don't order me around!" I said, clenching my stomach because I was not staying totally and completely still.

"Be quiet for just a second." Molly snapped, bending on her knees as the carriage set off. I began to talk after a second.

"It's been a second, the you-know-what will let me talk now, so don't order me around." it was like we had forgotten we were in a carriage with the royal family.

"You give out commands and yet you hate to receive them, Rosella. It is quite clear that Althea didn't think that a girl with an obedience curse could be so disobedient!" Molly snapped.

"_Molly!_ You just gave away my biggest secret in front of the people with the power to use me for it!" I shrieked. Molly looked horrified. Thankfully the coachman was outside the carriage and could not here us, it was just the royal family, Molly, and me inside.

"Obedience curse?" queried the queen, a beautiful woman with golden hair, ice blue eyes, and aristocratic features. I noticed some traits that were consistent with with fairies, half-fairies, and people with a little more then a quarter fairy blood like me. Her ears had a very slight point and her feet were tiny. She was tall but very slender with small shoulders just like Mum and I had.

"No-nothing, it was all an illusion, you were hearing things." I stammered.

"My wife knows when the truth is being told." King Lucius said from his seat. He was regal in deep black robes of the highest quality. His eyes were silver, face sharp and aristocratic, and his hair long and platinum blonde. His feet were also small, fairy small meaning he was a fairy friend.

"mums the daughter of Ceruliana, the fairy of truth and riddles." Prince Draconus blurted out and then covered his mouth.

"I understand, my grandma, my mum's mum, that is, is Althea, the crazy fairy with the twinkling eyes and red hair like Mum's." I said. "So did Ceruliana curse you? Molly looked at me warningly.

"Yes she did. I'm the most perfectly honest boy in the world, according to her, and it really freaking sucks because everything I think gets cast out their and if I try and hold anything in my stomach hurts. I don't like Grandma Ruli, she's nuts; always talking in riddles and—com"

"Draconus Lucius Malfoy, be quiet." Queen Narcissa ordered.

"You're lucky, Prince Draconus, you don't have to listen to orders. If I don't, I get a hell of a stomach ache." I blurted.

"Rosella Lily Potter, don't you _dare_ let me catch you swearing in front of royalty again!" Molly shrieked. I nodded, angry at being ordered around.

"Oh yes I do, if I don't follow through with chores or doing whatever else I need to do Mother and Father have a hissy-hissy fit...oops." he looked sheepish. "Don't look at me that way, it's Granny Dearest's fault, not mine. Anyway, please don't call me _DRACONUS,_ too formal, call me Draco."

"I'm Rosella but you can just call me Rose even though I feel more like an "Ella" now that I'm being forced to live with my evil half-aunt and my evil half-cousins. This is too much like Cinderella for my liking." I said. "I don't know if I even wanna be called Rose anymore because that's what Mum and Dad always called me but Ella almost sounds like I'm giving in, you know what I mean?"

"No." Draco said, honestly of course.

"We're here." Molly said to me. The coachman came to the door and helped Queen Narcissa out, then Molly. I refused and jumped out on my own, I was stubborn like that. Of course, knowing me, I scuffed my right boot and nearly broke my ankle. Molly hmphed and spelled everything right again before we joined the queue right behind the king, queen, and prince. At funerals in Hogwartia, everyone goes in before royalty except for the family who is mourning. People kept getting introduced until it was about time for the royal family to be introduced.

"The Magus Severus Snape of Salazar, royal adviser to his majesty the king of Hogwartia." boomed the announcer, a Muggle placed under a sonorus charm. A tall man with a thin face, hooked nose, coal-black eyes, and greasy-looking black hair that hung in thick curtains down to his shoulders wearing billowing black robes stepped through the arch, down the isle of chairs, and to a seat in the second row. It was then that a woman with two daughters shoved in between Molly and I. She was tall, thin, and bony with a horse-like thin face, muddy brown eyes, thin, dark-blonde hair, and twice the usual amount of neck. The daughter to her left looked about my age and was her mother in miniature except that her hair was thick, wavy, and golden and her eyes were a squinty blue. She wore a black Muggle dress with a pink bow around the middle and was batting her wispy eyelashes at Draco. Her younger sister was short and fat with thin, dark blonde hair like her mother and the same squinty blue eyes as her sister. Her face was fat and pig-like and her nostrils in a constant state of flare. Her dress was dark, pulled tight over her rolls, with a purple bow around it.

"Oy, this is for family only." I snapped, squeezing past them.

"We are your family, girl, I am your aunt and these are your cousins." Petunia said as Molly joined me.

"Half-aunt." I snapped.

"Excuse me?" she asked, lips thinning and nostrils flaring.

"half-aunt, half-cousins, but I am my mother's _whole_ daughter and this is Molly, her godmother. We go first." I said decidedly.

"By the way," Draco shot back at the older cousin who kept trying to flirt with him. "Take the wig off, the change can't make you any uglier." I snorted and choked on my saliva trying not to laugh but broke down into giggles.

"Shut up, magus, what's so pretty about little fairy you? Nothing, that's what, plant eyes, a rat's nest, their's nothing interesting to behold correct, Prince Draconus?"

"She's a damn sight better to look at than you. Her eyes are like crushed emeralds, her hair like the wild winds of the pre-dawn night with rays of the sun going through it." Draco shot back at her. "Plus, you're just a commoner, Dursley is not a noble name, Potter, however, is. Evans was too before the line died out with the marriages of your mother and your aunt. It also doesn't hurt that Rose defeated the most evil man in history a week ago. With that, I bid you shut up and leave me alone." Draco whirled around, scowling, to be berated by his mother for cussing.

"Thank you, Draco." I said.

"Not a problem, Rose." he smiled at me as his father was called through the arch.

"And now his majesty, Magus Lucius Malfoy of Merdon, king of Hogwartia." the announcer boomed as Lucius sat in the front row in a grand chair.

"Her majesty, Magus Narcissa Aurillia Black-Malfoy of Salazar, now of Merdon, queen of Hogwartia." the announcer boomed. Queen Narcissa strode gracefully down the isle and sat in an equally grand chair a seat away from her husband. All of the chairs, in fact, were grand in the front row. On the stage sat five equally grand chairs, the places where Molly, my aunt, my cousins, and I would sit when the time came.

"His young majesty, Magus Draconus Lucius Malfoy of Merdon, prince of Hogwartia." was next. Draco walked down the isle and sat between his parents. I couldn't believe it, it was my turn, I got all choked up inside and felt the tears leak out of my eyes. The announcer's eyes bulged as he read my name which automatically would have shown up on the paper with my title, location, and everything.

"Um, Lady Magus Rosella Lily Potter-Evans-Dumbledore-Peverell Gryffindor Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw-Slytherin-Merlin of Godric, high countess of Hogwartia, daughter of James Charlis Potter and Lily Rose Evans-Potter." he read off, catching his breath at the end. What? I was only nine! How could I possibly be a high countess? I knew about the fact that I was related to some of the very most important people in our country, almost all magical, including Merlin or "Merdon," Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, the four founders of our country, and a direct descendant of Ignatius Peverell, one of the three brothers of the Deathly Hallows but that was a lot to here, though. I also knew that my mother was high countess of Ravenclaw and Slytherin, a few of the magi from whom she was descended, and my father was high count of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, a few of the magi from whom he was descended, before they married and became high count and countess of the entire kingdom but their must have been something in their will to make me countess before the legal age of inheritance, seventeen. I stumbled down the cobbled isle, wiping tears of sadness and shock from my face. One of the chairs in the front, on the stage, glowed green for me to sit on and so I did, feeling the smooth gold of it carved in flowers beneath my fingertips.

"Lady house fairy Molly Anne Prewett-Weasley of Godric, godmother of Lily Rose Evans-Potter and Rosella Lily Potter!" boomed the announcer. Molly walked up and sat down at the other end of the row.

"Why are you their?" I asked.

"I'm not family." she said mournfully. I nodded.

"Commoner Muggle Petunia Hyacinth Evans-Dursley of Ambitair, half-sister of Lily Rose Evans-Potter, sister-in-law to James Charlis Potter." Petunia strode stiffly up the isle and sat next to me, a look of disgust plastered on her face.

"Commoner Muggle Hyacinth Orchid Dursley of Ambitair, niece of Lily Rose Evans-Potter and James Charliss Potter." Hyacinth strode up the isle and sat next to her mother, casting a scathing look towards me.

"And lastly, commoner Muggle Marigold Azalea Dursley of Ambitair, niece of Lily Rose Evans-Potter and James Charlis Potter." Marigold waddled to the front as the announcer finally sat down. a man dressed in ministerial funeral robes stepped up to the podium which would automatically amplify one's voice.

"We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of two very wonderful people, Lily Evans-Potter and her husband, James Potter. Though their spirits shall move on and seek the other side the memories that they have created with all who loved them most shall never be forgotten for as long as we all shall live. They stood up for a noble cause and were killed by the worst representation of evil that Hogwartia has ever seen since the wars of the days of old. Their bravery, love, and personalities live on in their only child, Rosella Lily Potter of Godric. Though she and those who loved her parents most will miss them terribly we must remember that God above works in mysterious ways and all shall work out in the end." I snorted to myself, work out for who? God and his little entertainment soap opera here on the planet of Mayga? Whatever. "And now this old man shall stop his wheezing waffle to give their loved ones time to talk about those that they lost. First, we shall start with the one who has grown up with Lily Evans, her very own sister Petunia." the horse-woman stood up stiffly and stood in front of the podium.

"_Molly?"_ I begged mentally. One of my abilities is natural occlamency and legilimency. "_Can I please put a half-hour Ceruliana hex on her? I won't full-out curse her and it's not big magic but I want to know just what she thinks of my mum and dad."_

"_I would tell you that you couldn't but, short of me directly ordering you around, which you hate, you wouldn't listen to me anyway. I'm curious myself, go ahead as long as you cast it on everyone, I'll be casting it on you."_ I was shocked, it must be the mourning getting in the way of her common sense. The Ceruliana hex is a milder version of Draco's curse, it's fairy magic that forces the person to tell the truth about what they're talking about for a half hour, much more effective than the wizard verataserum, and their's no antidote.

"Cerulianus!" I muttered, pointing my right index finger at her. A streak of white light shot out and hit her, she noticed nothing.

"What do I think about my sister? Well of course I was jealous, who wouldn't be? I mean, she had the perfect looks, the perfect life, the perfect magic, the perfect marriage, the perfect daughter. I went to a no-good school and got a second-rate education. I married Vernon Dursley so that I could at least get some money but the Dursleys fell from grace years ago. Now I've got a daughter who forces me to buy wigs, a daughter who eats three platters of food a night, and a freak to take in with the most power anyone has seen since Merlin himself. Daddy was so happy when he found out Lily could do not only fairy magic but wizard magic. It was Lily this and Lily that! Lily got her healer's license, Lily got married to her academy sweetheart, Lily's pregnant, Lily gave birth to a baby whose powers are off the _CHARTS!_ But it was Petunia got a B in Hogwartian, Petunia didn't get her lead in the school play, Petunia graduated sixth in her class, Petunia married a no-good, fat, beer-bellied commoner so I'll cast her out of the _FAMILY._ The gist is that _I_ _HATE_ _MY_ _Bloody_ _FUCKING_ _SISTER!_ I wish I'd been their to kill her myself and wipe out her spawn while I was at it." she was breathing very hard now and was making her way back to her chair. She shot me a death glare, she knew I had hexed her, oops!

"You!" she hissed.

"Sorry, I meant to put the neesius charm on you, not the Ceruliana hex!" I whispered innocently, if anything she looked even more furious. The Neesius charm was another bit of fairy magic that made someone exceedingly kind for a half hour. It was named after yet another fairy, Neesy of Loyola who had cursed people to be ever-nice; this was a more mild version of her curse. I'm sure I know what you're thinking, what's up with all the female fairies? Trust me, their's plenty of infamous male ones out their. Their's Bob of Busytown, for instance, who cursed people to always want to work.

"Next, we bring up the woman who was like a mother to Lily Evans-Potter for her mother wishes to stay anonymous, this woman was the godmother of lily Evans-Potter, her grandmother before that, and her daughter, Rosella, after that. I introduce to you Molly of the fairies." Molly got up and shakily walked to the stool.

"What can I say about Lily?" she asked as I cast the Cerulianus hex on her. "Lily was the most wonderful girl I have ever met, the only child that compares is her daughter, Rosella. I remember the first word Lily ever said was when I was over for a visit, she said dadda and then looked at me and said my name the best she could, Mowwee. The first fairy magic she ever did was when she was two. She thought it would be funny to see her big sister walk the opposite way she wanted too. If Petunia wanted to go forward she went backward, if she wanted to go backward she'd go forward, if she wanted to go left she'd go right, if she wanted to go right she'd go left. It was the cutest thing. When she was four, she made her broccoli disappear from her plate, that's when we knew she was a witch for sure. Some fairies, half-fairies, and fairy friends can develop powers of the magi even if their parents are not Magi themselves. I am one of these fairies.


	67. Rugrats Go Potter

Potter Rugrat

An attempt to… well… write a Harry Potter and Rugrats crossover where a female Harry is taken in by Charlotte and Drew Pickles, becoming Angelica's little sister of sorts… Features witch Charlotte. Totally embarrassing the crap out of myself by posting this, but whatever!

Chapter One: Euro-Reptar Land

"Oh I just can't wait to take Dinky Duddydims to Euro-Reptar Land, it will be so much fun!" Petunia Dursley squealed as she loaded a months worth of clothes for a two-week trip into her over-large, pink suitcase.

"I know, Pet, I know. The only downside is that we've got to take that little freak with us." her husband groused.

"I'm not worried about her, Vernon. Perhaps we could just leave her their? She is quite vocal for a child of her age and we wouldn't have to deal with her." Petunia said.

"Hmmm, an interesting thought indeed." Vernon said with a smirk.

"_I'M_ going to Reptar Land, _I'M_ going to Reptar Land, _I'M_ going to Reptar Land and I bet that they leave you behind, freak!" sang a fat, pig-like child in baby-babble, sneering down at his too-small-for-her-age little cousin. He was tall and wide for a three-year-old with mean, dark blue eyes and blond hair slicked back on his thick, fat, pink head. He wore a pair of black shoes, blue jeans, and a light blue shirt. His cousin, on the other hand, wore a pair of his old cast-off clothes. She was very small and skinny, she barely looked two let alone two-and-three-quarters. Her face was round and kind, her nose button-like and slightly upturned, her eyes large and emerald green, and her hair a mop of dark red curls that her aunt never combed. In the very center of her forehead was a lightning-bolt shaped scar.

"Well at least I gots the house to myself then and I won't have you bullying me." she sniffed angrily. "And you're the worstest cousin ever, I wish I never knowed you!"

"Whatever, freak." the boy sneered before shoving her down and waddling away, never noticing the tears slipping out of her eyes.

The little girl couldn't believe her luck. Not only was she allowed to go to Reptar Land with her family but she was even given a cute new outfit and her aunt, although roughly, combed her dark red curls every morning and they let her go on the rides and everything. Her uncle was their to nagociate using some of his company's drills on the new things it was creating and he had to collaberate with a funny-looking American named Stu Pickles and his family. It was one night at a restaurant that the little girl really began to learn more about the babies that came with Stu Pickles and his family.

"I wish the princess could be my new mommy." said one of them, a boy with square blue glasses and a mop of flame red hair. His eyes were a piercing electric blue and he wore a blue shirt with a picture of Saturn on it, green shorts, and little red sneakers. He had teeth coming in, two little buck teeth. He looked to be just about her age.

"My mommy and I live alone, I don't got a daddy, he's in Japan." said a little girl with black hair and a pink and yellow dress. She learned that the boy and girl who looked alike had a mommy and daddy and so did the bald boy in a blue shirt and crisp diaper who had a little brother. So, also, did the girl who was perhaps a bit older than her in the little blue dress with the striped undershirt, blue eyes, and blonde pigtails. Her family wouldn't miss her so she tottled over to the other babies by the window and looked out at the fireworks.

"I don't got a mummy or a daddy." she said softly.

"You don't?" the other babies asked, horrified.

"Nuh-uh. My Auntie Tunia says they died in a car crash...there was a lots and lots of green light but I dunno how that got their."

"You talk funny, where are you from?" the oldest girl with the blonde pigtails asked.

"Eng-a-land, I'm from Eng-a-land." she said.

"Oh, we're from America. Say, how old are you? I heard you talking to those growed-ups over their." she said.

"Oh...erm...I'm two-and-a-half...or sumfing. I fink I 'member my mummy and daddy celebrating my birfday on the last day of July."

"Oh, what's your name?" asked the bald boy.

"I gotta fink a min...my family doesn't much use it...oh yeah. I'm Cassity, Cassity Lily Potter." she said. In the next few minutes she learned the oldest girl was Angelica Pickles, the bald boy and his little brother were Tommy and Dill Pickles, her cousins, the two that looked alike were Phil and Lil Deville, the black-haired French-Japanese girl was Kimi, and the shy boy was called Chucky Finster. Not much later, Angelica excused herself from the little gathering and ran over to her mother. One of the things that is only known by Angelica and Drew is that the formidable Charlotte C Pickles is actually Charlotte Cassity Malfoy-Pickles, twin to Luicius Malfoy, and a witch who was almost disowned from her family for marrying an American Muggle and leaving the country. The only reason that she was not was because her father, Abraxus, passed away before he could get it all legalized so she got her half of the Malfoy fortune anyway.

"Mommy, Mommy, look at that girl!" Angelica breathed excitedly, pointing at the shy Cassity.

"Angelica, it's rude to point. What is it?" Charlotte asked, eying the little girl who wore a simple, scratchy-looking greyish dress with white socks and little black shoes. The girl had softly curling dark red hair that Charlotte memorized from somewhere in her schooldays as a Hogwarts Gryffindor but the hair she remembered had been streighter but just as thick. Her hair was pulled up into a single high ponytail with a white ribbon and bright emerald eyes looked curiously around.

"Mommy, that's Cassi Potter, the girl-who-lived. She thinks her parents died in a car crash, Mommy." Angelica squealed. Charlotte's blue-grey eyes popped wide in shock. Of course, the little girl looked so much like Lily with those eyes...that face...that hair color...but the flyaway style was all from James Potter. For the rest of the night Charlotte observed her best friend's little girl. With her sharp eye she realized many things about little Cassity Potter. First, she barely looked past two years old and Charlotte knew that she was turning three in July. Angelica had already turned three on November 11, Suzie Carmichael turned three on April 3, and Chuckie Finster would turn three on August 27. Second, she was quite overly shy and uncertain around the other children. Third, Charlotte realized that the horrid couple with the fat, pig-like son was her family. She recognized the wife right away as Lily's sister, Petunia.

"Girl!" she shrilled making Cassity snap to attention like a miniature cadet.

"Yeah, Aunt Tunia?" the girl had asked in a small voice.

"Get back over here and stop bothering those _NORMAL_ children you little anomaly." the fat man, Vernon, barked. Cassity's expression turned forelorned as she waved goodbye to the other children and trudged to her family. Now Charlotte C Pickles was no psychologist but she realized Cassity must _not_ have a happy home life if she seemed so unhappy just to rejoin her family. As Cassity sat down on her little chair she was promptly pushed off again by her fat cousin, Dudley. Tears in her eyes she sat back down again and was given the tiniest little portion of food to eat. Growing curious, Charlotte cast an auditory charm to here what was happening.

"Bothering normal children? We should have known it of you, girl." the aunt sniffed.

"But I wasn't. The boy wih' red hair says 'at he doesn't got a mummy and I just said that I don't got a mummy or a daddy. They're real nice." she said.

"Little _freaks_ like you shouldn't be bothering themselves with _normal_ _children."_ the uncle hissed, grabbing and yanking the girl's arm so that they were almost nose to nose. Now Charlotte knew one thing about the babies and that was that they were _not_ Muggles. Her Angelica was most _certainly_ magical as were Tommy and Dill. Heck, Dill loved to use his magic to hit people in the head with his rattles. Didi herself was a Squib descended from the Prewett line. The Squib of a Squib of a Squib was more like it but she knew about the magical world all the same as did Stu. As for Phil and Lil, they had a strong magical twin bond already. Their mother, Betty, had a British cousin, Winifred, who was a pureblood witch married to a pureblood wizard and Charlotte was sure she had read Deville in A Pureblood's Guidebook as a girl. The Carmichael line was a pureblood one and Charlotte was pretty sure that Suzie was magical. Her older sister, Alecia, was a sixth-year and went to an American school. She had no idea about this new girl, Kimi, but their was something magic about her mother, Kira, that was for sure.

"you listen here you little freak. You will do what I say, when I say it, and _how_ I say it." Charlotte heard her uncle breathe into the small, frightened child's face. Charlotte, not being a very patient woman in the first place with people like Vernon Dursley, seized this time to get up and stride over in all of her glory as a company executive and a witch at that, allowing just the smallest stub of her wand to poak out from her breast pocket.

"What is normal, Vernon Dursley?" she asked cooly, still concealing her accent. The man's beady blue eyes made contact with her eyes which had gone as grey as the steely ocean in a storm. Just as the adults were distracted Dudley took his chance and shoved Cassity out of her chair with much more force making her fall hard to the floor and cry.

"Shut up you dumb freak." he mocked in baby-talk.

"But you're-you're-you're mean. You-you-you hurt me. I never did nuffing wrong." Cassity cried. Dudley just laughed meanly and kicked her in the face. Charles Crandle Finster the second was _not_ what you could call a brave boy what with his fear of spiders, the dark, clowns, and other things. He was, however, a very kind-hearted child and so did not like it at all when the little girl he had just met that was older than him but somehow smaller was knocked to the ground and kicked by a meanie twice her size. When he began insulting her and kicked her in the face Chuckie gathered up his courage and he walked over to the cackling boy and the crying girl.

"_HEY!"_ he snapped angrily. "Dat's dot right."

"And who are you to stop me, carrot-top? You with the funny accent?" Dudley babbled before knocking Chuckie on the ground along with Cassity.

"Normal certainly isn't that girl, she's a menace." Petunia answered for her husband.

"It looks like it is _your_ brat that is the menace to me. You're just saying that she's a menace because _she_ is a witch and _you_ are Muggles." Charlotte said as she discretely cast a silencing bubble around the table.

"How do you know about magic?" the fat man bellowed.

"You don't remember me from Lily's wedding, Vernon? Tunia?" Charlotte asked, gradually allowing her American accent to slip away and letting her hawthorn wand poke out of her pocket a little more.

"Cha-Charlotte, the Muggle-hater's twin." Petunia stammered.

"That's right. You know that if I let Lucius know of this he'd have you skewered for sure. Hell, the Dark Lord himself would do it. The Dark Lord is many things but he is not a child abuser and he abhors them. You do know that I was unofficially in his service working under-cover in the Muggle world before I met my husband don't you? Then again, I was spying for Dumbledore but that's a different story. The point is that my twin _is_ a Death Eater and he wouldn't hesitate in killing you lot. And I happen to be an executive at Courtland Industries. We were about to place an order from Grunnings for some drills but I think that we'll take our business elsewhere now I know what _scum_ they employ. I can make that sort of choice, you know, I'm on the high road to CEO and what are you, Vernon? A pitiful _supervisor?_ And what are your plans with this child? Surely you have her looking nice only for your own self-immage, nothing more? I'll answer that, legilimens!" Charlotte was correct in her assumption and disgusted at their actions. Almost never changing the girl's diaper, leaving her in the cupboard under the stairs, almost never feeding her.

"What did you do?" Petunia asked fearfully. Charlotte walked over to Petunia, smirked, and slapped her hard across the face making her tumble out of her chair and to the floor.

"You put the child in a _CUPBOARD_ _LIKE_ _A_ _PIECE_ _OF_ _FILTH!_ You never changed the child's nappy but _TWICE_ _A_ _WEEK!_ You only fed her when her _CRYING_ _WOKE_ _YOU_ _UP_ _AT_ _NIGHT!_ You _HORRIBLE_ _BASTARD!_ You _LOATHSOME_ _BITCH!_ _HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU_ _TREAT_ _A_ _CHILD_ _SO!"_ Charlotte thundered, taking the silencing charmes down as she did so. "I will take my best friend's daughter off your hands, or have you forgotten I was named godmother anyway, and you lot can _GO_ _TO_ _HELL."_ Charlotte roared and then turned to the fat child. "And you, you loathsome, pig-faced little brat. My Angelica might be spoiled but she doesn't _HOLD_ _A_ _CANDLE_ to you, insolent _BRAT!_ I hope that you someday learn that their's more important things than your toys and books and having everything given to you whenever you want it on a silver platter. You won't have to see your cousin anymore because I'm going to file the paperwork and she'll live in America with my husband, my daughter, and me." with that, she stepped over to Cassity. "Come with me, dear child. My name is Charlotte, I was very close friends with your mother, and I'd like you to live with me." Charlotte said as she slowly held out her arms. Nervously the child climbed into them and Charlotte delicately lifted her up. "Come on, Chuckie, let's find your dad." she said to the not-so-scardy little boy, taking his hand. The small group then made their way over to the table and sat down. Charlotte pulled up another child's seat and gently set Cassity in it next to Angelica.

"Angelica, you be nice to Cassity all right? She doesn't know what we know and her family has been mean to her." Charlotte said. Angelica nodded and smiled, something a bit out of character for her. Then, even more to Charlotte's surprise, Angelica took one of the large chocolate cookies on her plate and gave it to Cassity.

"Here, Cassi, you can have this; I don't need it, I think you need it more." she said in adult-talk. Cassity's emerald eyes lit up.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a very small voice.

"course I am. I like you and I wanna be your friend and teach you how to never let anybody walk all over you _AGAIN!"_ Angelica said. Amazing, just like that Angelica, stubborn Angelica who antagonizes everyone, had taken Cassity under her wing.

"Fank-oo, Ange." Cassity said happily but quietly as she began to munch on her cookie. "You're the bestest best friend ever."

"You're welcome, Cass, you're my bestest best friend too."

"And 'ow do you know zat leetle girl?" asked Coco LaBoosh, who Charlotte intensely disliked, from across the table.

"She is my goddaughter. I assumed, though I was horribly wrong, that Cassity had been put with somebody living in England on her parents' list of guardians since I am in America and her godfather, Sirius Black, is in Az...prison. I will be going through the proper channels to make sure that I can take Cassity home with me and I will be making sure that my best friend's will was exicuted." Charlotte said.

"So 'er parents, zey are dead?" Coco asked.

"Yes. She was the only surviver. A man bombed the house on Halloween almost two years ago now." Charlotte said as she gave her husband the "We'll talk later" look. Soon enough dinner was over and they were going back to the hotel.

"Angelica, do you mind sharing a bed with Cassity?" Charlotte asked.

"No, Mommy." Angelica said with a smile.

"That's good. I'm going to have to shrink some of your clothes to fit her for now, all right?"

"Okay." Angelica agreed. "So will she be my new sister now?"

"Maybe. We'll have to see what the courts say, Angelica." Charlotte said as she helped Cassity out of her dress and into a pair of Angelica's pajamas. After helping Angelica with her clothes she laid them both down in bed and kissed them each on the forehead.

"Goodnight, girls." she said as she turned out the light.

"Goodnight Mommy." Angelica said as Cassity said, "Goodnight, Char-lot." Charlotte allowed a bit of her hardened exterior to slip away for a moment as she smiled at the sweet little girls.

Chapter Two: All Growed Up

The rest of the trip went quite well. Coco had tried to woo Chaz Finster and almost wound up marrying him, that is, almost. When it was discovered that Coco had plotted to have the children kidnapped so that they couldn't stop the wedding her underling, Jean-Claude, collaberated with the Dursleys. Cassity was kidnapped back by the Dursleys even though Charlotte was given temporary custody of her by the French ministry of magic. She was able to escape, however, and somehow use her magic to get her to where Jean-Claude was holding Angelica, Chuckie, Kimi, Tommy, Dill, Phil, and Lil. Then, they hijacked Tommy and Dill's dad's reptar robot and brought it in a mad rampage through Paris to the church where Chaz was to marry Coco. That was when Chuckie, being a generally shy boy, said his very first word, "no". When Jean-Claude and the Dursleys came bursting in saying how the kidnapping plot had failed Chaz broke off the engagement. Kira and Kimi wound up coming with the gang back to America where Chaz eventually married Kira and Charlotte, as godmother, was granted permanent custody of Cassity by the Muggle government of Great Britain and America as well as the British and American Ministries of Magic giving her duel citizenship as well just like Charlotte had. To top it all off, when Charlotte looked through her best friends' unexcicuted will she saw that Sirius Black had not been the secret-keeper, it was Peter Pettigrew. With this evidence, Charlotte was able to get Sirius a trial and he was cleared of all charges. Though he would have been more than willing to raise Cassity himself he realized that the family environment was best for her and that she had grown very close to Charlotte's daughter, Angelica. A compromise was made that Cassity would get to see Sirius at least once a year and so she did.

"Look at my knew tapayoki machine!" Angelica, in her little blue dress, blue shoes, and striped undershirt sang in baby-talk as she and Cassity were dropped off at Tommy and Dill's house one day. The rest of the babies were watching Professer Spooky on TV and he was experementing a time machine.

"Wouldn't it be so neat to go to the foocher, you guys?" Tommy Pickles, nearly bald in his diaper and light blue T-shirt asked.

"Yeah." Phil and Lil as well as Kimi chimed.

"I don't dowe if dat's such a good idea." Chuckie said uncertainly.

"Oh come on, of course it'd be wicked." Cassity, who had come very much out of her shell since coming to live with Charlotte, Drew, and Angelica last may, which was six months ago, piped. She had grown quite a lot and showed that she could be as adventurous as Tommy and Kimi, as mischievous as the twins and Dill, as cautious and caring as Chuckie and Suzy, and as sneaky and cunning as Angelica. Now she was very well-dressed in little blue shoes, white, lacey socks, a ruffly blue dress with lace cuffs at the end of the sleeves, a lacey white collar and trim at the bottom, and a little white bow at the waste with her curly red hair done up in curly pigtails like Angelica's with little white ribbons.

"Hmmm, whatever. Come on, Cass, let's sing on my tapayoki machine." Angelica said.

"Okay, Ange, but let the other babies play with it too, all right?" Cassity asked as they neared the TV and just as the little boy on the TV got sent away in Dr. Spooky's time machine. Angelica made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat as she set the toy down and picked up the little microphone. The melody that came out of the speakers was to the American song that mocked and was the same melody as the British national anthem so as Angelica made up her own words about herself substituting "America" for "Angelica" Cassity tried, rather commically, to sing what she remembered of her country's anthem.

"Oooh!" the other babies cooed, amazed.

"Can I try that, Angelica?" Tommy asked.

"No." Angelica said stubbornly.

"Please?" they begged.

"I said _no."_ Angelica said.

"Angelica be nice. Just let the babies play with it." Cassity said with a sigh.

"I am _not_ letting those _dumb_ babies play with _my_ new _toy."_ Angelica said stubbornly.

"Hmm, would you rather they play with your tapayoki machine or _me_ play with _CYNTHIA!"_ Cassity asked, smirking wickedly. Then, snatching like she'd seen Dudley do, she took the battered doll with the three tufts of hair and orangish-red dress from her god-sister and ran off giggling like mad.

"Hmmm, wait, _CYNTHIA!"_ Angelica yelled. With no further delay she ran after Cassity leaving the karaoke machine unattended. Tommy, adventurous baby he was, went up to it and began to sing into the microphone a capella. Halfway through the song their was a shout of "My _PRONGS,_ give me back my _PRONGS!"_ Angelica had stolen the white stuffed stag with hazel eyes that Cassity always carried around with her; it had been salvaged from her parents' house in Godric's Hollow and Charlotte had been able to get hold of it and give it to Cassity for her birthday.

"Never, not until you give me back my _CYNTHIA!"_ Angelica yelled as the two little girls ran all through the house. However, one look at the babies singing into the microphone stopped the two girls in their tracks forcing them to abandon their toys on the sofa. Angelica ran for the babies who grabbed up the machine and started running from her. As Angelica chased the babies Cassity chased Angelica.

"Don't chase them...just let them play with it...stop being stupid, Ange." Cassity was saying. Angelica ignored her. At the very last minute all six of the babies squeezed into the hall closet with the karaoke machine.

"Give me back my tapayoki machine!" Angelica demanded.

"Really, just give the tapayoki machine back to her, it'll be lots more easy if you do." Cassity agreed. Their was a resounding "no" from inside the closet.

"If you don't open the door by the count of, say, _eight_ we'll—com" Angelica trailed off.

"We'll, erm, break it down." Cassity finished.

"One." Angelica started.

"We're going to go to the foocher, guys." Tommy said.

"Two." Cassity said as Angelica started pulling at the door.

"We can use it like Dr. Spooky's time machine." Tommy said.

"Six." Angelica said as Cassity started helping her.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea." Chuckie said to Tommy from within the confines of the closet.

"Eleventy." Cassity said as the girls both yanked hard on the door.

"Of course it is, Chuckie. Here we go." Tommy said as he turned the knob. Just as soon as he turned it the girls reached their final number together.

"_EIGHT!"_

Flash-Forward Eight Years...

With a bang six preteens fell out of the small hall closet of the Pickles' home.

"We need a bigger clubhouse." moaned a girl with chin-length, wavy brown hair with a pink bow clip keeping her bangs out of her hazel eyes. She had a light pink shirt on with a dark blue denim skirt and pink-and-blue flip-flops.

"You can say that again." grumbled a boy who looked very similar to her but with his brown hair slightly spiked, not a single piece of hair falling into his identical hazel eyes. He wore sneakers, dark blue shorts, and a light blue T-shirt.

"I think I ripped my pants." said a girl of Japanese origin with dark brown eyes and shoulder-length black hair, part of it done up into two tiny pigtails on the top of her head. She wore a pair of pink sandals, pink capris, and a yellow T-shirt. Also getting themselves off the floor were three more boys. One of them had slightly messy blue-black hair and sky blue eyes. He wore a pair of blue and white tennis shoes, long blue jeans, and a white shirt with a blue collar and blue sleeves. The next one was his younger brother. He had curly orangish-red hair stuck on top of his head and his eyes were an earthy orangish-brown. His shirt was a shade of orangish-yellow, his pants were khakis, and his shoes were brown sandals. The last boy had messy flame-red hair and his captivating electric blue eyes, once hidden behind large, square blue glasses were now only behind a smaller pair of blue rectangular glasses. When he opened his mouth it was clear to see that he wore braces. He wore a blue shirt with his same trademark Saturn on it as well as a pair of sneakers and green shorts. The Japanese girl was his stepsister.

"You guys are _so_ juvenile." sniffed a girl as she walked into the room. She had shoulder-length golden blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a red tank top, a black skirt, and a pair of black sandals.

"Oh c'mon, Ange, give them a break. Jeez, remember when we used the closet back at our house and I tried to use Mum Charlotte's wand to expand it?" asked another girl. Her unruly dark red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail with an emerald holder and her emerald green eyes sat behind silver-rimmed, oval glasses these days. Her lightning-bolt scar stood out just as vividly on her forehead as always. Angelica could never quite understand why Cassity chose to show her scar but, in Cassity's oppinion, it was a piece of her past, a part of her just like her hair and her eyes and her personality. Her outfit was identical to Angelica's except where Angelica had red she had green.

"Yeah, Cass, and that went _so_ well. You blew up the closet with all Mom's dinner coats in it and knocked out that entire wall. Now just _how_ long were you grounded for that _brilliant_ idea of yours? Two weeks? A month?" Angelica teased her almost-sister.

"Whatever, Ange. School's letting out soon and I want to get it over with. Let's go to the kitchen. Oh yeah! Hi, guys." she said with a smile. Angelica rolled her eyes at her sister's antics and followed her out of the living room.

"I know it's not easy being nearly ninety years old." Didi Pickles was saying to Stu's father, Lou. "But you really need to take better care of yourself these days."

"Hi, Aunt Didi." the girls chimed as they entered the kitchen.

"Hello, girls." Didi answered with a soft smile. Soon enough everyone was done with breakfast and going out to the bus.

"Hey Angelica, Cassity!" came a girl's voice. It was Samantha, their new friend who had moved to the area a few weeks previous. Her streight, blue-black hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore black shoes, jeans, and a black jacket over a purple shirt.

"Hey, Samantha." the two girls said as they got on the buss. A minute later Chuckie, Tommy, and the others got on the bus.

"Who is she?" Chuckie asked, awed, as he pointed in the general direction of the three girls sitting together.

"Who? You mean Angelica? Cassity?" Tommy asked.

"Na-no...not them." Chuckie said.

"Oh, her? That's Samantha Shane, you know, their new friend?" Tommy said as they sat down not too far away.

"Oh."

"Stupid git." Cassity mumbled as she looked away from Chuckie.

"Git?" Samantha questioned.

"Erm, British slang that means jerk, you know. I still go back to the isles once a year to visit my godfather, Sirius, and my dad's other best friend, Remus Lupin." Cassity said.

"How is he, as you call him, a git?" Samantha asked.

"He's totally druling all over you, Sam!" Cassity huffed indignantly. It was no secret that Cassity Potter was crushing on Chuckie Finster. _ EVERYONE_ knew it except, of course, the two little birds themselves. No, they were too oblivious.

"Cassi likes Chuckie, Cassi likes Chuckie!" Angelica sing-songed.

"Sod it, Ange, he's like...like my brother." Cassity protested. A really cute brother, she added to herself.

"Uh-huh, whatever, Cass. ^Potter likes Finster, Potter likes Finster, Potter likes—com"

"Oh will you come off it already, Pickles?" Cassity asked her sister, annoyed.

"Whatever, Potter." Angelica said, rolling her eyes.

"You two are really very strange. You act like best friends but more, like you're sisters." Samantha observed.

"That's because we are." Cassity said.

"But your last names are different and you don't look alike." Samantha protested.

"Oh, let me clarify. We're god-sisters." Angelica said. "Cass's mom and dad died in a house bombing when she was a baby."

"I was the only survivor, my parents died instantly from the toxins even though their bodies were never damaged." Cassity added.

"For the next year and a half she lived with her aunt and uncle in England but boy were they nasty!" Angelica said.

"Erm, yeah, yeah they were. It's only by chance that Mum Charlotte saw them mistreating me at Euro-Reptar when I was two-and-three-quarters and went through the courts to take me home. She and my mum were best friends in school and she was named my godmother but for some reason my parents' will was never executed so I got sent off to my aunt and uncle's. Let's not forget that my godfather was in prison on false charges that weren't discovered to be so until the will was found. So now I live with Angelica here and her mum and dad." Cassity explained.

"Hmmm, interesting. Say, your name's Cassity Potter, right? I never knew your last name before this morning. You wouldn't happen to be, you know, the girl-who-lived, would you?" Cassity felt her heart plummet into her stomach. Oh great, another _fan._

"No...erm...who's that? I mean...I lived but...but such a thing has happened before...house bombings...I mean." Cassity stuttered.

"Nice going, genius." Angelica mouthed.

"What else was I to say?" Cassity mouthed back.

"And Pickles, are you Tommy and Dill Pickle's cousin?" Samantha asked. Boy was this new friend nosy.

"No...um...I'm not...it's just an unfortunate coincidence that we share the same last name...I asked my parents if I could change my last name to Latiffany but they said no. I mean...I'd rather go by Mom's maiden name, Malfoy, than _PICKLES."_ Angelica said. Samantha's eyebrow quirked at the news.

"Smooth move. If she's a pureblood you've proven yourself to be the blood-traitor Malfoy's daughter and that I probably _AM_ the girl-who-lived." Cassity hissed into her sister's ear so quietly that she could barely hear.

"Well _SO_ _SORRY!"_ Angelica hmphed angrily.

"So I heard the new Amica concert was coming up." Samantha commented.

"Yeah, me too. I love her music and I really want to get tickets. She's no Wie...Wierd Womping Willows...but she's good." Cassity said with a shrug.

"Wierd Womping _WILLOWS?"_ Angelica hissed, Cassity blushed crimson.

"Well I couldn't exactly say _WIERD_ _SISTERS_ could I?" Cassity hissed back.

"I heard tickets will be on sale this afternoon." Samantha commented.

"We should really ask Mum Charlotte if we can go, Ange." Cassity said with a grin.

"You're right, Cass, we should." Angelica agreed.

"Have you seen that cool medallion that Amica has? Oh I wish I had one!" Samantha gushed. Cassity had seen a very similar medallion very up close and personal just that morning in the kitchen when her uncle Stu was showing off dance moves and going on about some disco dancing competition the same day as the Amica concert. He had apparently had it since he was eighteen and "never danced without it." Drew and Charlotte had joked that they'd whipe the floor with Didi and Stu but Cassity wasn't sure, she thought her uncle had some pretty good moves, that is, for a forty-something dude. Cassity spotted a gleam in her sister's blue eyes and scowled, leave it to Angelica to come up with some hair-brained popularity ploy that she'd drag Cassity into. Cassity hated it when Angelica fibbed to "spice things up" but what's a girl to do?

"I have one just like it." she said casually, making a soft "ouch" as Cassity not-so-gently elbowed her hard-headed sister in the ribs.

"Oh really? You do? Where is it then?" Samantha asked excitedly.

"Oh, it's at home. I totally plan on wearing it to the Amica concert, though." Angelica said just as the bus stopped. As they were getting off, Cassity noticed Chuckie practically drooling at Samantha who mistook it for a problem with his braces and gave him her lip balm, her _LIP_ _BALM!_ And so we find an externally smirking Angelica Pickles and an internally furious and jealous Cassity Potter entering the school.

"Nice plans, genius, do you plan on having this one blow up spectacularly in our faces like the others you've concocted?" Cassity asked, scowling.

"Oh this will be nothing like those other times."

"Oh really? And how do you explain to Samantha that you can't wear the medallion because Uncle Stu won't give it up?" Cassity demanded.

"That, dear sister, is my genius plan. I'm going to get Tommy to help. He can make Uncle Stu a fake, he'll never know, Samantha gets to see the medallion, _boom,_ everyone's happy, right?"

"Oh, you mean the same Tommy that's _NOT_ _YOUR_ _COUSIN?_ I think that's the rudest, meanest thing you could do, Angelica, discounting your owm family like that! _I_ won't even discount the _DURSLEYS_ because, like it or not, they're my blood family. You should _NEVER_ be ashamed of your family. Have you forgotten that, judging by what I've heard, your cousin Draco is a total prat and even has a bigger ego than _YOU?"_ Cassity asked.

"Gosh, Cass, can you tone it down? Look, I really need your help if I'm going to convince him to help." Angelica said, looking uncomfortable. Cassity softened a bit and smiled.

"What the heck? When do we pull him out alone?"

"I say during our free bit before lunch we get him out of Guppy's class and talk to him." Angelica said.

"All right, Ange, but you know Guppy's as cold as steel and she doesn't do flattery. Not last year, not now, not ever." Cassity said.

"Yeah but you're basically last year's student-of-the-year and teacher's pet, no offense." Angelica said, Cassity sighed and rolled her eyes. A few hours later they were standing outside Miss Guppy's classroom door.

"Ready?" Angelica asked.

"Ready." Cassity confirmed. Angelica smirked and knocked on the door.

"Yes?" came a sharp voice from the inside of the classroom. Angelica opened the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Guppy." Angelica said sweetly.

"What is it that you need, Miss Pickles?" the teacher asked cooly.

"Firstly may I say how...clean your white boards are?" Angelica said.

"Flattery didn't work in my class last year, Miss Pickles, and it won't work now." she said.

"What did I tell you, Ange, she doesn't do flattery." Cassity whispered to her sister with a snicker.

"Whatever, Cass. I need to see my cousin, Tommy." Angelica said.

"Why?" the teacher asked.

"It's a...a family emergency." Cassity said, poking her own head through the door.

"And what sort of family emergency, Miss Potter?" the teacher asked, one grey eyebrow cocked.

"The family dog's got a bad case of gas." Angelica said, rousing laughs from the class and armpit farting sounds from Phil. Mrs. Guppy, Cassity observed, did not look pleased.

"It's not just gas, Mrs. Guppy, it's more than that. The dog's really fat and old and it's that type of diarrhea that just keeps coming...but I forget the name." Cassity added, trying to placate the sharp old woman who just sighed and frowned down at her now rowdy, fart-obsessed class of fourth-graders.

"Very well. Mr. Pickles, you may go with your cousins." she said with a sigh. Tommy got up, glancing curiously at Angelica and Cassity, and exited the room with the girls.

"Okay, what do you _really_ want?" he asked.

"Why Thomas, whatever makes you think we want anything?" Angelica asked sweetly.

"Cassi never does but you, on the other hand, you wouldn't do this if it weren't big, Angelica." Tommy said with a frown.

"Ha, he's gotcha there, sis." Cassity laughed. Angelica scowled.

"Alright, Pickles, here's the deal. I need to borrow Uncle Stu's Scorpio medallion for the Amica concert this weekend." Angelica said.

"_WHAT?_ No way, Angelica! That's the same day as that disco contest and Dad won't dance without it." Tommy exclaimed and then rounded on Cassity. "You, are you actually here to _convince_ me that this might _work?"_

"DON'T look at me, this is Angie here's plan. She went Pinocchio this morning and now Samantha Shane is oh-so-certain that Angelica is going to be wearing an amulet _just_ _like_ Amica's to the concert this weekend. _ I'M_ only here for support." Cassity said decisively.

"Gee thanks, Cassi." Angelica deadpanned.

"So is that all you dragged me out of class for? And you know if Spike really had that sort of diarrhea I wouldn't be interrupted by my two cousins telling me this right before lunchtime." Tommy said.

"Cassi said it." Angelica said.

"Well it sounds a lot better than a _bad_ _case_ _of_ _gas."_ Cassity protested.

"All right all right, so what else do you need me for?" Tommy asked impatiently.

"And cue Angie's _greatest_ _plan!"_ Cassity said in a mock-anouncer voice.

"Why thank you, Cassi! You will get the medallion for me, Pickles." Angelica said. "You can make a fake or something and Uncle Stu will never notice, it's not like he's our age and can tell these things."

"Why should I?" Tommy asked, gazing steadily into Angelica's blue eyes and Cassity's green ones.

"Yeah, why should he, Ange?" Cassity asked.

"Well let's see, Cass...if he doesn't...I won't put in a good word to Samantha about Finster like I was planning too. If he does...let's just say...Chuckie will be one happy red-head with a pretty girl on his arm _all_ night." Angelica said. Cassity ground her teeth and narowed her eyes.

"You're not having me on are you?" Tommy asked. _ Either that or she's trying to piss me off,_ Cassity thought to herself.

"Certainly not, little cousin. So what do you say?" Angelica asked.

"Well...I'll see what I can come up with, all right? I guess the deal is on." Tommy said with a sigh.

"_EXCELENT!"_ Angelica piped.

"You're a good cousin, T." Cassity agreed with a sigh and then whispered, "But don't stress about it." just as they separated the lunch bell rang.


	68. Selena Moon: Witch Genius

Selena Moon: Witch Genius

An attempt to write… IDK… some sort of wieirdSabrina and Jimmy Neutron crossover fic with the protagonist being Sabrina's genius witch niece and… dear God! I question my younger self's sanity at times like this…

Note: This takes place two years after the [Jimmy Neutron] series, everyone is twelve.

Chapter One: Retroville

Jimmy's POV

It was April fifth and we had all just gotten back from spring break. Cindy had moved away at the end of sixth grade so I had practically zero competition. Shean sat at the desk to my left and Carl to my right, their was an empty seat in the front row.

"Good morning, class. Today we will be discussing the battle of—com" Mrs. Gentry, our history teacher, started. At that moment their was a knock on the door. After a few knocks, someone stepped through the door. It was a girl with a kind, round face, good-sized nose, a pretty mouth curved up into a smile, creamy skin with a faint tan already showing, eyes that seemed to me like blazing emeralds, and hair that was strawberry-blonde that went in waves and curls down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a pair of sneakers, faded jeans, and a blue T-shirt with white trim along with a silver locket with an emerald set in the center and a silver wristwatch.

"I'm sorry I'm late, is this MRS. Gentry's history class?" she asked in a voice like tinkling chimes...no...I can't be thinking like that...I just can't...darn girls messing with my head.

"Oh, yes, and who are you?" Mrs. Gentry asked.

"I'm Selena Moon, a new transfer student from out-of-state, West Bridge Massachusetts, actually."

"Ah, very well, you can take your seat in front of Mr. Neutron their!" Mrs. Gentry said, pointing to me.

Selena's POV

I smiled as I went to sit down. The boy behind me had hair that stuck way up and ended in a little hook. It rather reminded me of a fudge sundae. He had on a pair of sneakers, jeans, and a red T-shirt with a yellow rocket in the center. He had a bit of a long face and kind of large blue eyes, eyes like the skies I loved to fly in...no, bad Sal, I can't be thinking such things about a mortal. the boy to his right was tall and stringy with short hair and a rather small head. He had dark brown hair and his nose was a bit large, he had dark brown eyes. He had on black jeans and a dark blue T-shirt with some hero guy on it, cape billowing behind him. The boy to his left was short and chubby with a fat face, messy red hair, a rather big nose, and dark eyes behind round glasses, his hair was a bit unruly-looking and read. He had on brown pants and an orange shirt with brown shoes. I smiled at them and turned to look at the person to my right. She had dark hair, skin, and eyes. She wore a pink top with a cute black skirt and matching sandals.

"Cute outfit!" I whispered."

"You too!" she whispered back.

"Anyway, today we are going to discuss the battle of Antiedem in the civil war. Can anybody tell us why Antiedum was so important?" Not many people raised their hands, I noticed as I took a quick look. "Yess, Miss Moon?"

"The Battle of Antiedum is known as possibly one of the most bloody battles of the civil war along with Ghettisburg in which President of the union Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Ghettisburg address with the famous starting lines, "four score and seven years ago". The speech was actually mainly written down on the train ride up to the battlefield." I answered, rolling the answer right off my tongue.

"Impressive! I do believe you'll give Mr. Neutron a run for his money!" Mrs. Gentry said. She spent the whole rest of the class talking about the battle, the casualties on both sides, the length, and some of the war tactics used which I immediately soaked up, living sponge that I am. The bell rang and I went into the hallway.

"Hey, what do you have next?" asked the dark-haired girl with the many braids.

"Erm, it's English with Mr. Higgs!" I said.

"Same here!" she said. "I'm Libby Fulfax by the way."

"Nice! You can just call me Sal or Lina!" I said as we headed off chatting down the hallway. "So do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Nah, only child!" Libby said. "What about you?"

"Same here!" I answered.

"What about your parents? What do they do?" Libby asked.

"Erm...roll in a grave, I guess, and party up in heaven, they're dead. I live with my cousin who I call Aunt Sabrina, her husband, Uncle Harvey, and our crazy cat Salem, have been since I can remember."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Seems like you knew a lot in class, reminds me of my best friend Cindy before we moved away, she was always frustrated because she was bested in everything by that guy behind you, Jimmy Neutron."

"Neutron, _ha!_ Funny that someone with that name's a genius!"

"At least my name isn't of some useless hunk of _rock!"_ said Neutron as he stepped up next to us, friends following.

"Their're god _knows_ how many moons in the universe and they're all so diverse! Did you know they recently have found some water on the _moon?"_

"Neutrons make up things!" Jimmy snapped.

"You mean like the fact that you're _smarter_ then me?" I asked.

"Well I _am!"_ Neutron said indignantly.

"Oh just be quiet, Nerdtron!" I snapped, walking into the classroom. I could see a look of rememberance on his face.

"Yeah, well why don't you, Loony!" he snapped back, going to sit in the middle of the class. English went really well and it was time for gym, I loved gym.

In gym, I found out that Neutron and his friends weren't the most athletic, except perhaps Shean, he was better then Neutron who was better then Weezer. Libby was one of the best and I followed in that croud. I wasn't in karate just for the heck of it, what if my magic was stripped? What if I couldn't use it in a fight? Oh yes, if you haven't figured it out by now I'm a witch. I'll be at full power on my thirteenth birthday next week. Cousin Brina and I are one in the same in that we're both half-mortal.

"Hey, kid, you should try out for a sports team!" said the coach as I exeted the gym.

"I'll consider it, thanks!" I said.

"Hey, Sal, do you want to sit at lunch with me and some other girls?" she asked.

"Sure!" I said. We walked into the large cafeteria and got some lunch, pizza. We sat down at a table with two other girls our age.

"Selena, meet Nissa and Betty!" Libby said. "Nissa, Betty, meet Selena!"

"Nice to meet you!" I said. "And you can just call me Sal or Lina!"

"Nice to meet you too!" said the girl to the left, Betty, with Jimmy's same shade of hair which was short and tucked behind her ears.

"Yeah! I saw you get on Neutron earlier, classic. No girl has had the guts or the vocabulary to debate his genius status!" said Nissa, a girl with light brown hair in a low ponytail.

"Yup, reminds me of Cindy that way!" Libby reminisced.

"Oh, I plan on being nothing like Cindy, I plan on being much worse!" I said with a mischievous grin. "Their a science fair coming up?"

"Yeah, it's Friday, but you have to sign up now, you can't sign up after today." Libby said. I smiled and went to dump my tray. Since I still had my backpack with me, I pulled out my latest project in robotics. What I was working on was a prototype for the voice recognition that would be going into my maid-droid which I had entitled Project Comet.

"What are you working on?" Libby asked.

"It's the voice recognition piece to my new maid-droid I'm working on. Hopefully she'll look quite human, although only about my height. She'll be able to go by voice commands and I'm making sure the recognition box understands every word of the human dictionary. Right now, all I'm doing is making sure the wires are up to par, it's just about finished. After this, I'll be permanently welding the voice box together."

"Wow, that's so small! And are those jets on your backpack? Neutron's are bulky and make his backpack look big!"

"Yup, and I bet they're faster. Anyway, I've got a natural voice for the maide and everything with every word in the dictionary. If I can get this right, I'll be able to maybe upgrade her, she's just a prototype." I said, peering into the box and gently tweeking a wire that was out-of-place and nudging a chip back into it's slot.

"Hey, Loony, what are you working on?" Neutron asked, coming over.

"Nunya, Mr. Dippy-Doo! I'm sure, however, that it's better then your robotics projects. From what I've researched, nobody has been quite able to get very accurate speech-recognition technology smaller then the size of a human head!" Neutron flushed.

"Oh yeah? I bet that doesn't do much better then automatic phone services that always get things wrong, what's it for anyway?"

"Again, nunya, Nerdtron! You'll see my project at the science fair." I said.

"Humph, I bet your project isn't nearly as good as mine, that's how it always is in science, _men_ _are_ _best!"_ Neutron said. Now if their was anything I hated it was a sexist pig.

"_YOU_ _SEXIST_ _PIG!"_ I yelled. I could see a few sparks coming out of my hands. "I am going to kick your sorry little small-town _ass!"_ I hissed venomously before plunking down into my chair. Their was a whole buzz around the cafeteria.

"What?" I asked Libby. "Hasn't anybody cussed before?"

"Not really except for some of the kids with a behavior problem, but it adds zeal to your shouting matches with Neutron!"

"Thanks, Lib, let's go to class now, I've got math!"

The rest of the school day was uneventful. I had decided, of course, to sign up for the science fair and also for basketball try-outs Tuesday, choir and band try-Outs Wednesday, and Student Council Thursday.

"Hey, nice one on Neutron earlier today, I like a girl with _style!"_ said a tan kid with hair that looked like it was purposefully styled the way it was, so not natural!

"Yes, well I like a guy who doesn't make moves on girls he doesn't know!" I snapped.

"Awe, c'mon, babe!" he said in a "smooth" voice.

"Hot damn, you've got to have a lot of hair chemicals leaking into your brain if you think that I _like_ you, Moose-Head, and yes, that is physically possible and has been prooved quite right, it stunts the growth of the brain, you see!" I said cooly, sparks dancing between my fingers. The whole school, or so it seemed, was looking now.

"You know you like me, let's kiss and admit it!" said the little creep, bringing me closer. I sighed in resignation.

"Okay, let's do this!" I said, leaning forward, lips puckered. He smirked in anticipation and leaned closer too. At the last possible moment, I brought my right fist back and made it connect with that pretty little nose of his and that puckered little mouth. He stumbled back in shock, bleeding from the nose, I thought I heard a crack, thank god no teachers were around.

"_HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU_ _COME_ _ON_ _TO_ _ME_ _YOU_ _NASTY_ _LITTLE_ _WORM!_ _I'D_ _RATHER,_ _DATE_ _AN_ _ALIAN_ Jewel _THIEF_ then _YOU!_ _HELL,_ _I'D_ "_RATHER_ _DATE_ _NEUTRON_ _THEN_ _YOU!_ _SO_ _NEXT_ _TIME_ _YOU_ _se"_ _A_ _GIRL,_ _JUST_ _LEAVE_ _HER_ _THE_ _HELL_ _ALONE!_ _IF_ _YOU_ _TELL_ _THE_ _TEACHERS_ _ANYTHING_ _WE'VE_ _GOT_ _WITNESSES,_ _IT_ _WAS_ _SELFE_ _DEFENSE!_ _NOW GO_ _GET_ _THAT_ _NOSE_ _FIXED_ _BEFORE_ _I_ _BREAK_ _IT_ _AGAIN!"_ with that, I pressed the button on my backpack, blasting into the air at a quick speed, zooming off and leaving an awe-struck crowd of students behind.

I landed a few feet away from the two-story house Aunt Sabrina and uncle Harvey had purchased and went inside.

"Hay, how was your day?" Aunt Sabrina asked.

"I've got competition. He's an obnoxious no-it-all and a sexist pig to boot, stupid Jimmy Nerdtron!" I huffed.

"Is that his real last name?" Aunt Sabrina asked amusedly.

"No, it's Neutron. By the way, I...erm...broke another nose today. It was some pretty boy who dragged me closer as if to kiss me and kept smooth-talking me. I swear if he was a warlock I would've done more then punch him, I'd have cursed him into a mouse, then salem could eat him!" I said.

"Hey, I'm no ordinary cat, you know!" Salem said as he slunk in from the kitchen.

"Way to state the obvious! But anyway, you _would_ do that favor for little old me, wouldn't you?" I asked.

"That's not the point!" Aunt Sabrina cut in. "You need to keep that temper in check, young lady! You can't just go punching mortal boys' noses in when they're annoying to you. Trust me, if I'd have been like that Harvey's nose would probably be unrecognizable as would be the noses of many other men. I'll handle things if anybody calls about it!"

"Thanks, Aunt Sabrina. I'm going to go to my lab, I've got to best Nerdtron in that science faire this Friday, good thing Project Commet will be done soon! Now perhaps mortals won't have to do so much cleaning, gag!" I said as I walked out of the house and to the little clubhouse I had built. The sensors automatically came on and I put my eye up to the retina scanner. It did it's job and I then put my thumb on the print pad. After that, I pulled a hair and put it in my DNA scanner. As a last step, a cool, motherly female voice came through the speaker in the wall.

"When is your birthday and what is so special about this one?"

"SAM, my birthday is next Sunday the eleventh. It's so important because my powers fully mature!" I whispered into the microphone. My voice recognition for SAM wasn't quite as small as the one I was making for Project Comet, which was about the size of a rubix cube, but it was still pretty small, about the size of a small stereo speaker. At least I had learned beforehand that I couldn't use a dynamic microphone to pick up the sound, you had to be right up on those things. The use of quality stereophonic sound was much more useful.

"Answer correct, enter, Selena Luna Moon." came the voice of SAM. the pannel below me gave way and I slid down the chute to my underground lab. I went over to work on the last bit of the voice recognition box, attaching the sides so that their was only one hole in the back which would be where I put the wire that went up to the brains of the opperation, the processing station in the robot's cranial cavity. After that was done, I went over to where the robots' joints were, making sure they worked well enough. The neck turned, the jaws snapped, the eyes appeared to move quite easily, the elbows and knees bent, and the fingers wiggled. Just about everything was in their, the scrubbing brushes, the water hoses that led to the central water tank where the stomach was, the CPU, the mop-in-the-arm, and the metal shell which I would encase in skin colored rubber much like the ones used on the giant santa clauses at Christmas time. The batteries were in her feet and she had a toilet brush in her left leg along with a bottle of cleaner in the right leg that would be used via extendable hose in the knee. In the left side of her chest sat the speech output box that would put voices from any group to shame. It was a female voice that sounded quite human. I gently laid the voice recognition box in the right side and took a wire to run from it up to the last spot in the CPU. Satisfied, I closed the hatches that I had opened. The last thing was just to put her in her skin. In private, I did use a little bit of magic to help me, like, for instance to bring something over to me.

"This robot's dull without her skin, so enough of this bull, let's put her in!" I said. The robot rose gently into the air and went right into the skin I had set up. I smiled at my work. She had "skin" about my color, I had given her eyes a blue color, and she had synthetic brown hair done up in a bun on her head, (think like barbie hair.) I smiled and grabbed up the outfit that she would wear with flaps so that her attachments would come out. It was a pair of little black shoes with holes for the charging studs that could come out of her feet and a stereotypical maid's dress. I gently lifted the very heavy robot and staggered over to the charger that I had created for her. I put her on and smiled.

"SAM, alert me via watch when she has completed charging, it's a good thing I put in the cut-off circuit. Thanks and I'll be back sometime later!" I said as I went through another door that led to our ordinary basement. I went upstairs and sat down at the TV, putting it on the news channel. Several questions ran through my mind. Did they find any more watter on the moon? Would they be able to save the Mars rover Spirit? Their was mainly boaring political stuff on their.

"Dinner's ready, Sal!" Aunt Sabrina said. I smiled and went to the table, it smelled like chicken and rice, one of my favorites!

Later that evening I got the message from SAM that Project Comet was done charging. I smiled and lifted her off. I set her on her feet and pressed a concealed button right behind her left ear. her eyes snapped open and she stood up streight.

"Hello, my name is Project Comet, is this correct?" she asked. Her voice sounded better in her body with her lips moving then I could've hoped, their was hardly even any echo, she sounded pretty human.

"Erm...no, your name will be... Treenie, T-r-e-e-n-i-e!" I said.

"Very well, my name is Treenie. What, may I ask, is the time and date?" she asked, her lips going into a smile, wow! I was good.

"It is 6:57 PM on Monday April 5, 2015." I said.

"Let me be assured I am correct in hearing that it is 6:57 on Monday April 5, 2015, so am I?"

"Yes, very good!" I said.

"Thank you, from now on I shall mark this day in my databanks as my birthday!" she said.

"All right, could you please follow me upstairs?" I asked. the robot nodded and walked forward pretty smoothly. She went quite easily up the stairs for me and I opened the door for her.

"Aunt Sabrina, Uncle Harvey, my project is finally complete!" I hollered. They came out and looked at my creation.

"This is amazing!" Uncle Harvey exclaimed.

"Did you use any magic?" Aunt Sabrina asked and then caught herself.

"It's okay. Treenie, I don't want you telling anyone about what goes on in this household unless I say, okay? Also, if you feel like something is hacking into you, contact me or SAM immediately." I said.

"That's no problem, creator!" Treenie said.

"Erm, my name's Selena, you can just call me Sal or Lina. Anyway, would you mind mopping the kitchen floor?"

"Not at all!" Treenie said before going their. We watched in anticipation as she squirted a good bit of water onto the extended mop coming out of her right hand and then some cleaning solution. She took to mopping and cleaning like a fish to water and had the kitchen spotless in no time.

"Will that be all for tonight?" she asked.

"Yes, Treenie, you can go ahead downstairs and go into sleep mode for now, you've been great!" I said. Treenie smiled and went downstairs. I pressed a button on my watch and got the screen of my SAM program which, by the way, stands for Super Awesome Machine, I was only ten but the name stuck!

"SAM, please keep an eye on Project Comet, also known as Treenie. If anything strange happens, just let me know!" I said.

"Not a problem, Sal, I don't sleep, remember!" she said back in her witty banter. I smiled and headed off to my soft, cozy bed.

"You're not going to create some robot now to replace me as your familiar, are you?" Salem asked, jumping up onto the end of my bed and curling up contentedly.

"Don't be dense, Salem, you can't replace people...or people turned into cats as punnishment...by robots, I invent to help mortals!" I said.

"That's very noble of you! Sabrina got in all sorts of fixes when she was younger!" Salem said. "I expect when you're thirteen things will be a lot more interesting." he said.

"Yeah, interesting." I said.

Chapter Two: A Secret Revealed

Tuesday morning dawned bright and sunny and I decided to wear something different. I put on a pair of pink sandles and a denim skirt along with a pink shirt with two wands crossed over a brain, it was like my symbol of sorts. Any mortal might just think the wands sticks or swords or something. I realized then that I was running really late.

"Oh look at me and my bedhead, make it perfect for this red-head!" i said hurriedly.

"Now Sal, you shouldn't use magic so carelessly!" Salem admonished.

"I'll be late, Salem!" I snapped as I put on my jewelry. "DON'T wanna be late, oh not at all; so put me in a girls' bathroom stall!" I exclaimed before Salem could stop me. I landed where I anticipated, but their was one thing that I didn't anticipate, Libby. she was just opening the stall door as I flashed in.


	69. School's Not What It Seems

School: Is It Really All It Seems?

An attempt to write a Harry Potter and Maximum ride crossover where a female Harry and other magical children are kidnapped and experimented on by the school… Features twin Ron and Ginny, and overpowered bird kids! Yet another crazy idea!

Summary: What would happen if their was no Boy Who Lived but a Girl Who Lived? What if Vernon and Petunia were so disgusted with her they sold her to Itex for big money? What if from age fifteen months onwards the only thing that she knew were experiments, dog crates, mad whitecoats, and pain? What if the Institute was located in London and not New York City? Lastly, what if that little ten-year-old bird girl didn't have ice blue eyes but piercing green? What if she was Jade Potter with her own flock of four altogether, her own destiny? This is her story. With mad erasers, flyboys, Death Eaters, and magical education will Jade Lily Potter _ever_ get a break?

Chapter One: Thing:

Early in the morning of November 2, 1991, an ear-piercing scream could be heard from the front porch of Number Four Privet Drive as Petunia Horsey-Face Dursley opened the door to put out the milk bottles. Their on the doorstep was a little pink bundle. Petunia wrinkled her nose in disgust and yanked the child inside. It just figures that her no-good freak of a sister and her equally freaky husband would get themselves blown up by a madman, she thought scornfully as she read the letter sent by that fool Albus Dumbledore.

"Vernon, what will we do with the freak? I won't have her around my Dudley, I'd give her to anyone, I'd personally choose the worst place, naturally."

"I agree, Pet, but what _will_ we do? Where will we find anyone who would be willing to take _her?"_ Vernon, big wail that he was, demanded as he looked scornfully down at the baby with the big emerald eyes, the weird cut on her forhead, and her tuft of messy jet-black hair with several streaks of dark red in it. Little did they know that their was someone who was quite willing to take little Jade Potter and they were just outside. As a whitecoat living across the street from the Dursleys was jogging past their house, she heard the conversation. Excellent, she thought! From what she could pick up from their conversation the child was fifteen months, certainly not too old for a DNA graft, not at all. She smirked to herself and jogged across the street to her home to call the Institute where she worked.

"I've found a child who's still young enough for DNA grafting and we can do plenty of experiments on her! Her aunt and uncle live across from me and don't want her, say they'll give her to the worst place possible, I heard their conversation. What do you say?" she asked into the receiver.

"Excellent!" her boss said with a smirk. "A car will be over today."

Later that day, a black car pulled up in the Dursleys driveway and a man in a dark suit came out with a case full of cash. John Hemmings rang the doorbell to have a horse-faced woman glowering out at him.

"What do you want!" she snapped.

"I come on business. I here you have an unwanted bundle. I have a case full of cash if you'll give her to me and my company. We tend to do experiments to...better the human race, we need a little subject like her." Their was something about the man that made Petunia Dursley squirm a bit but she ignored it and passed the baby girl to the man.

"Her birth certificate is in the blanket, that's all you need!" she said shortly before grabbing the case of cash and slamming the door.

"What is it, Pet?" Vernon Dursley asked.

"The freak is gone. A company needed a test subject, we're rich!" Petunia opened the suitcase full of rolls of pounds and smiled. "We leave this dump tomorrow!"

As John Hemmings drove away with the now crying flailing child in the back seat he grinned nastily back at the thing. Jade Lily Potter _indeed!_ She was of the Institute now, he knew just what he was going to do with her. He parked the car and smirked at the feisty baby, she'd be trouble he could tell but they'd get that out of her. Welcome home you thing, Avian-Human Recombinant Life Form Experiment Eight, welcome home.

Chapter Two: Hell and the Rescue

For the next nine-and-a-half years, the only thing Subject Eight, as she was now known, knew was experiments, pain, and her little dog crate. She always wound up causing trouble for the whitecoats somehow by doing something or pulling some sort of prank or threatening them or biting, kicking, or punching some part of whatever whitecoat pissed her off. Subject Eight was feisty, their was no doubt about that and that gave them more reason to experiment on her, to do their new techniques on her, she was their favorite guinie pig but she'd rather it be her then some of the other mutants, three in particular that she had grown close too. They had all done odd things that the whitecoats couldn't explain, melt the bars of their cages, set a whitecoat's lab coat on fire, and that sort of thing. Subject Eight wasn't sure what these powers were, all she knew was that she and her three, the flock as she called her little family, particularly baffled the whitecoats. She had tried to channel them to have fun with the whitecoats, play pranks, that sort of thing. Once, she had managed to turn Dr. Hemmings's hair pink and to turn a new transfer whitecoat, Jeb Bachelder's, face into that of a duck. Both of these only lasted five minutes but she always got a laugh. She was free-spirited, feisty, and didn't do _anything_ without a fight. When she was around ten, she supposed, for none of them really knew their true ages, she and her flock came up with names for themselves. First off, let's explain why they chose "the flock". All four of them knew that they were ninety-eight percent human and two percent bird, recombinant life forms. Subject Eight had almond-shaped emerald eyes, skin that was pale but had the potential to tan nicely, unruly jet black hair with noticeable dark-red streaks, a body that was tall but scrawny, some scars from the erasers tormenting her and experiments she had gone through, a strange lightning bolt shaped scar on the middle of her forehead that she could always remember having and that seemed different somehow, and beautiful midnight black wings with the dark red like in her hair going around the rim and in beautiful symmetrical patterns through them. She had no idea just how big they were but she loved them all the same. Unlike her hair, the feathers on her wings were sleek and smooth and just touching them calmed her down. She, judging by her number, was the youngest. Her flock had made her leader anyway even though she insisted it should be one of them. "You've got the leader instinct" they'd say. After some thought she had given herself the name Emerald because of her emerald eyes, one of the things she liked best about herself. She had some vague memory of a beautiful woman with dark red hair and her same eyes but she pushed it away as a figment of fantasy, of her imagination. The next member of the flock was Emerald's same age, Subject Six. His hair was flaming red and he had big brown eyes. He was the most gangly of all of them and had wings that matched his hair perfectly with a few brown speckles thrown in. They all eventually came up with the name Flame for him. Flame's temper was almost, key word _almost,_ as bad as Emerald's. The third, Subject Five, was a girl with bushy brown hair and hazel eyes. She was a bit shorter then Emerald and her skin was naturally a bit tanned. Her wings were a beautiful light grey with speckled brown through them and brown tips. The whitecoats were nice enough to let them read books to test their intelligence and she loved to read them, she was like a sponge. She was like the voice of reason on the pranks pulled by Emerald, Flame, and Flame's twin sister, Subject Seven. Subject Five did, however, have quite a temper sometimes even though she was usually the reasonable one. She once got so mad that her restraint crumbled and she punched the nose of a whitecoat declaring, "That felt good!". The name chosen for her was Athena like the Greek goddess of wisdom and something else. The last member of the flock, Subject Seven, was Flame's biological sister. She had the same flaming red hair but her eyes were blue. She was taller then Athena, just about the height of Emerald and gangly like her brother. Her wings were a beautiful white that were weaved through with ice blue, she, the rest of the flock thought, must be Flame's twin because they looked so similar in age. When she became angry it was like a cold fury that was unleashed, the glares, the stares that would bore into the people she was angry with, it was like a cold storm that made some whitecoats shake in their boots. When she was really pissed, however, it was like a tornado or a blizzard bearing down. Their was yelling, cussing, biting, scratching, she was _feisty_ when she was mad. Opposite to her twin they named her Ice. They all had the same powers, the ability to read minds and send telepathic messages to each other, the ability to control minds when they focus on it, the ability to mimic and change their voices, expanded mental capacities, photographic memories, ability to know when they're being lied too, the ability to blend in with the shadows or a crowd, and the ability to manipulate fire, earth, water, and air. Each had their preferences. Emerald enjoyed air followed by fire, water, and earth, Flame liked fire best followed by air, earth, and water, Athena preferred earth followed by water, fire, and air, and Ice liked water, then earth, air, and fire.

Emerald's POV

One hot morning in the middle of July, I don't know what day, my flock and I were woken up differently then usual. Their were six kids I had never seen before walking through, they were unlatching all of the cages. All of the less fortunate mutants couldn't move much, I wanted to help.

"Guys, fire, earth, ice, and air! We need to get out and help them, they don't know where all the other experiments are!" I told my flock. With the four of us wanting to get out, the metal of Athena's cage bent and popped off, Ice's bars broke apart in little icicles, Flame's cage bars burned to ash, and my bars flew across the room. The four of us jumped out.

"You on a rescue mission?" I asked the girl who looked like the leader.

"Of course! What else would it be, a suicide?" she said in a distinctly American accent.

"All right! I want to help you. Flock, assemble." Ice, Flame, and Athena rushed up to my side. "Guys, go unlock all of the cages that they haven't, go to the next room where the ones in line to be retired are, I want to talk to this lot. I'll be with you soon." They did as I said, rushing off out of the door. "Who are you? What school are you from?"

"The one in America, Death Valley California." the girl answered.

"Hmmm, that Bachelder guy came from their, they said he'd been on leave for two years! Come to think of it, you kind of look like him." the girl stiffened.

"Yeah, he broke us out and then left. You mean to say he's alive?" she demanded.

"And kicking! How old are you, sixteen?"

"I'm fourteen, you and your flock look no older then twelve!" she said.

"Actually we're like ten, we don't know. Even our names are made up. I'm Emerald, the red-haired boy is Flame, the girl with the hazel eyes is Athena, and Flame's twin with the blue eyes is Ice. Thanks, by the way. We've been plotting and trying to escape for ages, this makes it way easier. I can tell in your mind that you lot are good, I can read minds, send messages through thought, my flock has a telepathic bond, and I can control minds. Also, we can do other weird things. We've tried to use our powers before to get out but we've always been caught, this place is _way_ high security." I said.

"Wow! My name is Max. The dark one is Fang, the blind one is Iggy, the mocha-skinned girl is Nudge, the blonde-haired little boy is Gazzy, and the little girl is his little sister Angel. So you call your group flock too?"

"Yup, we're ninety-eight percent human and two percent bird!" I said.

"Wow, we are too. We call ourselves Avian-Americans!" Max said.

"I like that, too bad we're not American!" I said with a laugh. "I'll see you, Max, I've got to help my flock get the experiments in the other room out!" I smiled and ran off out the door and down the hall. This was the first time I had walked freely in a long time, not since the last time we tried to escape. My flock was unlocking cages all over the place. We led the large crowd of experiments down the hall and into the room where Max and her flock were with an equally large group. Max and her flock led us all out and down the hall to a door that led to the sewers, disgusting. As soon as everyone was out, I ran back and shut the door before joining my flock behind Max's flock.

"Will you guys be all right or do you want to come with us?" Max asked.

"We'll be okay!" I said. "We'll see you later, Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel...puppy dog." I could've sworn I heard the little black dog in Angel's arms huff indignantly and mutter "Total!" As we were all about to leave a whole group of erasers came in through a door. My flock and I had talked about fight strategy so I barked my first real order ever.

"Flock, first flight, fan _out!"_ I yelled. We all unfurled our wings to see them in their glory. Athena's had about a ten foot span and were beautiful. Both Flame and Ice had a span of about twelve feet, I could barely take my eyes off the colors in the wings of my flock. It was then that I saw mine, more beautiful then I thought and the largest of all, about thirteen feet but light and whippy. We all jumped into the air for the first time and flapped. An eraser zoomed towards me but I brought my foot back and kicked it in the head. It fell back either unconcious or dead but I didn't care. An eraser was coming up behind Ice, I wouldn't let that happen.

"Oy, Ice, heads up behind you!" I shouted. I then whirled around and whacked another eraser. Max was fighting one particularly difficult one and I flew over to help.

"Need assistance?" I asked.

"Sure! Ari's going down!" Max said. The both of us circled Ari but he jumped up and bit my ancle.

"Ouch, damn it, gerroff!" I yelled as I kicked him with my other foot. Max looked even more angry and came up behind him, kicking him in his neck. It looked like she snapped it or did something. A flash of regret passed through her eyes but that left and she flew away to Jeb Bachelder's shouts of "You killed your own brother, Max, you killed your own brother!" Her brother? Wasn't Ari Jeb's _son?_ I was right, Max did look a bit like Jeb. I met up with my flock a minute later, the erasers were gone but some of the sickly experiments had collapsed and fallen into the sewer stream. Flame, Ice, Athena, and I linked hands and we flew off towards an open manhole. We jumped up and into the sunlight, we were free for the first time.

Chapter Three: The Sweet Taste of Freedom

"Where do we go now?" Flame asked.

"Away, away from the city. We need to try and get away from the Institute, go somewhere like a forest, a small town, something like that!" I said.

"We should try to get money first for clothes, food, and that sort of thing!" Athena said wisely.

"Right! Let's go find an ATM somewhere." I told my flock. we retracted our wings and walked down the street. It wasn't too long until we found an ATM outside a bank. We put up our blending shields and walked over to it.

"How're we going to get the money!" Ice asked. "These ATM's aren't all metal and I don't want to do physical or obvious dammage!"

"Right!" I said as I ran my hand through my hair. "Ice, you try first to get money out, one of us should be able to do it. we've never delt with technology before." Ice stepped up and focused her blue eyes on the ATM, nothing happened. Next, Athena tried to the same results and then Flame. Lastly, giving up on the hopes of making a clean cash swipe, I stepped up. Something clicked in me, I was in the ATM's CPU. I reached out with my mind, telling it to spit out all it's contents. I then snapped out of it to see bills whizzing out into the holder. Flame dashed forward and picked them all up. He then began to count them.

"Bloody hell, you got us a thousand pounds!" he exclaimed.

"All right, each of us will take 250 pounds." I said as I handed out the cash. We dropped our blending shields and started to walk down the street.

"We should go shopping!" Ice said. "Their won't be so many places to go outside London!"

"All right then, let's take a bus to a shopping center. You do have a point, I'm sick of these clothes." I said. We waited at what looked like a buss stop and got on.

"Where too?" the driver asked gruffly.

"Um...the nearest shopping center!" I said as I gave my voice an American accent like Max's so it wouldn't saem strange that we were Londoners that didn't know where things were.

"Ain't you kids a bit young to be going round by yourselves?" the driver asked as we paid him and sat down.

"No, sir, we're thirteen. Our parents decided to give us some time to ourselves!" I said.

"You lot don't look related!" the driver said, he and his mind were both getting on my, and the flock's, nerves.

"That's because we're not!" Athena said in the same American accent I was using but her own voice.

"Only he and I are!" Ice said in an American accent as she pointed to Flame.

"That's right. We're all adopted." Flame said as he put on the accent. I never thought he'd be good in a situation like this but I was surprised, being adopted was a good idea.

"That's right. My name's Jade, he's Phil, his biological sister their is Isis, and that's Kristy, our surname is Caraway." I said as I retained my American accent.

"Ah, right, sorry!" the driver said. After a few minutes he stopped and nodded at us.

"Here you go, Rosemont Square, high-end and good for tourests!" he said as we got up and off. We walked up the sidewalk and into the center to see stores and stores galore, this was just the first floor.

"Oh my god!" Athena said excitedly. This is so _AWESOME!"_ Ice and I nodded in agreement.

"First off, we need clothes. Also, we should each get backpacks, notebooks, some books to read, cell phones, and computers for each of us. I guess we'll need more money, their's a bank right their. I would hate for us to use mind control for monitary gain but we have too, you know, get all the money we can from their. Who do you think should do it?"

"I will!" Flame said. "It's all girls in their anyway!" I nodded and we all stepped into the bank.

"Excuse me, we'd like to open an account!" Athena said before Flame could say anything.

"_What are you doing?"_ Flame thought.

"_How can we pull out money from an account we don't have? Pluss, we should just get debit cards, trick them into thinking their's...say...twenty thousand in each of our accounts!"_ Athena thought back. Flame nodded and stared into the bank teller's eyes.

"I've got 100 thousand pounds here. Their are to be four accounts open for Jade Caraway, Kristy Caraway, Phil Caraway, and Isis Caraway. We each need a debit card as well!" Flame said as we each passed the money.

"Ah, very well. I'll be right back with your cards!" the teller said airily. She came back a minute later with five plastic cards.

"You will forget about these accounts now!" Flame said before he stepped away.

"I really hate doing that!" he said as he passed out the cards to each of us.

"I know, it's so wrong!" Athena said.

"We had too! Now we've got plenty of money! Clothes first!" I said. We rushed off and went through all the stores buying up all the clothes and shoes we could lay our hands on. After we were laiden with bags of clothes that, thank goodness, weren't hard for us to carry because of our increased strength, we decided to shop for practical things. We got the best first aid kits we could find and also some nonperishable cans of food in an attached convenience store before leaving.

"Electronics!" I insisted. I had always been fascinated with things like that. I dragged my flock off to the electronic's shop first where I couldn't help but stare at all the goodies. I squealed and ran over to the most high-end laptop, it was an HP with a seventeen inch screen, good battery life, Windows Seven, and all the bells and whistles. I chose one in silver with a green design while Flame chose one that was black with red on it, Athena chose one that was pink with a bronze design on it, and Ice chose a blue one with a gold design on it. I then just had to look around the store some more and saw a row of PDA's and chose the best ones their, silver for me, red for Flame, pink for Athena, and blue for Ice. It was then that I saw more goodies, game consoles. I picked up nintendo DS consoles and PSP consoles in the colors mentioned earlier before grabbing a handful of games before I saw rows of games for the computer, I mmust have been engineered, born, made, whatever, a techhead because it was all so fascinating to me.

"Are you done with your rampage yet Emjade?" Flame asked.

"Yes, Phil, and _EMJADE?_ My name's Jade!" I said with a smile as I brought my computer, PDA, consoles, and games to the counter. The man goggled at my amount of stuff.

"You really have all that money?" he asked.

"Our family is well-off." I lied. What else was I to say? "_My best friend mind controlled a bank teller to give us a hundred thousand pounds?"_ no way! He just nodded, rang everything up, and put everything carefully into bags. After I was out of the way, Flame, Ice, and Athena came up with their computers.

"You all related?" the man asked.

"Just the red heads, we're all adopted, though." I answered. "Cell phones, guys!"

"_What do we need them for when we have the mind link?"_ Ice thought.

"_To keep up appearances and we don't know how far the link goes. Pluss, I want one!"_ I thought back. The three of them sighed exhasperatedly and followed me next door to the Verizon store. Me being the techhead that I am I rushed in and grabbed up a green top-of-the-line I-phone. Flame picked up the same model but in red, Athena picked up a pink one, and Ice picked up a blue one. We then went up and set up a family plan with the most amount of minutes and perks.

"Books and supplies!" Athena demanded. Flame groaned, he wasn't much of a reader even with the expanded mental capacity. Ice let out a softer groan but I smiled, books were second to technology to me. Athena and I dragged the moaning, grumbling twins out and down to the biggest book shop. Their, she and I picked up several books including a lot of fiction ones and several educational books. Flame and Ice mainly kept themselves in the section with books about sports. With even more bags, we lumbered out of the book store and went across to a supplies store. First we picked up notebooks, pens, pencils, and sharpeners and then we went over to the section with the largest backpacks. Each of us chose the largest bag that had wheels and back straps. They all had special spots for our electronic gadgets as well. I, for a change, chose red because it would go with more, Flame chose black, Athena, surprise surprise, chose pink, and Ice chose, big shocker, blue.

"Sports, what about sports?" Flame asked. Ice and I nodded enthusiastically while Athena groaned. Flame led the way to a sports shop. Their we picked out fitness workout clothes, some books on defensive poses, a basketball to play around with, a baseball and gear, and a set of jump ropes. Even more weighed down by our things we lugged everything to the food court where we all purchased burgers, fries, and drinks from a McDonalds. Realizing that one burger wasn't enough, we came back for a second and a third and, in the case of Flame and I, a fourth and a fifth. After we were done eating we decided to put as much as we could into our new bags. Miraculously, we were able to get everything to fit, it was like magic. It was as though we were able to make our bags smaller on the outside and bigger on the inside. We all shrugged it off and left the center to see that it had gotten quite dark.

"Oh my god, it's eight o'clock!" I exclaimed as I looked at the watch I had gotten for myself. The others gasped.

"I see a hotel across the street, it seems nice so why don't we sleep their?" Athena asked.

"Good idea!" I agreed. When their were no cars coming our way to make bird kid pulp, the four of us crossed the road and went into the large hotel, The Ritz-Carlton.

"What do you kids want?" the clerk demanded as she took in our still very ragtag appearances, we hadn't had a propper shower...well...ever and were still in our plain Itex uniforms, grey shorts, T-shirt, socks, shoes, and underwear not to mention that Athena's hair is bushier then a squirrel's tail and my hair is as unruly as...well...I don't know what.

"A suite!" I said cooly as I handed her my credet card. "We want two rooms that are attached to two separate bathrooms but the same living room and kitchen connected. Their are to be two king-sized beds in each room, TVS in each room and the living room, a full kitchenette, and full and complete room service with all the perks. If their isn't enough on my card for one night then they have a card of their own.." I was a bit shocked at how cool I sounded but she was thinking some very rude thoughts about us being ragtag little paupers who most likely stole the cards.

"A-and who should I put the names under?" she asked. "Me, Jade Caraway." I said. The clerk nodded mutely and handed me a key card.

"He-here you go, the presidential sweet!" she said.

"Thanks a lot!" I said much more nicely and warmly, much more like me. "We'll be sure to remember this place. Also, please don't judge people by their appearance, it gets you nowhere." The woman smiled and we left the counter and went towards the wall of lifts, their was no way we were taking stairs fifty floors up. I stepped forward and pressed the "up" button and the door opened instantly.

These lifts are smaller then I thought, we should have just taken the stairs." Athena, the most closterphobic of all of us, said as the lift went upwards. The rest of us nodded in agreement. We eventually reached the top flore and went down to the last dore on the hall. I, quite enjoying my new technopathic powers, mentally clicked the door open and we stepped inside. The suite was beautiful to say the least. It was comfortable-looking and luxurious, all we could ask for. It had doors that led out onto a balcony that looked over London's skyline, I was greatful for that.

"All right, you guys. I say we each take turns showering and go to sleep. God knows we'll need propper showers. At least we were allowed to brush our teeth, huh?" the others nodded in agreement. Before Flame and I could say anything, Ice and Athena rushed in separate directions and I heard the sound of running water.

"Girls!" Flame muttered.

"I resent that!" I snapped playfully. It took them awhile to get out of the shower but when they came out in their fresh new clothes I couldn't believe I was staring at the same two girls I'd known all my life. Both of them looked clean and refreshed and I couldn't wait to take my own shower. I ran into the room where Athena had gone and pulled out all of my bathing things and a pair of pajamas from my backpack. I laid the pajamas on the bed before rushing into the bathroom and starting a bath. I needed to mull things over a bit, come up with a plan. I poured in some jasmine-scented bubble bath and stepped into the hot water. I felt like I was in heaven, I had never felt so good. I scrubbed myself all over and thoroughly lathered and rinsed my unruly hair thinking fleetingly that it might lay streight. After about a half hour I got out, toweled myself dry, brushed my teeth, and combed and dried my hair. Unfortunately it was still as unruly as ever, I liked it though, I wouldn't want it any other way. As I looked around I realized that some things were a bit blurry like my eyes couldn't quite focus. The rest of the flock seemed to have quite sharp vision but I never seemed to possess that. I supposed I needed glasses, I wonder if I got the less-than-perfect eyesight from one of my parents. Thinking of my parents made me fire up in rage, how could they let this happen to me? I bet they were sitting fat and happy somewhere with however much cash Itex had given them. I sighed, stepped into the bedroom, and got dressed. I took my old Itex uniform and lobbed it in the trash on top of Athena's. I then went out into the living room to talk to my flock.

"I think their should be someone up at all times. It's ten o'clock now. We can split this up into watches of three hours, this way someone is always alert, we leave at ten tomorrow."

"Good idea!" they all said.

"I'll take first watch, go on to bed!" I told them.

"Blimey, mate, your hair looks just as unruly as ever, bath didn't help, huh?" Flame asked.

"Oh shut up!" I said as I playfully nudged him in the arm. Everyone went to their rooms and I flicked the TV on. I had never seen one before so I was fascinated. Before I knew it, it was already 1:00 in the morning. I went into Flame and Ice's room and shook Flame awake.

"Watch time!" I said. Flame grumbled but got up all the same and went out to the living room. I went across to my own room and got into a bed for the first time in my life, or at least that I knew of.

The next morning I sat bolt upright at ten o'clock and rushed to get changed into a T-shirt and jeans making sure to cut slits in the back of the shirt for my wings. The T-shirt was blue and said in white letters, "Free Fallin'". I then put on a pair of white tennis shoes and slung my bag onto my back.

"I already checked us out." Athena told me. I think we should go up to the roof and jump from their!"

"Great idea, Athena." I led us out of the room and locked the door before going to the staircase. When we got to the roof door we saw it was locked. I took the blue clip holding my bangs away from my face exposing my weird lightning-shaped scar out and began to pick the lock. Within a minute the door clicked and opened. We stepped out onto the roof and breathed in the city air. It was windy and my high ponytail was blowing out behind me.

"Let's do this!" I said. My flock and I ran to the edge of the roof, jumped off, unfurled our wings, and began to fly.

Chapter Four: The School Named After A Malady of a Hog

It felt so liberating to be up in the air with my hair whipping around me, my flock right beside me.

"I say we head towards Scotland!" I said. The flock agreed and we flew on. We eventually reached some wild woods and not much civilization. In the distance we could see a huge castle rising above the trees but we dare not get too close. It was already getting dark so we landed on a large oak tree.

"Nowhere better to sleep tonight!" I said as I swung my legs. "Let's make camp and fly on tomorrow!"

"Good idea!" Ice said.

"On the ground, I hope!" Flame said a bit nervously. "Don't want these branches to break!"

"You've been through hell for years and you're worried about _branches?"_ I asked as I jumped nimbly from the branch I was sitting on. I then pulled a tent we had bought out of my bag and started to set it up. I was done soon and brought out the four sleeping bags that we had bought, putting them in the tent.

"Let's get some wood for a fire!" I told them. A half hour later we had a blazing fire going and were cooking some sausages. After a quick dinner I took first watch again and the rest of the night went quickly by.

The next morning I was woken by Ice.

"Em, Emerald, _EMERALD,_ their's a giant outside." she said as she shook my shoulder. I jumped up immediately and ran outside.

"Get behind me, you three. I'll deal with whoever it is." I ordered as I came out and saw the biggest man I had ever seen.

"Wha' are ya doin' in the forbidden forest?" he asked in a deep, somewhat gravely voice which didn't sound unfriendly.

"The question is what are _you_ doing in _our_ camp sight?" I demanded. "And don't pretend you don't know what we are. You've come back to take us to the Institute haven't you?"

"The wha?" he asked, the little of his face that I could be seen between the matted, bushy black hair and beard crinkling in confusion.

"Don't play dumb with me, experiment. You know where I'm talking about, _THE_ _INSTITUTE."_ I snarled.

"I don' know wha yer talkin' 'bout. Yer in the forbidden forest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft an' Wizardry." the giant said.

"Great, another Itex corperation and I haven't even made any bombs yet." I muttered.

"Emerald, I don't think this is an Itex place. Listen to your instincts, he's telling the truth." Athena said as she stepped up beside me. "Plus, if he were an experiment he'd look way younger."

"If he's not an experiment, Athena, then what the blazes is he?" I demanded.

"I'm half giant o' course!" the man said with a smile. "An' wha' are these experiments you're talkin' 'bout?"

"I think we can trust him, Emerald." Ice said.

"I dunno, Ice. I s'pose we can ask him a few questions." I said uncertainly. "What's your name?"

"Rubius Hagrid, keeper o' keys an' grounds at Hogwarts." the half giant said as he puffed out his chest.

"Witchcraft? You're loony." Flame said matter-of-factly as he and Ice stepped up next to Athena and I.

"Riiight. That lunkhead is Flame, his twin their is ice, she's Athena, and I'm Emerald." I said as I flicked a piece of my bangs away from my weird scar. As soon as Hagrid saw it he gaped at me like a fish out of water. "What? What's your problem?"

"Tha' scar...tha' scar...I thought you migh' be her buh now I know. Almost ten years ago I put you on your aunt's doorstep...ruddy Muggles. Just a day later Dumbledore said tha' the wards had collapsed an' you was missin'. He's been tryin' to find ya ever since but after a few weeks the trackin' spells stopped workin' altogether. You...you're Jade Potter. Dumbledore's gismos still show yer alive but everyone thought ya were held captive by Death Eaters, being tortured, tha' sort o' thing." Hagrid rambled.

"Their must be some mistake. I can't be this Potter girl you speak of. As far as we all know, our parents just sold us off so these sickos could do experiments on us." I said.

"Wha' experiments?" Hagrid asked.

"Later, Mr. Hagrid." Athena said. "Why do you think that Emerald here is Jade Potter?"

"Hagrid, jus' Hagrid. Jade, you look jus' like yer dad. You got his thin face, his high cheek bones, his nose, his black, unruly hair. Yer dad was 'bout as tall when he was eleven as ya are now. You got yer mum's bone structure though, small an' light. You also got her lips, some of her red hair, and yer eyes are exactly the same. You have the same scar ya did when you was just a baby from survivin' the killin' curse. We've got to get ya to Dumbledore at Hogwarts. He'll be able to tell if yer really Jade Potter. An' you two, you red-heads. The Weasleys had two kids go missin' right from the hospital when they were born, her second set o' twins. Their names were Ronald and Ginevra. I don' know who you migh' be, miss, either a Muggle or Muggle-born."

"Who _is_ this Dumbledore? Will we be able to trust him? Where is this Hogwarts?" I asked in quick succession.

"Dumbledore is the finest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen an' o' _course_ ya can trust him. If ya can' trust Dumbledore ain't nobody ya _can_ trust. As fer Hogwarts, it's tha' big castle 'bout a mile away. Did any o' ya see such a thing?"

"I did as we flew here last night—com" Flame started before Ice elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shut up you idiot!" she hissed. "We'll explain later. I saw it too."

"Same here." Athena and I said.

"Then that means no matter wha' ya mus' be magic." Hagrid said with a smile. "Now can ya come with me to Dumbledore?"

"Hagrid, could you please let us get ready? After that then we'll go with you." I said as I went into the tent, my flock behind me. We all dug through our backpacks and pulled out some outfits. Athena wore a pink T-shirt, a knee-length denim skirt, and brown sandals, Flame chose a white T-shirt with red sleeves and collar with a pair of khaki shorts and tennis shoes, Ice chose a light blue tanktop, faded cut-off shorts, and blue flip-flops, and I put on a green dress trimmed in silver and a pair of green and silver slip on shoes. Athena's bushy hair was put back in a braid, Flame's hair was just combed, Ice's hair was in a messy ponytail, and my hair was in a green bandana with little silver flowers. After we were dressed we took down the tent and put it in my backpack before facing Hagrid.

"We're ready. Show us the way and we'll follow. Can you keep a secret?" I asked Hagrid.

"O' course." Hagrid said.

"In these experiments we got wings. Okay, flock, up in the air!" I ordered. We all unfurled our wings to Hagrid's amazement and shot up into the air.

"Close your mouth, Hagrid, or you'll let flies in." I shouted down to him. "Now can you lead us to this castle?" Hagrid nodded and started walking at a fast pace towards where we saw the castle. We eventually reached the clearing and touched down.

"Follow me." Hagrid said. He led us through the grand oak front doors and into a beautiful marble entrance hall. We then went up the large, sweeping marble staircase a few floors and through a few corridors.

"Oh my god, these pictures _move!"_ Ice said in awe. Indeed they did. Their was a night on horseback that we were passing who was unsheathing a sword and a wooden stick, a wand?

"Who _dares_ challenge Sir Caduggan? Come and fight me like a _man!"_ he barked.

"Eep, they _talk?"_ Athena demanded.

"Maybe you're not so loony after all, Hagrid." Flame said.

"_FLAME,_ that is _no_ way to talk to a potentially dangerous stranger." I hissed.

"Ha, I ain' dangerous." Hagrid said with a booming laugh as we reached a stone gargoil.

"Password?" the magical statue asked.

"Sherbert lemon." Hagrid said. The gargoil nodded, he actually nodded, and slid aside revealing a spiraling marble staircase. We got on it only to have it bring us all the way to the top much like an escalator or something like that. Hagrid knocked on the door with his booming fist.

"Enter." came the voice from the other side.

"Guys," I said out the side of my mouth, "if he's a bad man then we shatter the windows and soar out of here."

"Agreed." they said. Hagrid opened the door then and led us into a circular office with large windows, perfect. Their were several circular tables with spindly legs that had several strange instruments on them doing many different things.

"Who do you have their, Hagrid?" asked an old man sitting behind a desk. He wore purple robes and his sky blue eyes twinkled madly behind half-moon glasses. His beard and hair were silver and long enough to tuck into his belt.

"I don' rightly know, sir, all I know is they got magic in 'em an' can see the castle. Found 'em campin' in the Forbidden Forest. If they was Muggles they wouldn't a been able ter enter the forest." Hagrid said, motioning for us to step forward. Dumbledore's eyes almost popped out at the sight of us. Our wings were away so maybe he recognized us?

"Sir, Hagrid thinks I'm Jade Potter." I said, brisk and to the point.

"And he thinks we're Ronald—com"

"And Ginevra—com"

"Weasley." Flame and Ice said.

"He doesn't know who I might be." Athena said sadly.

"Oh my...I can't believe it...may I do a heritage spell on you?" he asked.

"So magic _exists?"_ Flame asked, awed.

"After seeing this castle, pea-brain, wouldn't you realize it?" Ice asked.

"No offense, Mr. Dumbledore, sir, but may we enter your mind? See if you are really that trustworthy?" I asked.

"Natural legilimenses?" he asked, amazed. "Go right ahead." We all dived in and looked at his mindscape, it was much like his office. After finding that he was a good man we exited.

"We trust you." we all said.

"But our trust is not to be taken lightly, we usually trust nobody. You may do the spell." I said. Dumbledore took a stick...no...a wand from his robes and waved it around. Words started to pop up over our heads. The first I read was Athena's:

Hermione Anne Granger:

Parents: Travis and Laurel Granger

Siblings: None

Born: September 19, 1979

Age: 11

The next one that I read was Flame's:

Ronald Billius Weasley:

Parents: Arthur and Molly Weasley

Siblings: William Arthur Weasley (age 20), Charles Ronald Weasley (age 18), Percival Ignatius Weasley (age 15), Fred Gideon Weasley (age 13), George Fabian Weasley (age 13), Ginevra Molly Weasley (age 11, twin)

Born: March 1, 1980

Age: 11

Next was Ice's:

Ginevra Molly Weasley:

Parents: Molly and Arthur Weasley

Siblings: William Arthur Weasley (age 20), Charles Ronald Weasley (age 18), Percival Ignatius Weasley (age 15), Fred Giddian Weasley (age 13), George Fabian Weasley (age 13), Ronald Billius Weasley (age 11, twin)

Born: March 1, 1980

Age: 11

Finally I read mine:

Jade Lily Potter:

Parents: Lily and James Potter (both deceased)

Siblings: Harry James Potter (still-born twin)

Born: July 31, 1980

Age: 10

My parents were _dead?_ Good, let them rot in hell for what they did to me.

"So we are correct." Dumbledore said.

"I'm glad my parents are dead." I said, both Dumbledore and Hagrid looked shocked.

"But why?" Hagrid demanded.

"For selling me off. I can trust you. Guys, let's tell them." I said. My flock nodded. "All our lives we've lived in dog crates bearly big enough for us to move around in. We've lived underground and never have seen the light of day until two days ago. The place is called the Institute ran by this company named Itex. Their are rooms filled with dog crates filled with creatures like us, experiments. All our lives we have gone through experiments—com" I trailed off.

"Painful ones." Athena continued. "Things for ajility, strength, neuroscience, and mental capacity. All of us can read minds and send telepathic messages to each other, control minds when we focus on it, mimic and change our voices, we have expanded mental capacities, photographic memories, we can know when we're being lied too, we can blend in with the shadows or a crowd, and we can manipulate fire, earth, water, and air. Each of us have our preferences. Emerald enjoys air followed by fire, water, and earth, Flame likes fire best followed by air, earth, and water, I prefer earth followed by water, fire, and air, and Ice likes water, then earth, air, and fire. I go by Athena, by the way sir."

"In short, we are recombinant lifeforms. We are 98 percent human, 2 percent bird. Our hearts beat faster, we heal faster, our cells are like bird cells. Lastly, we have wings." I said as I spread them out, Dumbledore looked gobsmacked.

"My dear children...how terrible." Dumbledore stammered, horrified. "Miss Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley, I can assure you that your parents did _not_ sell you off. Ronald, Ginevra, you were taken from the magical hospital where you were born while your mother was still recovering. Everyone thought you were killed after months of searching. Molly never had any more children and is fiercely protective of the five she _does_ have. Jade, your story is much more difficult to tell."

"Why?" I asked.

"It starts with a very evil wizard named Voldemort. He went as bad as you can go and a few decades ago he started gaining power and followers. If people stood up to him they wound up dead—com" Dumbledore told us everything, about pureblood supremacy, about Voldemort's reign, and about...my...parents. He came to our house on Halloween and he and Dad battled in the living room. He used the killing curse, avada kedavra, and James Potter...was no more. Mum died to protect me...she could have lived...then at least she could rebuild her life...but she died if only to stall Voldemort for one second from killing me. So that was what was so weird about the lightning-bolt scar...it was cursed. I couldn't help it, I cried. Cried for my parents, cried at the injustice of it all, cried because I thought my parents were fat and happy assholes who didn't love me...but I was alive because of their absolute, unconditional love. Yeah, for the first time since I was just a little girl I bawled my eyes out. I could se Flame...no Ron...and Ice...no Gin-Gin-ah heck, I'll just call her Ginny...crying too because their parents were suffering without them.

"If I may, may I enter your minds to see how you were given to those...monsters?" Dumbledore asked.

"Um...sob...sure." I choked out. I let him pass my shields and into my mind which was set up like what I imagined a joke shop to look like. He then went into Ron's, Ginny's, and then Athena...Hermione's mind.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Weasley, a healer took you out to the street and handed you over to a man in a black car by the name of John Hemmings. Your parents are purebloods, of magical lines. Miss Potter, I left you on your aunt and uncle's doorstep thinking they would treat you well. Alas I was mistaken. They sold you and you were picked up by John Hemmings as well. Miss Granger, you are the most unfortunate. Your parents willingly allowed the grafts before you were even born. Your parents are Muggles. They let Mr. Hemmings take you away right when you were born." now we were all crying...crying on each other's shoulders.

"I'm so sorry about this, children." Dumbledore tried to soothe.

"Not your fault...sob...it's the fault of...sob...those _bastards!"_ I choked out.

"On the bright side...hic...you got your name right when we were giving aliases, Jade." Hermione said.

"um...yeah...and your name suits you. At least we were right when we gave you that Greek name, I think Hermione is feminine for Hermes. Ginevra, I'm just gonna call you Ginny, Ronald you're Ron. I like our names, they suit us but when we leave again we should use our aliases."

"I agree." Hermione said.

"You children surely can't be thinking of leaving can you? You'll be needing to come back in September for your schooling." Dumbledore said, Hagrid nodding mutely.

"We'll have things after us. Erasers and such, we'll put your school in danger, sir." I said.

"Not at all. All magical places have wards so as long as they are _not_ magical they can't get in. I insist you stay here. Ron, Ginny, your parents would like to meet you."

"As long as they don't try—com"

"And sell our story—com"

"We're fine."

"Very well. Perhaps you can all stay their, it would be much better."

"We'll se, Professor. In the meantime, we really must get our things from the forest." I said.

"Could you open the window?" Ginny asked.

"Will we really get ter see 'em again?" Hagrid asked quietly from the corner. I nodded. With a flick of Dumbledore's wand the windows were open enough for us to jump out. Hermione went first followed by Ron, Ginny, and I. Dumbledore stared, awed, at our wings.

"Beautiful." I heard him mutter. From far below I saw a somewhat cross-looking woman and a greasy-haired, hooked-nose guy pale.

"Are you okay?" I asked as we hovered over them.

"Flying children with wings...I must be delusional." the woman muttered.

"What kind of joke is this?" the greasy git roared.

"None. Let's take you to the headmaster so you can find out everything." I said. Then, with a swoop, Hermione and I lifted up the potions professor I saw in Dumbledore's mind, Severus Snape, and Ginny and Ron lifted up Minerva McGonagall, the transfiguration teacher.

"Explain, we can trust them." Ron and Ginny said as we slid the gobsmacked professers through the window. Dumbledor's eyes twinkled as we flew off to the forest. Our tent was down in minutes and in my backpack, we gathered our backpacks in our arms, and flew back up to the headmaster's office, through the window making a plump, red-haired woman in her early forties faint and her husband, a man with thinning red hair, look totally shocked.

"I didn't know—com"

"That they'd be here—com"

"So fast." Ron and Ginny said.

"Ginevra, Ronald, meet Molly and Arthur Weasley, your parents." with that the woman snapped awake.

"My babies...my babies...all grown up!" she sobbed, throwing herself at them, engulfing them in a tight hug in which they both looked uncomfortable.

"Molly...love...you're smothering them." Arthur Weasley said hesitantly.

"Mind your business, Arthur, I'm hugging my lost babies." Molly snapped. "Oh I can't believe it..."

"We really never have been hugged like this before." the twins said from their mother's chest.

"I'm so, so sorry, my babies, that this happened to you. If I'd have known! Thank god you two are the only babies to go missing since..." she trailed off as her kind brown eyes met my emerald ones.

"Jade Potter!" she said in awe before grabbing me and squeezing me into a motherly hug. Was this what having a mother was like?

"Jade Potter...we all thought you were dead...Arthur and I were willing to take you in and raise you as our own but _ALBUS_ had to put you with those _HORRIBLE_ _MUGGLES_ who _SOLD_ you for _TORTURE!"_ Mrs. Weasley looked ready to sob.

"Mrs. Weasley...um...too tight." I rasped.

"Sorry dear. And you, you poor dear, Hermione." With that Hermione got her bit of the hug.

"Would you like Ron and Ginny to live with you, Molly?" Dumbledore asked.

"We'll take all four!" both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley said.

"We want to give them a good home." Mr. Weasley said.

"A _loving_ home." Mrs. Weasley said. "We'll raise Jade and Hermione as our own daughters, don't worry. We'll be perfectly willing to take up legal guardianship of the two and _full_ parental rights for Ronald and Ginny."

"But we'll put you in danger, their's the erasers—com" I was cut off.

"The Burrow has very complex wards, we'll keep them out, dears." Mrs. Weasley said. "And if they _do_ get in then their's nothing a good hex can't fix."

"Really?" I asked, teary-eyed.

"Yes, dear, really." Mr. Weasley said.

"Thank you so much!" Ron and Ginny both said. "For everything."

"Children, anything for you. And your secret's safe until you want to tell it." Mrs. Weasley said. "Now everyone take hold of this paperweight." we looked at her like she was nuts but did so anyway.

"The Burrow." Mr. Weasley said. I felt like a hook was pulling me from the navel through space itself before we all fell into each other, a mixture of arms and legs and hair and feathers. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley helped us all up.

"Bill, Charlie, Percey, Fred, George, get down here!" she hollered as we entered the most homy and magical place I could imagine. Their came a thundering of steps as five boys ran down the stairs.

"We found them." Mr. Weasley said.

"Found who?" asked two red-haired twins with bashful brown eyes.

"Your brother and sister!" Mrs. Weasley said tearily. Suddenly their were five boys all vying for Ron and Ginny's attention.

"And Dumbledore's found Jade Potter as well along with their fourth friend, a Muggle-born named Hermione." Mr. Weasley said. Suddenly, all four of us were in a huge group hug.

"Mr. Weasley, sir, I'd like to do a mind scan of everyone here to know you guys are trustworthy, no offense." I said. they nodded their consent, Dumbledore probably telling them everything, and we entered everyone's minds. Mr. Weasley was very kind, a bit obsessed with Muggles, though. Mrs. Weasley was very sweet and loving, no facade their. Bill was a cool guy who broke curses for a bank in Egypt, Charlie had just taken a job as a dragon keeper in Romania. Percy looked like a prat, we'd best stay clear of him. Fred and George were my favorites, pranksters through and through.

"What's this foolishness all about?" Percy asked pompously. "It's not as though you have anything to _hide_ is their?" I ran up to him then, putting my finger to his throat.

"Their are many things to hide, that's why we scan your minds so shut up or leave." I hissed dangerously.

"You don't want to mess with Em...Jade when she's pissed off, Percy." Ron said as I backed up. We then sat them around the kitchen table and told them our life story down to the things we had to do to get what we needed at the shopping center. Of course we explained that we really did feel bad but it was do or die and we needed all we could get.

"My babies!" Mrs. Weasley sobbed. "Not just you Ron, Ginny, but Hermione and Jade too, you're all my babies now


	70. Seducing Lily Swan

Seducing Bella...oops...I mean _LILY_ _SWAN_

An attempt to… (cringe)… write an HP and Twilight crossover where Bella doesn't end up with Edward, skips the country for awhile, adopts a little female Harry, etc. They return to Forks after Charlie's death and who should be there but the Cullens? With Bella as English teacher, and a female Harry in the class, Edward Cullen is so screwed… I guess… Wow, I kind of hate myself for writing this crap…

Chapter One: Miss Bella Swan

I stretched out in my bed, relishing the cozy comfort that it offered. Outside it was bitingly cold but in this house, my dad's old house, it was nice and warm. My name, you ask? I am Isabela Swan. No, I never got married; the only man I thought at the time I could ever love left me when I was eighteen, he said he didn't love me anymore. I went into depression after that, it took nearly half a year for me to get out of that and it was all thanks to Jacob Black, my best friend. We tried to date for awhile before I entered Washington State University but it just didn't work.

My life has been a string of bad relationship after bad relationship after that. One man who I thought I might marry once, near the end of university, left me when we both tested to make sure we were fertile and it turned out I couldn't have children of my own. I graduated at twenty-three with a masters in teaching with English and history endorsements. After that I decided that I just couldn't settle down yet, I needed to travel, to forget the past. Shaking my head clear I got up and got ready for the day. I heard nothing from the other occupant of my room, I shook her gently, trying to wake her up.

"Lils...Lily...are you up yet?" I asked, brushing hair away from her forehead.

"Ung...Mum...bloody hell...gimme more time!" my adoptive daughter moaned, covering her head with her pillow.

"Lilybelle Alice Dorea Potter-Swan, watch your mouth!" I snapped. "It's time you get up and ready, the first day at your new school is upon you."

"Fine...fine...I'll be down in fifteen." Lily grumbled.

"All right then." I said, leaving the room. As I walked downstairs my mind drifted backwards in time once more. I found myself in England at twenty-five, driving through a town in Surrey county. I was driving past an orphanage, dilapidated, shabby, and rather sad-looking. A little face was looking out the second-story window, bright green eyes glistening with curiosity...and loneliness. It hit me then that I didn't need a man or fully-functional sex organs to have a child, I could adopt.

I parked in the small parking lot across the street and crossed into the orphanage.

—Flashback—

"What canna' do fer ya, missy?" asked a shabby, wrinkly old woman coming up to me. "I'm Talia Stern, matron here at Surrey County Orphanage."

"Um...I just came...I can't have children...I would like to look into adoption..." I trailed off.

"Right then. Come 'long with me an' I'll show ya 'round." she said. The woman led me around, introducing me to several children. After awhile she stopped at a door on the second floor.

"This one's a bit of an odd child. Relatives dumped her here 'bout three years ago." Mrs. Stern informed me. After that she opened the door to reveal a small, delicate-looking little girl. The child had thick, curly, dark red hair and when she turned around I saw a sweet little face, a lightning-bolt scar on the middle of her forehead, and the same green eyes I had seen from the street.

"Hi, sweetie. I'm Bella, what's your name?" I asked, bending to her level.

"Li-Li-Lilybelle." she stuttered.

—End Flashback—

And so it was settled. Lilybelle had me wrapped around her little finger. As I made breakfast for the three of us I thought of where I had lived these past eleven years. Feeling as though Lily should be brought up in her own country I purchased a house in another part of the country that I liked better. We had lived their until just now. My stepmother, Sue, had died of ovarian cancer just a few weeks ago, Christmas Eve night. I was now over here to help Dad get everything in order. We would be staying with him at least for the rest of the school term. Lily was enrolled into Forks High as a junior and I had taken the substitute English spot there because their teacher was on maternity leave.

Twenty minutes later my daughter came flouncing down the stairs. She was dressed in black corduroy pants, black leather boots, and an emerld sweater. Her hair fell in curls down the middle of her back and her eyes were bright and happy behind oval, gold-rimmed glasses.

"Good morning, Mum." she said, snatching two pieces of toast and proceeding to butter them up and slather jam on them.

"Good morning, Lily. Looking forward to school?" I asked her.

"Muh-uh-uh-um, _PLEASE!_ It's going to be so _BORING!_ You've taught me all I need to know _ANYWAY!"_ Lily groaned.

"Now now, Lilybelle, come on. I know that this _DUMPY_ little school is no _MAGICAL_ _HOGWARTS_ but really, it'll be fine. I started here around this time of year when I was your age, you know." I said.

"That's right, Lils. And boy what a year that was. Let's hope yours isn't half so adventurous, hmmm?" Dad said, ambling down the stairs. He's not the young, 35-year-old chief of police he once was. He's now fifty-three but still quite young enough to keep his job and do it well.

"_GRANDPA!_ I doubt I could have a _tenth_ of the adventure in a _SINGLE_ _TERM_ here that I had at Hogwarts." Lily huffed. My mind flashed back to finding out that my daughter was more special then I could have guessed. She was a witch. Not just _ANY_ witch, though, she was the girl-who-lived, the only one to have survived a killing curse and the one to temporarily vanquish the Dark Lord Voldemort when she was fifteen months old. In her seventeen years of life she had fought him _Seven_ times. The time when she was one, when she was eleven, another time when she was eleven, when she was twelve, when she was fourteen, when she was fifteen, and when she was sixteen and had defeated him. I, of course, was worried as _ANY_ mother would be but being non-magical or, as they call me, a "_MUGGLE,"_ there wasn't much I could do. At one point during Christmas break of her sixth year, Lily and her best friend, Hermione, rounded Hermione's parents and me up to a magically concentrated area and modified our memories. Hermione's parents became Wilbur and Charlotte Wilkins, believing they had no daughter, and I became "Mrs. Wilkins's" sister, Emily DeShazo, who had never married or had children. After that, they sent us packing to Australia. It was almost blissful, not being able to remember the things that haunted me...the Cullens...Edward...vampires in general...but Hermione and Lily came back on Lily's seventeenth birthday and unmodified our memories so I could remember every last thing.

We went back to England and tried to live a normal life, Lily took her magical graduate tests and is now a fully-qualified witch with top marks in most of her classes. Then, Sue died and we came back to America just a week ago to help Dad, Seth, and Leah arrange her funeral and put everything in order.

Once the two of us were done Lily helped me rinse the dishes and clean up.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride with me?" I asked her.

"No, Mum, I want to drive on my own. I know you're a _TEACHER_ there but _COME_ _ON!_ That'd be like sitting with Dumbledore just because I was his _PROTEGEE...MAYBE_ not quite like that but you know what I mean...it'd just bring attention to myself...I _HATE_ _ATTENTION!"_ Lily insisted.

"You won't win on this, Bells. Lils is as stubborn as you were when you were her age. Just let her drive herself. She's got a valid license, just because she's magical doesn't mean she hasn't stuck to her non-magical roots, you know." Dad said.

"I know." I sighed. "Plus, you want to drive that old truck of mine don't you? Just remember, it's the _RIGHT_ side of the road, dear, not the _LEFT."_ I warned her.

"Gosh, Mum, I'd have _NEVER_ figured it _OUT!"_ she drawled sarcastically as she put on her black jacket and thrust her bag over her shoulder. I rolled my eyes as I picked up my own bag and put on my own coat. Once we were both all suited up we headed outside into the drizzle and to our cars. I got into the 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit that Jake had given me for my twenty-first birthday and Lily got into my fifty-year-old 1967 Chevy truck. The two of us revved our engines and drove down the road, Lily behind me.

Soon enough I was pulling up in the familiar Forks High parking lot. Instead of pulling into the student lot like I had done nearly two decades ago I pulled around back to the teacher lot and parked the car. Getting out I pulled the hood of my coat over my brown hair, which was now streaked somewhat with gray, mostly thanks to Lily, which was put up in a tight bun, and opened up my umbrella to keep the rain off the rest of me. I then hurried into the Administration building. As I entered the principal's office I tripped over the doorway and found myself flat on my face. Laughing came from above me and I looked at the person behind the desk. It was Angela Webber, a good friend of mine from school.

"Oh Bella, you never change do you?" she laughed, I blushed as I picked myself up off the floor.

"Angela? Angela Webber? Amazing, you're the _PRINCIPAL_ now." I said, smiling at her. I had been hired by the school board so I hadn't interracted with the staff at Forks High much. All I knew before now was that the principal was a Principal Crowley. "Actually it's Crowley now. So, Bella, I here you have a _DAUGHTER_ now?" she asked, hazel eyes sparkling.

"Yes, her name's Lilybelle. I adopted her when she was six from an orphanage in England. She's a junior this year." I said.

"Ah, that's right. The daughter of the chief-of-police's lost daughter who was found and then lost and only came back spiratically for Christmas for the past decade!" Angela laughed.

"Har-da-har-har." I said, completely deadpan. "May I have my schedule?" I asked.

"Sure. Here you go, Bella. Have a good first day." Angela smiled, handing me the schedule. I smiled at her and left the office. Before I left the building I looked to see what I had.

Teaching Schedule for Isabela Marie Swan

Room, E05

7:30 to 8:20: English 3, Junior Block A

8:25 to 9:15: English 3, Junior Block B

9:20 to 10:10: English 3, Junior Block C

10:15 to 11:05: English 4, Junior Block D

11:05 to 11:55: Lunch

12:00 to 12:50: English 4, Senior Block A

12:55 to 1:45: English 4, Senior Block B

1:50 to 2:40: English 4, Senior Block C

2:45 to 3:35: English 4, Senior Block D

I shrugged, juniors and seniors, not too bad. At least I'd be teaching Lily. Taking a deep breath I left the building and went into the language building. Spotting my room right away I walked in. A few students, including Lily, were already inside.

"Hey, Muh-uh-Miss Swan." she chimed from the front row, blushing at her slip. A few students chuckled.

"Hello, Lil...I mean _MISS_ _SWAN."_ I said, also blushing. For a few minutes I set up my things, not looking at the class. After a few minutes the bell rang and I turned around to face them.

"Wheres Mrs. Newton?" was the first question out of a student's mouth.

"Ahem...well...she's on maternity leav, if you'll remember. I'm your interim English instructor, Miss Swan. Now, I'll be here the remainder of the term so I'd like to get to know you lot...you guys...a little better. This little activity will take the place of roll call today. I'm going to toss a ball and the student to catch it must say their full name, age, place of birth, favorite class, likes, dislikes, and hobbies. After that the student will toss it to another student until everyone has gone, all right?" I asked. I got a generalized "yes" from the students.

"Once you all have gone then I'll go." I said. Then, pulling a blue beanbag ball from my purse I lobbed it across the room. Unfortunately I over-shot and hit a ceramic model of an old plantation house. It wobbled on the middle shelf it was on, between several books, for a moment before it fell onto the white lenolium and broke into pieces. The class let out a collective gasp.

"Oh dear...I'm terribly sorry...what did I tell you...I'm such a _CLUTZ!"_ I gasped. A girl with light brown hair and blue eyes in the back row smiled and got the ball from the wreckage, holding it up.

"It's fine, Miss Swan. No harm done. Mrs. Newton is pretty easygoing about that sort of thing. As long as it isn't her beloved bust of ol' Billy Shakespeare she won't mind. I think her father gave that to her or something." she said.

"Ah, all right Miss..." I trailed off.

"Oh, I suppose I should go, yeah? My name's Saphie Crowley...actually it's Sapphire but I like Saphie best...I'm seventeen, I was born here in Forks, my favorite class is biology, I like science, soft rock, and classical music, I dislike playing sports, rap, and punk music, and I draw as a hobby." she said. With that, she gracefully tossed the ball to the front, directly to Lily.

"Hello. My name's Lilybelle Alice Dorea Potter-Swan, I prefer to go by Lily, and I'm seventeen. I was born in Godric's Hollow, Wales. My favorite classes are history and English. I love sports, music, books, and history. I hate when people get history wrong, when people make false assumptions about people based on what they here, and crowds make me nervous. I love to play sports, read, write, and listen to music." Lily said, smiling. She then tossed the ball towards a boy in the back. I sighed, Lily was horrible at throwing anything but spells, quaffles, and bludgers; her aim was dreadful. Sure enough, the ball whizzed right by his left ear and hit "ol' Billy Shakespeare" right square on the nose. From its spot atop the highest shelf it teetered before falling off, doing many aerial flips before landing on the floor with a _CLANG._ Lily's face went beat red as she got up and rushed to see the damage. Sheepishly she held up two halves of the bust, poor ol' Billy was split right down the middle.

"Ah...hee-hee...oops?" she blushed, putting the bust back on the shelf, giving the boy the ball, and sitting back down. It was then that an event occured that would bring back all those haunting memories of when I was Lily's age. Someone knocked at the windowless door and I went to answer it.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Mrs. Newton, my family and I were...wait...you're not Mrs. Newton." said Edward Cullen, the one that had haunted my dreams for eighteen years. I felt that long-ago scarred-over hole in my heart rip open again, full-forced and fully painful.

"No...no I'm not. I am Miss Swan, your substitute for the remainder of the term. And you are?" I asked, pretending I didn't know.

"Oh, I'm Edmund Patinson." Edward said, he looked pained.

"Very nice to meet you." I said cooly. "Bella...please..." he trailed off.

"Stuff it, Mr. Patinson, and get inside." I hissed to him, leaving the doorway and going back to my desk. Edward sighed and took the seat right next to _MY_ _LILY_ in the front row. Seeing who sat next to her Lily sent him a furious glare which the vampire seemed to positively quail under. When she started dating I told her all about my escapades with vampires and shape-shifters and she vowed if she ever met the Cullens she'd hex them into oblivion. For the rest of the class I could barely concintrate on the ball game; I was just lost in my bad memories. The one comforting thought, however, was that throughout the class periot Lily's glare never wavered.

Chapter Two: Miss Lily Swan

As I slept the night before I was to start at Forks High a little part of my mind noted how it was a nightmare-free sleep, something very rare for me. I was woken by Mum shaking me gently; she's the only one that can touch me when I'm sleeping. Other people I'll hex or hit or kick, I'm paranoid like that.

"Lils...Lily...are you up yet?" Mum asked, brushing hair away from my forehead and my scar.

"Ung...Mum...bloody hell...gimme more time!" I moaned, covering my head with my pillow.

"Lilybelle Alice Dorea Potter-Swan, watch your mouth!" Mum snapped. "It's time you get up and ready, the first day at your new school is upon you."

"Fine...fine...I'll be down in fifteen." I grumbled.

"All right then." Mum said, leaving the room. Sighing, I got out of bed and put my feet on the cool wood floor. I padded across to the bathroom and got ready for the day. After showering, spelling myself dry, and brushing my hair and teeth I threw on an emerald sweater, black corduroy pants, and black leather boots. After that I went downstairs, backpack in hand. Mum looked especially sharp wearing black boots, a black skirt, and a light blue blouse. Her long, graying brown hair was pulled into a tight bun reminiscent of Professor McGonagall's. Witty banter was passed between Mum, Grandpa, and me as we ate and then we cleaned up, got on our jackets, and went outside. Mum went to the cute little white rabbit and I went to the old Chevy truck Mum had when she was my age. I got in, turned it on, and it growled to life. Heat blasted out of the vents and I sighed in gratitude as I pulled out into the street. Reaching over to the stereo I turned it onto the radio. A song by Queen was playing, I turned it up as I drove behind Mum down the road.

Eventually we reached Forks High School and split off. I went to the student lot, Mum went to the Teacher one. Merlin this school was small; I bet it could fit into Hogwarts' entrance and great halls. Parking my truck next to a new, shiny black Mustang GT I put on my backpack, got out, locked the door, put on my hood, and opened my umbrella. Confidently I strode into the Administration building and into the secretary's office. It was an older woman with iron gray hair and brown eyes.

"Ah, hello, dear. What can I do for you?" she asked sweetly.

"Erm...I need my schedule and stuff Mrs...erm...Cope, Mrs. Cope." I said, looking at her little desk plackard.

"Ah, of course. And may I have your name?" she asked, arching a silver eyebrow.

"Lily Swan, ma'am." I said.

"Swan...Swan...you're the chief's granddaughter, aren't you? and the new teacher's daughter? Lilybelle Alice Dorea Potter-Swan?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am." I answered. She smiled and handed me a few papers. I read the schedule and smiled, Mum's class first.

"You'll need to have each teacher sign the slips and bring them back at the end of the day." she said. Thanking Mrs. Cope I left the office, went out the building, and found the English one. Going to room E05 I sat in the front row and waited. A few minutes later Mum entered.

"Hey, Muh-uh-Miss Swan." I chimed, blushing at my slip. A few students chuckled.

"Hello, Lil...I mean _MISS_ _SWAN."_ Mum responded, also blushing. For a few minutes Mum busied herself, then the bell rang and she straightened up.

"Where's Mrs. Newton?" asked a boy a few seats down from me.

"Ahem...well...she's on maternity leav, if you'll remember. I'm your interim English instructor, Miss Swan." Mum said. She then proceeded to explain the ball game. Taking the blue beanbag ball from her purse Mum tossed it to the back. Unfortunately it hit a ceramic house model, breaking it. A girl in the back got the ball, telling Mum no worries. Saphie Crowley seemed like a nice girl from the get-go. After she introduced herself she tossed the ball right to me. I caught it right off and introduced myself. I tossed it back to the back to some pimple-faced boy but it zoomed by his left ear and hit William Shakespeare's bust. My face heated up in embarrassment as I rushed to the back to see what the damage was. Sheepishly I held up the two evenly split halves of Billy's head.

"Ah...hee-he...oops?" I laughed nervously, blushing terribly. Putting the pieces so that they were together on the shelf I handed the ball to the pimply boy and went back down to my seat. It was then that things got interesting. Someone knocked at the door and Mum went to answer it. I caught a flash of tousled bronze hair and a gold eye.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Mrs. Newton, my family and I were...wait...you're not Mrs. Newton." he said, his voice velvety and smooth. I recognized him _RIGHT_ _AWAY_ from Mum's description. As she looked at him I could see the hurt written across her face.

"No shit, Sherlock." I muttered bitterly.

"No...no I'm not. I am Miss Swan, your substitute for the remainder of the term. And you are?" Mum asked, pretending as if she didn't know the vampire before her.

"Oh, I'm Edmund Patinson." Edward said, he looked pained. How _DARE_ that bastard even _LOOK_ like that after what he put my _MOTHER_ _THROUGH?_ _EDMUND_ _PATINSON_ _IN-BLOODY-DEED,_ _EDWARD_ _CULLEN!_

"Very nice to meet you." Mum said cooly, I internally cheered for her. Mum one, Eddy-Boy Sparkly-Skin zero.

"Bella...please..." Cullen trailed off. I gritted my teeth.

"Stuff it, Mr. Patinson, and get inside." Mum hissed, going back to her desk. Edward complied, taking the vacant seat right next to me. As he got himself settled and turned curiously towards me I glared right at him, my green eyes not leaving his gold ones until he looked away, quailing under my stare. I did learn from the best, after all, thank you Severus Snape. Throughout the rest of the class Mum seemed distracted and distant. At least she could be comforted by one thing, I never stopped glaring at the vampire that broke her heart.

Eventually the bell rang and I gathered all my things together. As I leffed the classroom I was stopped by the pimple-faced boy.

"Hello. You're Lilybelle Potter-Swan, right?" he asked me.

"Lily Swan." I corrected.

"Right. I'm Justin Yorkie. So what class have you got next?" he asked.

"Trig." I said shortly.

"Oh, can I walk you there? You might get lost." he said.

"Don't insult my intelligence; this school isn't a tenth of the size my old school is. I thank you for your offer but I'd rather go it _ALONE."_ I said, putting extra weight on the last word.

"Well...okay then. Goodbye, Lily." he said, his face a little downcast. Awe shit, now he was making me feel bad. I scoffed and shook my head; I didn't need some boy holding my hand everywhere I went. I had defeated a dark lord, I didn't need _HELPED_ to class. It would just be too big a blow to my ego.

"Bye, Justin." I said, walking away. I found trig class easily enough; it was in the building right next to the language building. Walking up to the stern-looking teacher I handed her the slip which she signed. Taking a seat in the front I got out my text, notebook, and pen.

Trig passed followed by US history and French Three. Saphie was in French, we got along famously.

"Do you want to join my friends and I at lunch?" she asked.

"Erm...okay." I said. I didn't want to be rude to her, she was really nice. Already I had turned down more then just Justin to be walked around everywhere and was earning the reputation as an ice queen.

"Great." Saphie smiled. She took me to the cafeteria and dragged me to a table with a few students including Justin Yorkie, a boy named Nick Mendelson, another boy named Cameron Trinsley, a rather gossipy-looking girl named Jennifer Statler, and a bitchy-looking bleach blonde named Camila Mallory. I sighed and went to get some lunch, it didn't look very good. I wound up with a PBJ, an apple, and milk.

"So, Lilybelle, where do you come from?" asked Jennifer who had not been in Mum's English class.

"Lily." I corrected. "As for your question I'm from England, originally Wales. Mum and I moved here because her stepmother just died." I said.

"Oh, how sad. so is Miss Swan _REALLY_ your _MOTHER?"_ Camila asked.

"Adoptive mother but my mother all the same. Speaking of which, who are those five?" I asked, pointing to the vampires striding into the cafeteria as if I didn't know.

"Oooh." Jennifer giggled. "Those are the Patinsons. Their parents, Carl and Esmerelda, are like really young. The blonds are Rosalind and Jackson Stuart, twins. Mrs. Patinson has had them since they were like eight. That boy with all the muscles is Emmanuel Patinson, the little pixy-like girl is Alison Patinson, and that hot guy with the bronze hair is Edmund Patinson." Hmmm, at least I knew who they were supposed to be now.

"Hot, you say?" I questioned.

"Oh yeah! He's _DREAMY,_ isn't he?" Jennifer asked, I snorted.

"There's nothing special about him, really. I go for red-heads, personally. I've heard it was the Potter curse, my birth mum was a red-head and my birth dad fell for her like _THAT._ Same with my grandmum and great-grandmum and further back. I'm the first Potter girl born for at least five generations and the first with her mother's red hair...all male Potters have been black-haired...so I don't really know if I'll wind up with a red-head. One of my best friends is a red-head with five red-head brothers and a red-head sister, I dated him for a while but it didn't work out. Also, I dated his older twin brothers once...they tend to share girls...but they rather began to fancy Alecia Spinet and Angelina Johnson...so that ended. Anyway, I don't see anything special about Patinson. He seems like the love you and leave you sort of boyfriend. I'd sooner date a giant _SQUID_ then date _EDMUND_ _PATINSON_ even if he was the _LAST_ _BOY_ _ON_ _EARTH!"_ I hissed out.

"Ooh, have you got some sort of vendetta against him or something? What's he ever done to you?" Camilla sniffed. I smirked...I could bend the truth for my own purposes.

"Where did you say they came from, again?" I asked sweetly.

"Oh, they're from Vermont. They've been here for about a year now." Saphie said.

"I thought so." I said angrily, taking a loud, crunching, vicious-sounding bite of my apple, wishing it was Cullen's...erm...Patinson's skull.

"So what's the scoop?" Camilla demanded.

"Well...I have a cousin on my birth mother's side, Isadora Phoenix, that I met when I was eleven at a family reunion. It was really hard to find any living family other then my horrid aunt Petunia Dursley. Anyway, she told me all about this boy she was dating, _EDMUND_ _PATINSON!_ He was all sweet and gentleman-like at first...you know...holding open doors, carrying books and her lunch, driving her to and from school, pulling out chairs, giving her flowers, he even wrote a song for her. He called it _IZZIE'S_ _LULLABY!_ Then, a week after her eighteenth birthday, he said that they needed to talk. They went on the walk through some woods near her house where he proceeded to tell her that he didn't love her anymore, that she meant _NOTHING_ to him! Not even seeing if she was all right he just...he just...he just _LEFT_ _HER_ out there. She wasn't even found until her father and some searchers found her. Then, it turns out, Patinson and his family moved after that. Now I know where too. She was _CATATONIC_ after that, utterly _CATATONIC!_ It's taken her this long just to mention that prat without _BAWLING!_ She even tried _OFFING_ _HERSELF!_ I swore that if I ever came across him I'd have my revenge...I'd kick his arse to the moon and back again...and now it looks like I'll be able to do _Just_ _THAT!"_ I finished, glaring right at the vampire in question, fury lacing my every word. I saw him flinch.

"Oooh, how tragic. I never would have thought it, _PATINSON_ a _PLAYBOY?"_ Jennifer gasped.

"Yup. He's probably just watching us, seeing which girl is malleable enough to go for next. Whatever you do, girls, stay away from Edmund Patinson." I said. The three of them nodded in ascent.


	71. Sextuplets

Sextuplets

An attempt to write another Harry is a multiple fic. This time, it's sextuplets rather than quads! Features Dudley with a twin, and the sextuplets being taken in by the Delacour family! Okay… onward!

Chapter One: The Children Who Lived

From the early morning to well after dark a tabby cat sat purched on the garden wall of the most boring house on the most boring street the cat had ever laid it's sharp green eyes on. This house was Number Four Privet Drive, of course. Why was it sitting their? All in good time. Suddenly, It saw something in the shadows. That something was a man who came onto the street as though out of thin air. Everything from his buckled boots to his purple robes to his long silver hair and beard to his crooked nose to his name was unwelcome to Privet Drive, Albus Dumbledore. If people thought that magical folk were strange Albus would confirm their theories. With a little silver thing that looked like a cigarette lighter, he took all the balls of light from the straet lamps. The only pinpricks of light were from the cat's eyes down the street. Albus did one thing stranger and walked up to the cat, looking at it as a human would another human, and speaking to it.

"I should have known you'd be here, Professor McGonagall." Suddenly, the cat was no longer a tabby cat but a severe looking woman with sharp green eyes and black hair streaked with grey pulled up in a bun.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"Ah, Professor, I have never seen a cat sit so stiffly." Dumbledore said.

"You'd be stiff too if you were sitting on a brick wall all day." McGonagall said snappishly.

"All day? When you could have been celabrating?" Dumbledore asked incredulously. "I must have seen at least half a dozen on my way here!"

"Oh yes and a fine job everyone's been doing of staying inconspicuous. Imagine that just when You-Know-Who seems to have fallen the Muggles find out about us all." McGonagall sniffed, clearly irritated. "I mean come on. It was on their news! Owls in daylight, shooting stars up in Kent...that must have been Dedilus Diggle, never had much sense...but honestly, Albus, people need to be careful."

"You can't blame them, Minerva." Albus said as he joined her on the wall.

"Is it true, Albus? What they're saying about the Potters?" Minerva asked. "That Lily and James are dead? Their sweet little children survived?" Albus hung his head in sadness.

"I'm afraid so, Minerva." Albus said.

"Oh god...Lily and James...and their sweet little children...you can't mean to leave them here can you?"

"They're far better off not knowing that they're famous, not knowing the magical world. Hagrid is bringing them."

"Hagrid? Do you really think that wise, Albus?"

"I would trust Hagrid with my life, Minerva." Dumbledore said. _ But with the life of six babies?_ Minerva wondered to herself just as she heard a great roaring from the sky. From the sky came a huge motorcycle with an even larger man on it carrying a bundle in his arms.

"ello Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said as he stepped off.

"Ah, Hagrid, no problems, I trust?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not at all, sir. All six little tikes fell asleep as we was flyin' over Brystal." Hagrid said. The three of them stepped over the low garden wall and looked at the bundle one last time. First their was the boy to the left, Harry James. His eyes were currently closed but when open would be almond-shaped and a startling emerald green. Under a tuft of jet black hair was a curious lightning-shaped cut. The boy in the middle was Ryan Sirius and he was identical to Harry in every way down to his scar. The boy on the right was James Charlis. He was exactly like his brothers except instead of blazing emerald eyes his were hazel. He had the same scar as well. On the other side of the bundle were the girls. The girl to the left was Rose Lily. The tuft of hair she had was wavy and dark red and her eyes beneath the lids were hazel like James's. However, the scar on her forehead was a crescent moon. The middle girl was Chrysanthemum violet and she was exactly like Rose in every detail. To the very right was Lily Brook. She was identical to her sisters except her eyes were a startling emerald like Harry and Ryan's eyes. As a hole, Harry and Ryan looked exactly like their father, James Potter, except for their mother's eyes. James looked exactly like his father and namesake down to the eyes. Except for their hazel eyes Rose and Chrysanthemum looked exactly like their mum, Lily Evans Potter. Lily looked exactly like her mother and namesake in every way down to the emerald eyes. As Hagrid set them down he let out a howl-like cry like a wounded dog.

"Shush, Hagrid, you'll wake the Muggles." hissed Professor McGonagall.

"So-sorry, Professor. I jus' can' believe it. Little Harry, little Ryan, little James, little Rose, little Chrysanthemum, an' little Lily off ter live with Muggles." Hagrid sobbed.

"Their their, Hagrid, it's really not goodbye after all." Dumbledore said. On a very sad note the strange treo left Number Four Privet Drive leaving the six children to their misery though they didn't know it.

The six little children cuddled close together not knowing they were famous, not knowing that in a few hours time they would be woke up by their aunt's screaming, not knowing what life they would have. All over not many thought about the fact that three little wizards and three little witches had lost their parents, the only thing they could think about was the defeated dark Lord. All over England in secret and not-so-secret places witches and wizards held up their glasses in a toast. To Harry, Ryan, James, Rose, Chrysanthemum, and Lily, the children who lived.

Chapter Two: Freaks

By the time the "freaky six" were four years old they were doing all of the chores of the house. None of them got it easier or harder then the others though the girls wound up being punished much more for they were just as big into pranking as their father, James, had been. Even though Lily looked like her mother in every way she was her father's daughter through and through and the same for James. The sextuplets grew older thinking that nobody loved them, that they were freaks, that they deserved nothing. When they were three they were told freaks didn't have birthdays. Later that year when they asked if Father Christmas would bring them something their aunt snapped out an "absolutely not! Freaks get nothing now get _back_ to cleaning you little ragamuffins!". It was on a trip to Paris when they were six that everything changed. Mrs. Fig, a batty, cat-loving woman who always baby-sat the "freaks" when the Dursleys went on vacation had caught a nasty case of pneumonia and would be bed-ridden for the next month, more then the lenggth of the vacation. It was December, almost Christmas. Their horrid twin cousins Dudley, a fat, pig-like boy, and Darla, an equally fat, pig-like girl had made Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon take them to the toy store but the six freaks had to go along. Dudley was staring at a display of remote control cars.

"Muuummy, I waaaant one!" he wined while his twin was saying the same about a life-sized barbie.

"But Dinky Duddy, Darly, Christmas is almost here and Father Christmas will give you lots of toys!" their mother said, oblivious to the looks of longing on the six other children's faces.

"But I want the barbie noooow!" Darla wined.

"And I waant the caaaar!" Dudley demanded.

"Well...all right. Father Christmas will have to get you even more different toys." their mother said.

"I certainly wish that Father Christmas would give me a toy." said Harry, the second oldest, shyly.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to make a car go zoom, Harry?" Ryan asked his twin.

"I'd be happy with a book wouldn't you, Ryan? Harry?" James said.

"No way, Jamie, that's boring. I'd want some paint or chalk or crayons or something like that." Rose said.

"Yeah, Rosie, but dolls are nice too. Imagine the fun we could have with Barbie and her friends." Chrysanthemum said.

"Uh-huh! Member the time I made Darla's big one punch Dudley every time he tried to hit us? That was some fun." Lily, the youngest but most outspoken said. "Let's ask Aunt Tunia if we might have a small book or doll or stick of chalk or a crayon."

"That's not a very good idea, Lily." James said uncertainly.

"Of course it is. We've been very good lately, not the least bit freakish." Chrysanthemum said.

"You're right, Chryssie." said Ryan, the third oldest and the most outspoken of the boys.

"Why not?" Rose and Harry asked together.

"Aunt Petunia, may we please have a little toy to share?" they all asked together. Aunt Petunia wirled around and glared at the children she always saw as brats.

"You ungreatful little urchens! We feed you, clothe you, and you dare beg for a toy? How dare you." she shrieked as she backhanded the nearest child which was James. In fiery passion, Lily stepped forward.

"Hey! Nobody hits my brothers 'cept for me!" she snapped.

"You nasty little _freaks!"_ Uncle Vernon roared as he came back from using the restroom, landing a punch to Lily's cheek which started to bruise automatically.

It was almost Christmas and the Delacours had to go shopping for their two little girls, Fleur, age nine, and Gabrielle, age six. They were in a toystore when they saw a most peculiar family in one of the isles. Their was not a father present but the mother was a skinny thing with a rather long neck, horse-like face, muddy green eyes, and fine blonde hair. Out of the eight children with her, only two looked anything like her. The boy was in a striped shirt with black pants and trainers. He was very fat and resembled a pig with a thick fat head, watery blue eyes, a pink face, and corse blonde hair. His sister wasn't much better. She was as fat and pig-like with the same eyes and hair done up in two braids. She was wearing a fluffy pink dress and shoes. The remaining six children looked quite different. The first boy had unruly black hair, emerald eyes, and a somewhat thin face with high cheekbones. Another boy looked just like him while the third had hazel eyes. Then their were the girls. The first two had tangled red hair, hazel eyes, and round, kind-looking faces. The third looked the same except that she had the same striking green eyes as two of her brothers. All six looked to be the exact same age and four of them looked like two sets of twins. The third boy and girl were clearly different from the rest. All of them were extremely small and skinny and were wearing ragged clothing. They looked several sizes too big so Madame Delacour assumed right away that they were clothes that used to belong to the blonde twins.

"Muuummy, I waaaant one!" both the fat twins wined as they pointed at a remote control car and huge barbie respectively.

"But Dinky Duddy, Darly, Christmas is almost here and Father Christmas will give you lots of toys!" their mother said, oblivious to the looks of longing on the six other children's faces.

"But I want the barbie noooow!" the bratty little girl wined.

"And I waant the caaaar!" the equally bratty boy demanded.

"Well...all right. Father Christmas will have to get you even more different toys." their mother said. _ Doesn't she realize that no good can come of spoild children?_ Monsieur Delacour thought disgustedly to himself. By the look on his wife's face he realized she must have thought the same.

"I certainly wish that Father Christmas would give me a toy." said the emerald-eyed boy to the left standing furthest away from the woman and the blonde twins.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to make a car go zoom, Harry?" asked the other emerald-eyed boy to the first.

"I'd be happy with a book wouldn't you, Ryan? Harry?" the hazel-eyed boy asked his brothers.

"No way, Jamie, that's boring. I'd want some paint or chalk or crayons or something like that." said the hazel-eyed girl standing the furthest away from the blonde twins.

"Yeah, Rosie, but dolls are nice too. Imagine the fun we could have with Barbie and her friends." said the second hazel-eyed girl.

"Uh-huh! Member the time I made Darla's big one punch Dudley every time he tried to hit us? That was some fun." said the emerald-eyed girl. "Let's ask Aunt Tunia if we might have a small book or doll or stick of chalk or a crayon."

"That's not a very good idea, Lily." the hazel-eyed boy, "Jamie", said.

"Of course it is. We've been very good lately, not the least bit freakish." Chrysanthemum said.

"You're right, Chryssie." "Ryan" said.

"Why not?" "Rosie" and "Harry" asked together. Oh dear. Harry, Ryan, Jamie for James, Rosie for Rose, Chrysie for Chrysanthemum, and Lily. Were these the children who lived? It was in the papers that they were living with Muggles but to see them so hopeful just for a book or doll or chalk or a crayon...it tore at Madame Delacour's heart.

"Pierre, what do we do?" she whispered in French..

"Just wait, mon chere, just wait." her husband soothed. They sawhow the six children were yelled at, how Jamie was slapped, how Lily was punched in the face, and how each of them were fired at with insults that would not be suitable for the most horrible criminal to receive.

"What do you think you are doing to zoze leetle children?" Madame Delacour finally snapp, striding forward.

"Leave us to our business, babe, it's none of your concern." Vernon Dursley snapped, eyes roaming hungrily up and down Madame Delacour's beautiful body.

"Put your eyes back een your 'ead and leesen to mee you 'orrid eexcuses for parents!" Madam Delacour snapped, just bearly containing her metamorphosis into her angered state.

"What do you want with us? They are of no concern to you." Petunia snapped.

"We know 'oo zey are, zey are of ze upmost eemportance to us. Zey are ze Potters, arry, Ryan, James, Rose, Chrysanthemum, and Lily. Zey deserve love, zey deserve respect, and what do zey get? Slapped, beaten, keecked around like leetle slaves not doing zeir beeding you 'orrible pieces of _SHEET!"_ Madame Delacour yelled. "ow dare you? ow dare you treat children like zis? And your own two leetle peeggies, I 'ave _NEVER_ seen such disgraceful children een all of my _LIFE,_ do you understand? Do you understand zat by catering to zeir every weem you are neeglecting zem just as much as you are neeglecting ze ozer seex children?"

"And who are you to talk?" Petunia sniffed. "I see no children with you!"

"Zat ees because, unlike you, my wife and I do not go around buying Chreestmas presents for our children when zey are _AROUND!_ We 'ave boundries for our Fleur and our Gabrielle, zis ees far from what you 'ave weeth zoze children of yours. arry, Ryan, James, Rose, Chrysanthemum, Lily, zey need a 'ome zat will love zem, a family zat will raise zem properly. We shall let you go for now but we beed you as an act of kindness to let zeez boor children come weeth us." Monsieur delacour said passionately though finding it easier to reign in his other half then his wife.

"You can't make us! They are ours to do as we please with, the worthless pack of freaks, so shut up and get out of our way!" Vernon roared. Monsieur Delacour erected privacy spells wandlessly, already knowing what his wife, his love, his mate, his best friend was going to do.

"Zen on be-'alf of ze French Meenistry of Magic, I, Marguerite Damienne Delacour, auror second class, 'ere by put you, Vernon Walter Dursley and Peetunia Hyaceenth Evans Dursley, under arrest for child neeglect and eendangerment!" she hissed, putting them in invisible ropes.

"_YOU?_ How could I not have recognized you,?" Petunia shrieked.

"So you remember now, Peetunia? You remember me coming 'ome weeth your seester, zat I am a sun veela, zat Leely eenhereeted ze traits of a fire veela making her much more beautiful zen you, zat James Potter was an inherited shadow veela, zat zeir cheeldren are true shadowfire veela? Ah yes, you were jealous, jealous because Leely 'ad everything zat you deed not. She 'ad the magic, ze beauty, and ze friends. You 'ad things second-rate, not good enough for the 'igh-and-mighty Peetunia Evans." It was true. Marguerite had transfered to Hogwarts in fifth year. Lily was one of the only students who spoke any French at all. The two became very close friends after that.


	72. Sister

Sister

An attempt to write a fic where Harry has a much older sister, meaning he can get away from the Dursleys much sooner, though he and his sister are raised together. They're like 10 years apart, which means James and Lily are older than in cannon, so yeah… Let's go!

Chapter One: The Early Years

"You wanted to talk to me, Lils?" James Potter, a handsome sixth year Gryffindor with unruly black hair and hazel eyes asked.

"Yes, James, I did. Their's something...something I must tell you." Lily, a beautiful girl with rich, dark red hair and emerald eyes said.

"You-you-you aren't breaking up with me are you?" James asked fearfully.

"No, you stupid toerag, I'm not breaking up with you." Lily said with a half-hearted laugh.

"Than what is it?" James asked.

"You know that night we had after the end of our OWLS, James? How I'd been writing you all summer about feeling ill?"

"Yes, are you okay?" James asked.

"James I...I don't know how to say this." Lily stammered.

"What, Lily? You know you can tell me _ANYTHING."_ James said, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend.

"James, I'mpregnantandwe'regoingtohaveababy!" Lily rushed out.

"Are-are-are you sure, Lils?" James asked.

"Yes...I'm sure. I've been tested magically and the Muggle way; I'm ten weeks in already." Lily said and then teared up. "I'm scared, James, I don't want you to-to-to lea-leave me!" she then was crying openly.

"Lils, Lily, it's okay! I'm going to always love you, okay? I've never felt this way before. I know that we're not even seventeen yet, that we haven't even finished school, but god, Lily, I love you." he said, kissing his girlfriend passionately and hugging her even closer as she wept on his shoulder.

"I...I love you too, James. Everyone says we're both so young but how can I not love you? At first, in first through fourth year, I thought I hated you. Then the Yule Ball came around and I thought what the heck? I love you...love you so much."

"I love you too, Lily, I love you too." James said.

"But I don't want you to feel _obligated_ to me just because I'm pregnant, James. I want you to be happy too; you don't have to stay with me just because we're having a child, okay?"

"Listen to me closely, _LILY_ _ROSE_ _EVANS!"_ James said, giving his girlfriend an extra tender squeeze. "I love you, Lily, and I will _NEVER_ _LEAVE_ _YOU,_ okay?"

"Okay...James...I love you too."

Six months had passed since that day and Lily was now in the hospital wing, concealment charms taken off of her stomach, in labor. PROFESSOR Dumbledore, the headmaster, and Professor McGonagall, their head-of-house, deputy headmistress, and Transfiguration professor, had been disappointed in Lily and James for their carelessness but were happy for them all the same. Lily could have easily taken an abortion potion but both she and James were horrified by that notion.

"It would be like murder!" Lily had said, horrified. Their was a potion that could delay a pregnancy up to five years but their were several risks involved including the child having a major birth defect. Another way is that they could have had the fetus transfered to a surrogate mother. Molly Weasley, a woman who was like an older sister to Lily, was perfectly willing to take Lily's child once she had given birth to her first child, William. Lily wanted this to be something she did for herself, however, so she kept the child. They could have chosen to put the child up for adoption but they chose to keep it for themselves, they were going to raise their son or daughter, the gender was to be a surprise, right. Dumbledore had put concealment charms on Lily's stomach so anyone who did not know the secret could not see Lily's stomach. Those in the school who knew the secret were all the staff, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Petigrew, all James's friends, and Alice Dunn and Andromeda Black, two of Lily's best friends. Andromeda was Sirius's cousin and in Ravenclaw. Both were on the verge of being disowned by their parents.

Lily was glad she kept the baby despite her parents' disappointedness, despite Petunia spending half last summer calling her "Little freak," "Spawnholder," and "Little whore" when their parents were not around and braging that "Perfect Little Lily" finally screwed something up.

"James Potter I swear I'll _KILL_ you next time I get the chance!" she fumed as she pushed without much luck.

"Come on, Miss Evans, I see the head!" Madam Pomfrey urged. With a few more pushes, the room was filled with a baby's first-time cries. James was tasked to cut the cord and he did so with great care. After that, the child was taken and looked over by Madam Pomfrey.

"Congratulations, you two, you have a beautiful baby girl!" she said happily, handing the child to James. The child had his unruly hair down to the color but some of Lily's red made it through in streaks. The child blinked open her eyes to show them that she had Lily's beautiful emerald eyes. The baby looked just like Lily except for the hair. James handed the child over to Lily who smiled happily at her.

"She's so beautiful." she cooed.

"And she looks like you, Lily." James said, smiling.

"I know, I know. I think I have a name for her." Lily said.

"Really? What name?" James asked.

"Zeta. It's the last letter in the Greek alphabet and she was the last thing we were expecting but we love her all the same. Do you want her to have your last name or mine?" she asked.

"Zeta Evans...hmm, doesn't fit. Zeta Potter, Zeta Lily Potter." James said.

"That is lovely, James." Lily agreed.

"Do you know what sounds even more lovely?" James asked.

"What?" Lily questionned.

"Lily Rose...Potter." Lily gasped. "Lily Evans, I love you with all my heart. I guess now what I'm asking is...now we're of age...will you marry me?"

Zeta Lily Potter:

Father: James Andrew Potter

Mother: Lily Rose Evans

Born: April 3, 1981

"Mummy! Daddy! I got the good hall on candy!" a happy ten-year-old girl dressed in a witch's costume sang as she danced through the door with Sirius Black, a family friend. "How's baby Harry?"

"Harry's doing good, Zeta. We've just been able to get him down for the night." Lily Potter, formerly Evans, said, smiling. Just over ten years had passed since Zeta was born and Lily and James couldn't be happier.

"Oh, okay! Mind if I have some candy?"

"Not too much, Zeta Lily Potter, You remember what happened last year?" Lily chided.

"I know I know, stomach ache all the next day." Zeta sighed as she plopped on the sofa.

"I'd better get going back home, it's getting late." Sirius said.

"You do that, we'll see you, Padfoot." James, also now twenty-seven, said.

"You'd better get ready for bed, Zey." Lily said lovingly as she ruffled her daughter's red-streaked black curls and Zeta bit into yet another chocolate frog.

"Okay, Mum, I love you." Zeta said as she hugged her mother.

"I love you too, Zeta." Lily said.

"Hey, don't forget me!" James pouted. Zeta ran over to him and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug.

"I love you, Daddy." she breathed into his robes.

"I love you too, my little princess." James said, squeezing his daughter tight. Zeta grinned widely and rushed upstairs.

"She really is something isn't she?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, yeah she is." James said, smiling as they embraced. Suddenly, James could see a shadow walking steadily up their front path. Their was something holey evil about it and they knew who it was.

"Lily...Lily it's him!" James said as he clung to his wife and as the door exploded. "Take the children and _RUN!"_

"I won't leave you!" Lily said, running upstairs.

"Mummy, what's going on?" Zeta asked as she was ushered out of bed and into Harry's room.

"He's here, Zeta, Voldemort's here. Now I want you to stay behind me!" Lily said just as she heard the dreadful words that had killed her husband. The door was blown apart and Voldemort stood their in his red-eyed, white-skinned, snaky horror. Zeta stifled a scream and grabbed her little brother up on impulse, cuddling the fifteen-month-old to her chest and berrying her face in her mother's emerald robes.

"Give me the children and you shall live!" he hissed.

"You'll _NEVER_ have my _BABIES!"_ Lily hissed.

"Foolish little mudblood, you may live if you _GIVE_ _ME_ _THE_ _BOY_ _AND_ _THE_ _GIRL!"_ Voldemort roared.

"_NEVER!"_ Lily yelled.

"Have it your way, _AVADA_ _KEDAVRA!"_ with that spell, Lily lay on the floor, red hair spread around her like a halo, dead. Zeta cuddled her baby brother close and glared at Voldemort.

"_YOU_ _KILLED_ _MY_ _PARENTS!"_ she yelled. Before she could be stopped, she spat in the dark wizard's face.

"How dare you, you filthy halfblood? _HOW_ _DARE_ _YOU?"_

"Oh, oh I dare you _FILTHY_ _hypocrite!_ Halfblood yourself aren't you, Tommy-boy? Well you can do whatever you want with me but you will _NEVER_ have my _BROTHER!"_ Zeta yelled.

"You little fool, avada kedavra!" the curse hit Zeta's forehead but bounced off, leaving Voldemort weakened as Zeta slumped down onto the floor, still clutching Harry. From her forehead a new wound shaped like a crescent moon was their.

"And for you, avada kedavra!" but the spell backfired as well. With a _puff_ and a painful shriek, Voldemort's body vanished just leaving his robes on the floor. Harry cried out in pain equal to his big sisters and both of them sank into the blissful nothingness that unconciousness afforded.


	73. Sky High: Erin's Story

Sky High: Erin's story

An attempt to write… Ah, hell… I don't know what this shit is. It's some weird sky high fic crap with two way overpowered OCs… one of which has poor eyesight… A little self-insert much, if only in that aspect? Oh my sanity…

Introduction

I never knew, I never knew my parents, never knew about my powers, never knew about Sky High, never knew never knew never knew! Why did things like this have the habbit of kicking me in the ass when I wasn't looking? I have no clue. This is the story in the life of me, Erindiria Silverstone. What I found out, the friends I made, my enemies, my loves, my losses, _my_ story.

Chapter One: Sky High

I sat huddled on my thin bed, staring at the ceiling. I was in trouble again for something I didn't even mean to do. So what if I started to fly? I was so thin anyway that I could've probably flown in the lightest breeze, but Mrs. Hargreaves didn't see that. The only thing the old bat saw was another reason to whap me upside the head with her walking stick and yell drunken, slured obscenities at me while swinging her cane around some more. It didn't help the building was always dimly lit so I could hardly see. Hell, I could hardly see _period._ I was partially blind and had been since I could remember. Mrs. Hargreaves just used it as an excuse to lerk behind corners and torment me more. All of the other girls in my group home were just as bad, except one, Lissa. Lissa was a kind, shy girl that had lived here almost as long as I had and she was the only one anyone would listen too when she got this sharp tone in her voice basically saying, "Lay off!" when they were messing with me. She was my only friend. Unlike me, she knew who her parents were. Their names were Loretta and Jack Goldman. Lissa was short for Malissa, much better then my name. My name was Erindiria Silverstone, but I only went by Erin, making everyone else in the home call me Erindiria even more.

"Hey, it's okay!" Lissa said as she limped into the room, yes, limped. It looked like Mrs. Hargreaves had had her fun with her too.

"I don't know if it ever will be okay, Lissa." I said pessimistically. I wasn't even turning fifteen until the end of October and I was a total pessimist, the opposite of Lissa who always looked to the bright side. "You're not the only one she beats up on for strange things." This was true, Mrs. Hargreaves beat up on Lissa just as much as me. "In all that chaos I'm sure you didn't notice when Chantal took my pancake? Well, I made it fly back to me. The old bat had her fun and I just about twisted my ankle."

"I'm sorry, Liss." I said, feeling bad.

"S'not your fault, Rin!" she said, using her even more shortened version of my name. That's what we did sometimes, she was Liss and I was Rin.

"God! I just wish we were out of here!" we both groaned together. At that moment, one of the older, mean-looking girls walked in.

"Oy, piss ants! Hargreaves wants you down their pronto, and you'd better take your shit, not like you have much to take." she sneared as she walked from the room. I felt scared and I had the feeling that Lissa felt the same as we packed up our few ragged clothes and belongings into our battered duffles. The one thing that was left over from my parents was a stuffed bear with a music box inside I had managed to keep from the other girls. Lissa's special item was a little pink blanket.

Olive Cloverleaf had snapped my cane in half last week, so I didn't take it. I didn't use it around the building anyway, just at the school down the road. The two of us grudgingly walked out of our shabby bedroom and down the grimy staircase to the overly cleaned foyer that Hargreaves made Lissa and I clean whenever she didn't feel like slapping us around. Their stood a woman in all white with brown hair and a stern but kind face.

"Hello, girls. I am Principal Powers of Sky High." she said. "This is a school for students with powers just like you two have."

"Powers?" Lissa said.

"We don't have—com"

"I knew that that freakishness was something, thought I'd beeat it out of 'em, but it didn't work! I won't have this sort of rif raf in my home!" Hargreaves roared. "You nasty, pathetic little tramps! You _miserable_ excuses for human―com" As the old lady made to swing at us with her walking stick, the lady, powers, snatched it and snapped it in half within an instant.

"That will not be necessary. I will insure that you will not stay open. These two girls are imaciated due to mal neurishment and are obviously treated like gum on your shoes! Come along. I have much to discuss with you two." With that, Powers left the building followed by Lissa and me. Even if this lady was a nutcase claiming to have powers, she was obviously better then the old bat.

"We'll be taking my car back to my home." Principal Powers said. "I do have a way of flying, but I can't take people along." The two of us got into her car, a really nice white mustang GT with white leather interior. She drove us for a long time, probably a few hours where we basically did and said nothing.

Eventually, we pulled up to a nice, white house and she led us inside.

"I'm sure you have some questions?" she asked.

"Yeah, can you prove that powers exist?" I asked. "I mean, it isn't exactly likely."

"Well, all right...comets away!" with that, she turned into a white comet and soared around the room.

"Ooooh, that's so neat!" Lissa said excitedly. "I never thought that me moving things, turning things to gold, and controling people was anything, I just thought it was some sort of fluke. Oh yeah, I can turn the gold things back to normal too." I didn't know what to say except, "Wow!" then, I remembered something. "Well, today I flew. Other times I'd accidentally shift into someone or something. One time, I accidentally shifted into a duck at the dinner table and into Mrs. Hargreaves when she was caning me. I have also made gusts of air, streams of water, jets of fire, and piles of dirt and stuff come out of my hands. I can turn myself into those things also. Then, their's the time when I got mad. When I kicked my bed, it flew across the room. Oh yeah, and I can move things with my mind too and go through things and turn invisible. Lastly, I accidentally turned Laticia Hersh into a silver statue once."

"Amazing to have young people with such powers. Most have two at the most, it is almost unheard of to have more. No, it isn't common at all."

"Did you know our parents?" Lissa asked.

"Yes, they were very bright students. Melissa, your father was The Gold Man, or Jack Goldman as he was known commonly. Your mother was the Mindress, or Loretta Goldman. She had your other two powers, but she always used them for good."

"Wow! I will too, I promise." Lissa piped as she flipped some of her gold blonde hair out of her big blue eyes.

"What about mine?" I asked timidly. Powers's face seemed to sag a little.

"Your father was Gold Man's best friend and equal, the Silver Stone. They both were equal to each other and never took sidekicks. Your father's true name was Joseph Silverstone. You get your ability to turn things to silver, shapeshift, control the eliments, your super strength, and the ability to turn invisible from your father. Everything else you got from your mother. I am guessing, like her, you can mimick anybody's power also. Along with shapeshifting, that can be useful. Your mother—com" her face fell even more. "Your mother was the worst villainess yet. Ever since she graduated she insisted on going by Royal Pain, but her name by birth was Sue Tenny. Several years back, when you were just a baby, she came up with the plot to turn all of the heroes into babies and raise them evil along with you. Many heroes came to fight her, including your own father, who was a very good person, and Lissa's father and mother."

"Oh my god! Are you saying that-that-that it's my _mother's_ fault that Lissa's parents are d-dead?" I asked, bursting into tears.

"Well, that fight was the cause, yes, and also the cause for your father's death. Your mother, though thought to be dead, just got turned back into a baby. She came back last year under the name Gwen Gracen. She tried her plan again, but a group of very special freshman defeated her. Remember, the both of you, it doesn't matter who your parents are, you're your own people." I was flat out bawling now. My icey bluish silver eyes looked even more silver and some of my midnight black hair hung over my face like a curtain. I couldn't believe my mother was evil. I couldn't believe that my father and the parents of my best friend were dead because of her, that horrible lowdown disgusting _bitch!_ After a few minutes, I stopped crying for the most part..

"I'm sorry, Liss. I swear if she were still alive I'd personally kill her for making you go through fourteen years of hell."

"Rin, Principal Powers is right! It doesn't matter to me. If I cared, I'd be just as shallow as Tisha Hilsinki." I laughed. We always used analogies with people from the home in them.

"Their's one last thing I'd like to talk to you about, Erindiria." Principal Powers said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Your sight. How do you typically do things in school?"

"Like anybody else. I can read print, but it has to be large. I am a proficient braille reader and can have my texts transcribed. However, I can also have my books on tape or something. I've never really tried shifting my eyes, but let me try—com" I tried to fix everything inside by shifting, but I couldn't. "Sorry, can't fix it. Maybe if I became a different person, but no, that's not really worth it. It doesn't bother me much."

"Well, all right. The term starts in a few weeks. I have made some arangements for you both to stay with a super family for now. They are the Strongholds and they have a son that's a year older then you. He was one of the ones that helped to defeat her."

"Oh, they don't mind?" I asked timidly.

"You two are the daughters of three of the best known heroes of the time. Will's parents are in the top slots followed by your parents, Melissa, and your father, Erindiria. Your mother is on the top list of most dangerous and infamous villains and villainesses. You actually look remarkably like your mother, but you have your father's eyes and disposition. Out of the "Fantastic Five" your father was the pessimist and rationalist. Also, he was the most sarcastic. I think you get your bubbly personality from your mother, Melissa." Principal Powers said.

"Oh...okay." I said, shifting my feet awkwardly.

"Now that that's settled, let's go. Since you can fly and have super strength, Erindiria, would you mind just flying behind me and carrying Melissa?"

"No, but please, ma'am, call us Erin and Lissa. It makes our names feel so much more informal."

"All right!" We walked right back outside and Powers turned into her comet. I sighed uncertainly and allowed Lissa to jump on my back. It was a good thing that she was only five three while I was five ten. I kicked off the ground and found myself flying, flying without anyone yelling at me to stop, flying without any limitations when...

"Eeerrriiinnn! You're gooooiiiiinnnnnggggg toooo faaaast! We paaased Poooweeerrrs siiix bloks aaaagoooo!" I immediate came to a hault and reversed myself.

Chapter Two: The Strongholds

I eventually came to Principal Powers outside a brown house with fencing and a nice little garden.

"You overshot me by quite a lot, Erin. I do believe that we can assume that you have super speed as well? I actually don't know where all of these come from. I said they were from your mother, but the only ability she posessed, at your age anyway, was technokinesis, the ability to control electronics. Perhaps, unlike her, you have grown into your gifts now instead of your eighteenth birthday like her. Now, let's go in and meet the strongholds." I set both Lissa, who looked slightly sick, on the ground and touched down next to her. Principal Powers walked us up to the front door and rang the bell. A tall, slender woman with short brown hair and emerald eyes answered the door.

"Hello, Patricia, have you got the new girls?"

"Yes, Josey, I do. Then, I got a flash in my mind from the woman thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder how their parents died? Why were they in that aweful home?" I was in utter shock. Feeling a bit shy, I stepped behind Lissa as Principal Powers led us inside.

"This is Melissa Goldman!" said Principal Powers. "I'm sure you'll recognize her father as Jack and her mother as Loretta?"

"Yes, so nice to see you again!" Mrs. Stronghold said warmly, enveloping Lissa in a kind hug. "Your parents were very good friends with us and I thought you'd died too, that night!"

"Yes, very nice!" said a man that stepped beside her.

"Hey, I'm Will." said a boy about a year older then us stepping off the last step of the staircase and between his parents.

"Hey! You can just call me Lissa! I'm glad to finally be getting away from that terrible girls' home. Mrs. Hargreaves didn't know about powers so she caned us...owww, Erin, whaddidya do that for?"

"That brings us to Erindiria Silverstone. Why don't you introduce yourself?" Powers said. She stood aside along with Lissa and I was revealed to the Stronghold family. Before I could even get a "hi" out of them, the boy clenched his fists and each of his parents drew out some sort of weapon.

"Thought you'd come back so soon, Royal Pain?" Will snarled. They were slowly backing me up and I was scared out of my wits. Principal Powers and Lissa looked too shocked to do anything. Then, fearing the family of heroes, I turned and started to run to the nearest door. Before I could get their, though, I tripped over a table leg and went sprawling out, my cheap glasses sliding off my face and the left lense breaking. I rolled over to face the family, Principal Powers and Lissa still in shock.

"Now we've got you!" Will said.

"You won't get the chance to do anything again!" Mr. Stronghold growled.

"At last we can bring justice and avenge the deaths of our three best friends! I can't believe you sunk so low, Sue Tenny!" Mrs. Stronghold said coldly. Both of the adults had the weapons at either side of my head and the boy was standing over me, ready to pounce. I was paralyzed with fear. At the last second, I jumped up into the air, bits of water, earth, fire, and air swearling around me.

"I am not your _fucking_ royal pain. I'm Erindiria fucking _Silverstone._ All of my life I've been living in a shitty girls' home where Lissa and I've been beat up every _fucking_ day for having uncontrolable powers because we didn't know how to use the goddamn things. Add that to the fact that every fucking girl in the joint is a pain in my ass just because I'm fucking partially blind and they try day in and day out to fucking _torment_ me. Hell, they even torment Lissa because she's my best friend. Today, I find out that my dad was killed in a super battle and it's my goddamn no-good lowdown slutty trampy _bitch_ of a _fucking_ mother who killed him and my best friend's parents. I know you're supposed to be the good guys and all, but why can't you here a girl out before you try and fucking kill her!" I said this last part as my tears spilled free and I sank onto the floor, crying my eyes out. The Strongholds really didn't know what to do. I was sure that they were still sceptical, I mean, who wouldn't be? Still teary-eyed, I spat out an "I've got to go" before I ran out of the door lightning fast and took off into the sky

Third Person POV

Principal Powers, Lissa, and the strongholds just stood their. It was Lissa who spoke first. "I don't want to stay with _you_ if you're not even going to here someone out. You should feel ashamed. She's been through years of hell no thanks to her mom and her day's been more shitty then then a manure heap the size of the Space Needle. I really am _disgusted!"_ with that, Lissa ran, though not as fast as Erin, out the front door. Though Lissa was usually a very happy person, she could be very icey and cold. She would say anything to get her point across. She didn't even hardly cuss and constantly told Erin what a bad habit it was, but she really couldn't help it today. Also, she used that same sharp voice that just _made_ people listen to her.

"We didn't mean for that to happen." Mrs. Stronghold said, hanging her head in shame. "I just saw her...and...with all of that trouble last year—com"

"How could she be so thin and so small and so young after being four years older in just a matter of months?" Principal Powers demanded. "How could she have lost the majority of her sight? How could she have bruise marks on her body and a few scars that are clearly several years old that Royal Pain _never_ had? How could you have looked into her face and not seen her eyes? Her father's eyes? And how, may I ask, could such an evil woman become such a sweet, though obviously sensative and feisty, girl?" Powers had a relatively good temper, but she was quite angry. She never knew _just_ how much Erin looked like her mother. She never thought that the Strongholds would look at her face and miss her eyes, her father's eyes.

"I had no idea Joey had a daughter, let alone with Royal Pain!" Mr. Stronghold said.

"Neither did I!" Mrs. Stronghold said.

"I know, I didn't until the night before the battle. Joey came to me and told me the whole story. It was a one night stand at a normal human party. They recognized each other, but they were too drunk to notice. She seduced him into having sex with her. He wouldn't have done it otherwise because, as you know, he wasn't that kind of person. During that nine months of peace, she was pregnant with Erindiria. She did tell Joey, but threatened to kill him if the secret was revealed to anybody. She must have found out that he told me. All of this was when Erin was six months old. Will, you were just about a year and a half. He said that if anything were to happen to him that either Jack and Lo or the two of you were to take care of her. The night of the battle, after your friends were killed and Royal Pain was seemingly defeated, someone came into her house and took Erin. After that, they went to Jack's house and took Lissa. That's how they wound up in that home for fourteen years. I met a few of the older girls along with the head matron of the place. The whole place was grimy and dirty except the foyer which was far too clean like two girls had been made to clean it from top to bottom. The girls were nasty and mean. I could hear how the girl who was sent to get Melissa and Erindiria sounded and she was absolutely horrible. When I mentioned Sky High, the old matron tried to cane them right in front of me. Then, when I asked where Erin's cane was so that she would not trip over anything, she said that a girl named Olive Cloverleaf had snapped it in two last Tuesday and that it was no big deal because it was about a foot too short anyway. Do you hear that? A _foot_ too short! Then, you saw her glasses. They were taped all over and looked extremely cheap and fragile in the first place. Then, you three just _had_ to give chase and make her trip and _break_ them. So I hope you all know better now then to jump to conclusions. I want you to take the two girls in for the rest of their school careers and treat them well. Both of them are the daughters of your best friends, _even_ if one of them is also the daughter of the one that killed them."

"We'd love to have them and we are sorry. Should we look for them?"

"Yes. Will, Steve, I want you to look on the ground for Lissa while Josey and I look for Erin. Erin has super speed, Josey, so I don't know how long it will take to find her." The three Strongholds nodded and the four of them scattered about to look for the two girls.

Erin's Pov

I was flying over the town, just enjoying myself. I had nothing to worry about. I didn't ever want to be a part of that stupid school if that was what was going to happen. Then, I heard someone calling from far away, it sounded like that Stronghold woman.

"Erin, Erin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen, I didn't even know your father _had_ a daughter and I don't care if you are Sue Tenny's daughter or not! It's not important. I want to start over again, I want to apologize. We'd love to take both you and Lissa in and give you girls a good home." I could feel my heart melt and a smile spread. I could tell that this was true, I could pretty much tell when someone was lying and, when I focused, I could see into her mind and read her thoughts. It was amazing to discover so many powers and things relating to them, like family, in one day. I flew towards her voice and found her.

"It's okay." I said. "Let's start from scratch. I'm Erindiria Silverstone but you can call me Erin. My dad was one of your best friends and my mom was Royal Pain, but I'm nothing like her. Let's go home, yes, I'd love to stay with your family." Mrs. Stronghold beamed and we flew towards the house. "So I guess I know your power?"

"Yes, and my husband has super strength. My son inherited both of them."

"Oh!" I said. We went inside the house to find everyone else.

"By the way," I said, taking my busted glasses out of my pocket, You guys owe me some new ones." Everyone laughed and I smiled. I liked the Strongholds a lot just by the kindness within and I knew that I would enjoy living with them.

Chapter Three: Summer

Soon after that, Principal Powers left saying she needed to get back to the school.

"Why don't we show you girls to your room? We would give you your own separate ones but we don't quite have the room." Mrs. Stronghold said.

"That's okay!" Lissa trilled.

"Yeah, Liss and I shared a room with four other girls." I said.

"That sucks, I would have probably gone nuts!" Will said, I smiled. I liked Will. Once I got past the whole fact that he thought I was my mother, he seemed like the shy, yet protective, big brother type.

"Yeah. It was kinda brutal, I don't remember anything before it, though. Just good old Mrs. Hargreaves and the smell of alcohol." I said with some bitterness.

"She drank with all of you girls around?" Mrs. Stronghold asked, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and concern.

"Yeah, it actually could be quite funny sometimes." Lissa said.

"Lissa! _So_ not funny!" I said.

"Oh come on! You've got to admit that her dancing with a mop thinking it was her dead fiance was pretty amusing! "Oh Jimmy, my Jimmy, How I love you so much! Mwa mwa mwa!" Don't tell me you don't think it's funny! You were laughing your butt off." Lissa always had a way of finding things funny when they were just stupid or senseless to me, but yeah, I do admit I laughed at that, who wouldn't? I just didn't want the Strongholds to get the wrong impression of me. We already had a bad start.

The Strongholds led us upstairs to a large room with two beds, two dressers, and a walk in closet.

"Oh, I love it!" I squealed without thinking. I really wasn't the gushy kind of girl, that was Lissa, but I couldn't help it. This was the nicest place I'd ever seen!

"We're glad you do!" Mr. Stronghold said with a kind smile. "And if you want any more furniture or anything, just call me or Will. We could probably lift a whole moving truck up here if it were small enough!"

"He's right, if you need anything, just ask. Tomorrow, we'll go out and buy you some clothes that actually _fit_ and schedule an eye appointment to get you some new glasses, Erin. Also, tell us where we can order a cane."

"You can just browse around on the web, their's a company in Canada that sells them, and also their's the National Federation of the Blind and I've heard their's are really good and durable. I'm five ten and it has to come up about to my chin so I'd guess about sixty inches. Oh yeah, and thanks. I really appreciate what you guys are doing."

"Oh, you're welcome, hone!" Mrs. Strronghold said, enveloping me in my own hug. "It's getting late so I'll start dinner. We have some books to read or you can watch TV. If you have any questions, just ask us or Will and we'll be happy to answer."

"Thanks!" Lissa and I said as we walked into the room and shut the door. Right when the door was shut, Lissa shouted out a big, "Yeeeeeeeeeessssssssss!" and ran to the bed and flopped down. "It's so _comfortable,_ Rini! Do it to your own bed!" When Lissa was really hyper, she called me Rini and when I was really hyper, which was rare but not totally impossible, I called her Leelee.

"Oh, all right." I said. Then, a plan formed in my head. "Hey, LEELEE, watch this!" With that, I lept into the air and did a series of ultra quick flips and somersaults towards my bed. Then, with one last flip, I landed on my bed on my back and then bounced up to my feet. Not really caring how I sounded, I let out a "Woohoo! This _is_ comfy, Leelee!" I felt happier then I had in a long time and I had the feeling that maybe now I could be a bit more care-free and not so pessimistic.

"Hey, Rini, move the beds together so we can jump!" Lissa said in her hyper, excited voice.

"No way, Lissa, what are we, five?" I demanded.

"No, but we never really got the chance!"

"Oh...fine!" I jumped off my bed, lifted the nightstand out of the way, and pushed them together in the middle of the big bedroom. Lissa started to jump.

"Hey, Leelee!" I said, grinning. "I have an idea!"

"What?" Lissa asked.

"I'm going to see if I can turn into a ball, like one of those big bouncey balls. That would be fun!"

"Can you do it? You've never became an object, just animals and people!" Lissa said.

"I dunno, but why don't I try?" With that, I jumped on the bed and concentrated on turning into a big, blue bouncy ball. I really didn't like pink much, at least, not openly. It was okay, but it didn't really fit me. I tried to talk and found that I could even though I had no mouth.

"Their we go...oh great! I sound like Dolly Lawless high on helium!" I really did! my voice was high and squeaky. "(sigh) Just start jumping and let's get this over with."

"Okay!" With that, hyper Lissa started to bounce, sending me right into the cieling.

"Owowowowow!" I squealed, landing on my bed and turning back to normal. "That hurt. I told you it was stupid to jump and I should have never turned in to that ball. (sigh) At least I learned I can turn into objects. I have an idea now! Why don't we get this room back in order." And so Lissa got off the bed and I put things back where they were. At that moment, their was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Mom told me to tell you it was dinner time. What was all of that noise?"

"Lissa just _had_ to jump on the beds, so I moved them together. Then, I came up with the bright idea to try and turn into a bouncy ball and do it like that, but I hit the cieling. Plus, I sounded like I was high on helium. That's what that squeaking was."

"So you've got super strength, super speed, you can fly, _and_ you can turn into a bouncy ball?" Will asked, amused and interested at the same time.

"Not quite. I'm a shapeshifter. I can turn into anything I want...I'm still not Royal Pain, by the way. Anyway, I can become people, animals, and now objects. Plus, I can control water, earth, fire, and air, I'm a telekinetic, a telepath, I can become invisible, I can go through things, I can fly, I have super speed and strength, and I can turn things to silver and back again. Also, principal Powers thinks that I might be a technokinetic like my mother and maybe mimic someone's powers." Wil looked awed. "But Lissa's got some cool powers too."

"Yeah, I'm a telekinetic too, I can kind of make people listen to anything I say, I guess you can Say I can control people, and I can turn things to gold. Also, I love animals. I took this nearly dead kitten off the side of the road once. All I did was pet it for a few days and give it scraps of food and it became healthy again. Maybe I can heal things or am just good with animals. Also, I swear when Mrs. Hargreaves found out and came to take it away, it meowed "help me." Maybe I can talk to them?"

"Yeah, maybe. You guys have really got some neat powers. Also, Erin, don't worry about the whole helium thing. I have a friend, Magenta, who can shapeshift into a guiny pig and she gets really annoyed when you mention her voice when she's like that. We'd better get down to dinner."

Lissa and I followed Will downstairs and into the dining room. The aroma of food hit us full force. I never knew food could smell so good. We sat down at the table and began to eat.

Mrs. Stronghold was a really good cook, we had pot roast and mashed potatoes with fluffy roles. When she asked us for seconds, we hesitated before we agreed. After three plates of delicious food, we went upstairs and got ready for bed.

The next few days went by really well. It turns out that the Strongholds had a good bit of money to spend on clothes for us and we were able to stock up on a lot of things for school. ON Wednesday, I had an eye appointment and my perscription was checked to make sure it was right. After that, I got to choose my glasses. The ones I chose were a simple oval wire rimmed silver pair. Within another week, my cane arived and We were getting set for school. We got new backpacks from LL Bean, mine was red and Lissa's was pink. We had our names put on them too. A Victor Reader Stream, curtesy of the school, arrived. As soon as I knew whether I was a hero or a sidekick, I would order my books from a special branch of RFBD that was unknown to the public and that only blind or dyslexic heroes, sidekicks, and, unfortunately, villains could access. I did order one book for my own pleasure, though, the history of modern day heroes and villains. I found out that Lissa's and my dads were actually cousins, that explained how they both had such similar talents with metal. Also, I read more about Will's parents and my father. My dad was unmarried at the time and the book said nothing about me, but had some things on Lissa and Will because of who their parents were. Apparently, my dad and Lissa's parents caught a lot of villains like Titania, another cousin actually, Electronicus, someone who could take the power out of the whole world, and Priden Prejudice, a super member of the modern KKK who also believed in Hitler's regime. The only one they couldn't defeat was my mother, the one that killed my father and Lissa's parents. Out of the five of them that went in to fight her, only two came out alive, Will's parents.

Lissa, being her hyper self, was almost litterally bouncing off the walls on August 24, the night before school.

"I'm so _excited!"_ she said happily. "I can't believe it's already the night before school!"

"Yeah, it will be good." I said. I actually quite enjoyed school and excelled at it, but it wasn't like I had a tendancy to get over excited about it like Lissa.

"It will be good to see everyone again, except Speed and Lash." Will said.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"They're the school jerks. They tried to help your mother last year, Erin. I'm shocked they didn't get expelled, but they're on probation from what I've heard."

"Oh, remind me to give them each a swift kick in the ass." I said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah...well...you'll probably like my friends. Their's Zack, he can glow, Ethan can melt, Magenta can turn into a gerbil, Warren's a pyrotechnic, and my girlfriend, Layla, can control plants."

"They sound really nice!" Lissa said.

"Yeah, they do!" I agreed. Then, I got up from the couch and headed over to the piano. I didn't know how to play it, but I figured I'd try for lack of anything better to do. I had actually played the flute in middle school. I roled the cover off the keys and began to hit notes. I hit the one to the left of a set of two black keys and realized that it was the C note. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. I started to play C, E, G, D, F sharp, A, then E, g sharp, B. That's when I realized they were chords. For the heck of it, I took out a music book. Even though I had never played, I had had to learn notes in elementary school for things like the recorder and for the flute in middle school.

I turned to a random page and began to play what was titled Swan Lake. I didn't realize that it was supposed to be a hard song until I heard a series of gasps. I stopped playing abruptly, turned around, and saw the Strongholds and Lissa staring dumbfounded at me.

"Erin, you could never play like that before!" Lissa said.

"That was supposed to be hard? I guess it would be, but it just came. By the way, Kevin, Josey, your piano is kind of out of tune I think." Over the past few weeks, the Strongholds have insisted that we call them Kevin and Josey.

"Um...yes, we've been meaning to get that tuned." Kevin said.

"I think you have a new power for music, dear. You're quite talented in music. You might be able to control people with it just like Lissa controls people with that edgy voice she uses." This was almost too much, another power? Didn't I already have enough? Well, at least Lissa discovered two more, the ability to heal herself and other living creatures and the ability to talk to animals over the last two weeks. A while later, we all decided to turn in for the night.

Chapter Four: First Day

Way too soon the next morning, I was woke up by Lissa bouncing up and down on my bed.

"C'mon, Erin, time to get up! It's already 6:30 and the bus leaves at 7:30."

"Holy frig, Liss, too early, ugh, way too early." I groaned. I had never been much of a morning person which was always bad when Mrs. Hargreaves wanted us up to do dishes or scrub or whatever the hell we had to do that day.

"No it isn't! Get up now, _pleeease?"_ Lissa begged.

"Honestly!" I muttered as I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "You act way too much like a little kid sometimes."

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, i'm already almost ready so I think the bathroom's free."

"Yeah, thanks." I said as I got out of bed and went into the hall and then into the bathroom.

I soaked in a nice, long shower that felt good against my tan complected, pimple-free skin. I actually looked pretty healthy now. Both lissa and I had gained a few well-needed pounds while getting healthier. After a few minutes, I dried off and dried my hair, black and wavy as my mother's. I was pretty low maintenance, so I didn't bother with makeup, I just did my hair and brushed my teeth.

I got back to the bedroom to find something to wear. I eventually chose a red tank top with a red and black skirt that went almost to my knees, red socks that almost went up to my skirt but not quite, and black combat boots with red laces. By the time I was done, Lissa was just finishing her makeup and choosing an outfit. She chose a pink T-shirt with white trim, a denim skirt, and white tennis shoes with pink laces.

"You look very nice." Josey said as we sat down to eat some waffles she had made.

"Thanks!" I said.

"Yeah, thank you." Lissa said in her cheerful manner. Lissa, being so excited, ate quickly and was out the door in a flash. I was about to ask for more food when Josey said, "You'd better go to the bus now, Erin, it's already 7:25."

"Shit! Oh, 'scuse my language, but I've _really_ got to go!" I jumped up from the table and snatched up my bag. I knew I was late, I was sure I'd miss it. While thinking about how badly I needed to get their, I blinked my eyes and suddenly I was at the bus stop.

I didn't care about how I got their, I just got on the bus.

"Is this the bus to Sky High?" I asked.

"Oh...yes...I'm Ron Wilson, bus driver, and you are?"

"I'm Erindiria Silverstone, call me Erin. I'm not who you think I am, I already had the Strongholds almost kill me a month ago before they found out that I wasn't her. I guess I look a lot like her, but I have Dad's eyes, he was The Silver Stone. Yeah, my mother was Royal Pain, that doesn't define who _I_ am. Anyway, nice to meet you." I said before I stepped into the isle. I scanned the bus for seats and only found one left. Lissa was already sitting with some black kid. I walked up towards the seat and sat down. The boy next to me had dark hair and eyes. His clothing was mainly black with some red spots here and their. He also had a lone red streak in his hair. He looked as dark as I did. He turned to me and looked shocked. Flames erupted from his slieve.

"Wo wo wo, Pyro!" I said. "I'm not Royal Pain!"

"Then who the hell are you?" he demanded. I looked into his thoughts and I saw "If she's Royal Pain then she's _toast!"_

"Well, I just found out a month ago that I'm her...um...daughter. My father was The Silver Stone or Joseph Silverstone. I'm nothing like my no-good lowdown bitch mother. Oh yeah, and can I put this by the window?" I asked, switching my cane from my right hand to my left.

"Yeah," he said. "But what the hell is it?"

"It's a cane. I'm blind...well...partially. I have been since I can remember."

"Oh, so Royal Pain's your mother?"

"If you can call her that. She gets this bright idea to turn all heroes into babies, starts this _big_ ass battle, then kills my father and my best friend's parents, The Gold Man and The Mindress, Jack Goldman was my dad's cousin. Someone took Lissa and I...that's Jack Goldman's daughter and my best friend...out of our houses and put us in this girls' home. All our lives we were kind of beaten on because wierd things always happened because of our powers, plus I was blind and she was my best friend. I only have known about Sky High for about a month. We've been living with the Strongholds."

"Your life seems to have sucked until now. I'm Warren Peace, one of Will's friends. I never caught your name."

"Oh—com" I said blushing, what was the matter with me? I never _blushed!_ "Erindiria Silverstone, but you can call me Erin." At that moment, some straps wrapped themselves around me and the bus went right off the road and started flying. Instead of screaming like everyone else, I just grinned. I loved flying in any way, shape, or form.

"I understand the whole villain as your parent thing, my dad's Barren Battle, Will's parents defeated him, but that's okay. He was a jackass of a father and a man. At least you don't know your mother." At that moment, Their was a lurch down and the bus hit solid ground.

"Guess we'd better get off?" I said.

"Yeah, guess so. Here's yourr...um''stick!" Warren said as he handed me my cane.

"It's cane, Pyro!" I said with a playful shove as I got off the bus, making sure my super strength didn't take over and hurt him.

"Oh, Erin, I'd have saved you a seat if I could." Lissa said as I met her in the croud of kids getting off all the busses. "On the bright side, I met Ethan, Will's friend."

"Cool, I met Warren Peace. He kind of understands me." then, I lowered my voice. "His dad is Barren Battle."

"Oh!" Lissa whispered. "You _like_ him, doncha, Rin?"

"Shut up, Liss! Pyro's just a new friend!" I whispered back as we neared the big school building.

"Oooooh! You've already got a nickname for him! I _knew_ you liked him!"

"Melissa Loretta Goldman! _I_ _DO_ _NOT_ _LIKE_ _HIM!"_ I shouted, getting a brief stare from the freshmen around us. Then' as we neared the school, an arm wrapped itself around me, cane and all. I looked to see who it was, it was a boy about a yard away.

"You look familiar, gorgeous, do I know you?" he asked in what he thought was a smooth voice, "_Smooth as the freaking ocean in the middle of a freaking hurricane!"_ I thought. Then, I remembered him as Lash, the boy Will mentioned had stretchy limbs. I could read his thoughts and he was thinking, "_Man she's hot! She kind of reminds me of Royal Pain except for the eyes!"_

"No, Lash, so get your rubber band arms away from me!" I growled. "And oh yeah, don't think such dirty thoughts, I'm a mind reader, you sicko!"

"Why should I? What other powers do you have? Surely you have the power of beauty because I'm _captivated_ by you!" he said, pulling me closer. I got really pissed then. First I flamed up and burnt him, making his arms retract, then I took my cane and hit him in the balls, _hard!_ After that, I did the same with my foot. For such a tough guy, he really didn't look so tough as a wimpering blob on the ground, but I guess a girl with super strength will do that to you.

"_DON'T_ _YOU_ _EVER_ _TALK_ _TO_ _ME_ _LIKE_ _THAT_ _AGAIN_ or _TOUCH_ _ME_ _YOU_ _AROGANT_ _ASSHOLE!"_ I shouted, glaring down at him as well as a blind girl could before I stormed away, Lissa right behind me. Some kids looked shocked and awed, some kids laughed and clapped.

As we got in the school, their was a sign on the wall.

"All freshmen report to the gym for Power Placement!" Lissa read to me.

"Okay, so where's the gym?" I asked.

"No clue!" Lissa said honestly.

"Need hel...oh crap, _freeze,_ Pain!" a girl in green with green eyes and red hair said, shooting vines out to wrap around me. This was really getting annoying. "What are you doing back?"

"I'm not who you think I am, Layla!" I said.

"Then how do you know my name?" she demanded.

"Because I'm living with Will. I'm Erindiria Silverstone, daughter of Joseph Silverstone and...step closer—com" "Why?" Layla demanded.

"So she can tell you who her mother is without the whole _hall_ hearing her!" Lissa said sharply. Layla still didn't move. How I wished that I could tell her by pushing the answer into her head, so I tried. "_Layla, Royal Pain-in-my-ass is my mother. I've lived in a girls' home with Lissa here all my life until a month ago. We live with the Strongholds now, ask Will!"_ Layla let her vines disappear and her eyes popped wide.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, one night stand." I said.

"Oh, sorry, Erin. You need to go to Power Placement, right?"

"Yeah!" I said. "Can you tell us where the gym is now?" I asked.

"Yeah, just go down the hallway and take the second hall on your right, then the third hall on your left and you'll find the doors." Layla said with a smile. "I'll see you later, You'll definitely get placed as a hero, especially with that little scene out their with that Lash idiot, bye!" Layla ran off to catch up with her friends. Lissa and I walked the way Layla told us too, we could also see some other freshmen going the same way.

We got to the gym to find the stands filled with people our own age. In the center of the gym was an older man with a jersey that was way too big and shorts that just bearly covered his...um...wel...let's just say they didn't go very far down his leg from what I could see. "_Yuck! That outfit should be illegal!"_ Lissa scoffed inside her head confirming my beliefs as we sat down in the bleachers. The crowd eventually settled down and the man started to speak.

"I am coach Boomer, but some of you might also know me as _SONIC_ _BOOM._ We'll be doing power placement to see whether you become a hero...or a sidekick. Let's start off with—com" He took up a clipboard and looked. "Cirina Abrams." A shy looking girl with blonde braids walked up. "_Sidekick for sure!"_ Coach Boomer thought.

"What's your power?" he asked.

"I'm an empath!" the girl said in a dreamy voice as if she was off in her own little world, (think Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter).

"All right, kid, show us your power!" The girl just smiled and flicked her wrist. Coach Boomer started crying tears of sadness. Then, with another flick, he was rolling on the floor, laughing hysterically while the girl just smiled.

"He-he-hero!" Coach Boomer choaked out, clutching his side. The girl smiled and with another flick of her wrist, Coach Boomer stood up, catching his breath.

"Edmond Bates." he called out. A tall, muscled boy came strutting up.

"Check it out! I can change my hair!" he said as if that was the coolest thing in the world. He grew his honey colored hair down to his feet and then made it disappear completely before making it go normal again.

"Ugh, sidekick, Rapunzel!" Boomer said. The boy scowled and stomped off the raised platform. I could read his thoughts, "_How dare that old fart call me Rapunzel!"_ Next their was a guy that could shoot paralizing lazers from his eyes, hero, and a girl who could make insects appear, sidekick. Eventually he got to "Melissa Goldman, get down here." I wished Lissa good luck as she walked down to the coach.

"All right, what can you do?"

"Well, I can move stuff, I can controll people, I can turn things to silver, I can talk to animals, and I can heal any living thing." Lissa said a bit timmidly. Coach Boomer looked amazed.

"Let's see them!" Boomer said. Lissa smiled and lifted the coach up and flew him around the room before setting him back down. Then, she turned him into a gold statue and turned all of the bleachers gold before turning them back again.

"I can't exactly talk to any animal now, but I can heal. Someone from out in the audience send a fireblast our way. Hit me and the coach!" Before Boomer could protest, I discretely shot two flames. I hated to burn my best friend, but she healed right away. If only this had kicked in back at the home. Luckily, as soon as Lissa discovered this, she healed all of the scars and old bruises that she could. What was left was very faint and almost unnoticeable. I heard a yelp and several applause. Since I was in the second row, I could see a charred spot on his face. Their was a burn on Lissa's neck for a second, then it was gone. Lissa walked over and placed her hand on the, I assumed, grimacing teacher where the burn was. It went away at once.

"Um...alright...do the _chicken_ _dance,_ coach!" Lissa said in her sharp voice. The coach did just that, making everyone, including me laugh hardily.

"Now _stop_ and dance around the room shouting "My top is too big and my shorts squeeze me too tight!" Lissa said. The coach did just that, making everybody laugh even harder.

"Stop!" Lissa ordered. the coach did just that and said, Wow! Hero!" Lissa smiled and sat down by me again. After a few people, their was an interesting display.

"MIRANDA Miller!" Coach Boomer called out.

"Coming, but let my sister come too. It's sort of a twin thing!" A girl with wild red hair and strange terquoise eyes came up followed by a girl that looked exactly the same. Miranda was wearing greenwhile the other girl wore blue.

"What do you girls do? Miranda? Milinda?" the coach asked.

"We multiply." the girls said together.

"I control weather." Mandy said.

"And I control time." Mindy said with a smile.

"All right, separate powers first!" Mandy made it rain outside and in the gym before making it stop. Then, Mindy flicked her wrist and everything seemed to stop. I was frozen in place. Then, with another flick, everything became normal again. After that, they linked hands and made ten people per each twin. All twenty of them laughed and then just the two were standing again.

"Heroes." Boomer said. The girls nodded at the same time and walked off the platform. After some more people, I heard, "Um, Slick Parker?" A boy with light brown hair, mean dark eyes, and a beefy build stalked up. I recognized him as my elementary school's big bully.

"I can become as big or as small as I want." he said. He then became as tall as the roof and then so small I couldn't see him before returning back to normal. He was declared a hero. After just two more people, Sarah Qualin and Jerome Rochester, it was my turn.

"Erindiria Silverstone." the coach boomed.

I got up and went down without my cane. As I was about to step off the last step, something tripped me up making me almost fall. Luckily, I righted myself and flew over to the coach.

"What are your powers other then flying?"

"Well, I can shapeshift into anything and maybe mimic people's powers in that form, I have control of the elements, I have super strength, super speed, I'm telekinetic, I'm a telepath, I can talk to anyone by putting thoughts in their mind, I can turn invisible, I can teleport, I can go through things, I'm quite good at music and might be able to control people with it, I can turn things to silver and back again, and I might be a technokinetic like my mom." Coach Boomer looked flabbergasted. First, I shapeshifted into Coach Boomer. Without even thinking, I thought about how I wanted my outfit to change to black pants and a blue shirt and it happened. Deciding to try something out, I boomed in his voice. "All right you Freshmeat scum, get out here and give me _fifty!"_ Then, I turned back to normal and changed my clothes back to how they were that morning. Then, I caught an empty set of bleachers on fire and then douced it in water. After that, I made dirt come from nowhere and cover them before making tons of flowers sprout up. After that, I blew it all away with wind and washed the bleachers clean.

"Car!" Coach boomer shouted. Then, a car came out from up above. I lifted my right hand up and caught it no problem. It was a good thing I saw it coming. Then, I made it hover and fly to the other side of the room before touching down.

"Speed, girl." He demanded. I whirled around the gym ten times in a matter of seconds. Then, I probed the coaches mind and found what he was thinking. _ HMMM,_ daughter of Royal Pain and The Silver Stone. Even though she has such parents, I thought her blindness would make her a definite sidekick. I wonder if she's faking her lack of _sight!"_ Anger serged through me. "_You bastard!"_ I thought into his head. My arms were flaming. I turned invisible and ran through him again and again and again, making him shiver every time. I stopped right in front of him before teleporting behind him and then in front of him again. ,after that, I said, "Hmmm, music, I don't have any instruments." Then, I transformed into a black baby grand and started playing Swan Lake through thought, my ivery keys going down by themselves. I also made pictures flash on me of swans gliding and dancing on a lake in the moonlight. I finished and became human again. The whole gym filled with claps. Deciding to try and control him, I burst into song.

"Oh Coach Boomer what to do,

I am so enraged with you.

You think bad thoughts of people yes;

You are a jerk their's no contest.

So to repent for what you've done;

Why don't we have a little fun.

Here is what you have to do;

So that I might think better of you...'.

First skip around the gym in this little pink tutu," I thought of him in a tutu and his clothes changed.

"And sing Barney's I Love You." I flicked my wrist with a grin. Coach Boomer, in his little trance pranced around like a little girl singing, "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family. With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won't you say I love you too."

"Very good, Coachy!" I said, then I began to sing again. "Now I'm not done with you just yet;

On the floor you must get.

Oh yes drop down and give me fifty;

That would be really nifty.

And while you are on the floor;

Everyone will say what they held in about you before, now go." Coach Boomer got down and had actually quite a hard time doing that simple exercise. For the next few minutes, everyone shouted out at the coach things like "You're an old fart" and "Who died and made you king" and "i'd rather have a monkey teach me!" I myself said, "You're a mother fucking bastard who's got a vendetta against everyone who doesn't say yes sir." After the coach was done I began to sing again. "Very good, very good, very good all;

Very good to all of you big and small.

Now I am done with my little song,

And now your trances shall be _gone."_ With that, Everyone snapped out of it and clapped, apparently they still remembered what happened. Coach Boomer looked 110 percent pissed, which was actually funny in that little pink tutu.

"Oops, let me change you back!" I said. In a blink of an eye, Coach Boomer wore shorts and a shirt that actually fit him. "Much better!"

"Humph, computer." Coach Boomer roared. A computer came out of the cieling and touched down. "Figure out my password and go to the Sky High web site, it's very hard to find and access. You may not touch the computer at all. You have thirty seconds, _go!"_ I smiled and turned the computer on with my mind. It was easy to turn on the computer and get his password. It was actually Iloveprincipalpowers123, how gross. Once I was in, I went to the internet and quickly found the Sky High web site access codes. After that, I went to the site with fifteen seconds left. I smiled, pointed, and shut off the computer. After that, I turned the computer off with my mind and turned it to pure silver and back again.

"Graaah, hero, although if it were up to me I'd have you on the bus home for your shananagans already!" Coach Boomer said.

"Thankya, coach, and don't judge a book by it's cover!" I said. Then, as I got to the bleachers I turned around. "And oh yes, If you like Principal Powers that much, just tell her instead of making your password I Love Principal Powers 123...oops, now you'll have to change it. Probably to I Hate those Metal Girls 321." The whole gymn broke out in laughter and I was sure Coach Boomer was beat red. I sat down by Lissa who was laughing histerically.

"Silverstone, Goldman, you're both on my bad side!" the coach yelled. "All right, everyone come back after lunch and we'll start from their!"

Lissa and I headed out of the gym with our stuff and saw that their was what seemed to be the whole school straining to listen outside the door.

"scuse me, I hate to sound rude, but could you please part for us wee little freshman?" I asked.

"So it was you who humiliated Coach Boomer?" asked some dorky kid who was glowing, probably Zack.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Well," Will said, stepping forward. "We could here your singing throughout the whole school. It was like being in a trance. We could even here Boomer singing that Barney song, he must've been doing it with his sonic _boom!_ Then, when you said for everyone to say out loud what we thought of Boomer, we all did. Our science teacher, Medula, was talking about freeze rays when all of the sudden I said, "Boomer should retire." When our teacher went to ask why I said that, it was like, "Mr. Stronghold, what is the...Boomer doesn't deserve Powers, can't he tell she loves _me?"_ It was hilarious."

"Yeah!" Layla said, stepping out. We all headed for the gymn while saying things about Boomer. I said, "Boomer is too toxic to even be around grass and trees" When we got their, we heard the whole Powers thing. So you and your friend are on his bad side?"

"Yeah, it doesn't help that I called him a bastard into his head when he thought that I was faking my sight and that I said out loud when everyone was saying bad things about Boomer that he was a mother fucking bastard that had a vendetta against everyone who didn't say yes sir."

"That really was dumb, Rin, you could've gotten in trouble." Lissa said.

"Liss, don't you see? I don't get into trouble, trouble gets into me."

"Oh!" Will said. "Do you want to join Layla, me, Ethan, Zack, Magenta, and Warren for lunch?"

"Sure!" Lissa and I said together.

"Great!" Layla said excitedly, leading the group down the hall.


	74. Squib Life

Squib Life

An attempt to write a good Dursley family raising a female Harry whose magic was stripped from her by the killing curse… Not much to this, as I never got into it, I guess…

Chapter One: Squibby Dibby Doo

"Rose! Rosie! _AMBROSIA!"_ Aunt Petunia called up the stairs.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I hollered, poking my head out of the bedroom. I rolled my eyes as I retracted my head. Auntie Tune could be a bit overbearing sometimes. It was my birthday so she wanted me all dressed up. Today I would either A: get my Hogwarts letter and go off to magic school or B: The more likely choice, not get my Hogwarts letter and be able to stay home with my family. My name is Ambrosia Lily Potter, Girl-Who-Lived, etc, and I think that I'm a Squib.

Auntie Tune told me everything when I turned six, about magic, about my parents, about Hogwarts although they glossed over the details of my parents' murder until I turned nine. She told me of how if I did any accidental magic it was okay because that was normal but I hadn't. Nope, none, I hadn't done a lick of magic ever since my parents died. I could vaguely remember summoning my mum's wand and turning my dad's hair rainbow-colored but that was it. When I was nine, Auntie Tune told me of the chance that I might not be magical, a non-magical born to magicals. She called that a Squib like she was called a Muggle; maybe the killing curse, instead of sucking my life energy, sucked my magical energy. I didn't care, though. You never miss what you never remember having, not really. Sure, I miss my parents very much but that's it. Smiling at myself in the mirror I straightened out my dress. It was a little yellow dress with blue flowers stemmed in green. The green matched my eyes perfectly. I wore matching sandals as well. Auntie Tune says I'm Mum's mirror immage but I have my dad's nose, cheeks, and ears as well as hair texture. I'm a bit tall for my age with emerald green eyes and curly, dark red hair which I had left down today.

"Are you coming or what?" my cousin, Dudley, hollered.

"Hush up and be patient." I shouted back, coming downstairs.


	75. Twins of Avalon

Twins of Avalon

An attempt to write some sort of Harry and twin fic where they somehow become some sort of magical royalty or something… oh dear… Well, here we go!

Chapter One: Home Sweet Home...Freaks

"I miss him." I muttered, pressing my face against the window of the train compartment.

"So do I, Hope." my twin brother, Harry, said. He sat in the seat across from me and he was in the same position, facing nobody, staring blankly out of the fogged-up window. It was raining today, it suited my mood, and Harry's, just fine. Ever since Sirius died our friends have been passing along platitudes but they don't mean anything to us, not a damn thing. Sirius was dead, it was our fault, and we damn well knew it too.

"Is that all you're going to talk about?" one of our best friends, Ron Weasley, snapped. He was really being a git lately.

"Honestly, Ronald, how could you be so insensitive?" Hermione snapped angrily. At least she was trying to be sensitive to us as were Neville and Luna. Ron and Ginny, however, they just didn't get it.

"I'm going to go get changed." I said with a sigh. "The Dursleys wouldn't take kindly to our "freaky wears" as they call them."

"Yeah, I think I will too." Harry agreed. The two of us stood up, rummaged around in our trunks, and left, a set of Dudley's cast-off clothes in our arms. The two of us went down the hall and separate ways, Harry to the boys' loo and me to the girls'.

What's up with those two, Ronald Weasley thought angrily to himself as the infamous Twins-Who-Lived left the compartment. They have everything; riches, fame, guys and girls at their feet, and they're whining and complaining about the stupid mut. I sure hope Dumbledore keeps up the payments; I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to take of this, just pretending to be their friend. And I hope that Dumbledore comes through with his promise of giving me both the Potter girl and the Granger bitch. Mudbloods aren't really good for much but I hear they can be quite fun in bed.

Harry never pays any attention to me, Ginny Weasley simpered angrily to herself. All he can think about is that stupid mut of his and the only person he ever seems to talk too is his sister and they barely even speak. I hope Dumbledore keeps up the cash influx; I'm not sure what I'd do without it. I swear too that he'd better come through on his promise to give me Harry, give us ever-lasting love. How could Harry not want me? I don't understand. I'm beautiful, I have red hair, and I've tried ever-so-hard to make him jealous. Hmmm, I think it might be time to step it up a bit. I think I'll be asking Mum how to make Amortensia this summer.

Poor Harry, Poor Hope, Hermione Granger thought to herself. They've been through so much and have managed to stay so strong; I don't know how they do it. Hope is such a good friend and so much fun to be around, it's amazing the way she's grown up so well with such a horrid home life. Then their's Harry...oh Harry. I've been feeling something more than friendship towards him for a long time but I just don't know exactly what that feeling is. He and his sister have turned out so well, they are the best friends I could ever have, and I would not betray them for all the books, all the friends, nor for the purest blood or the most respect in the entire wizarding world, the entire Muggle world, the _universe,_ oh Merlin I wouldn't.

I think that rackspurts have invaded the brains of the youngest Weasleys, Luna Lovegood mused to herself as she read the Quibbler upside-down. Their is something distrustful about their auras, something shifty underfoot that could snap at any notice. It is as though they are trying very hard to suppress a certain feeling, a certain inclination. I only can pray that Harry and Hope can sense it too. Sometimes friends are not friends, enemies are more friendly than you think, and things are not always as they seem.

I feel bad for Harry and Hope, Neville Longbottom thought to himself. They've been through so much in a really small amount of time. They also seem to be really sad about this Sirius guy's death and I don't think that people are really being sensitive enough about it. They need time to grieve, time to come to terms with it. It's like when my parents were tortured, my gran and gramps needed time to grieve. And then when my gramps died when I was a kid, I needed time to grieve too. Life and feelings are delicate, fragile, and should be handled with care. Saying or doing the wrong thing could kill or maim a friendship like doing the wrong thing to a plant could maim it, hinder it's growth, or kill it outright. I intend to take very special care of my friendship with the Potter twins because I know that I might have been in their shoes if my twin sister, Vannessa, had only lived long enough to open her eyes.

I looked at myself in the mirror of the bathroom and sighed to myself. It seemed as though I was meant to be eternally short. Harry and I are both the same in that respect. Harry is only about five four, that's damn puny for a fifteen-year-old boy. I'm not exactly tall myself, I'm a whopping five two, woot woot! Both Harry and I look absolutely identical except for our genders. Both of us, so people say, look exactly like our dad, James Potter, with the unruly midnight hair, thin face, and nobly knees. However, Dad wasn't quite so puny as the two of us. I guess that's all for almost fifteen years of neglect, ten spent together in a dark cupboard under the stairs. Both of us, however, have our mum's bright emerald eyes. We can tan well but we spend quite a bit of time inside at school except for Quiddich so currently we're both kind of pale. I'm a seeker like our mum, Harry's a chaser like our dad. We're both in Gryffindor house. Oh yeah, and one more similarity, our scars. Both lightning bolts, both etched into the middle of our foreheads, both showing that we survived the avada kedavra curse breaking Voldemort's powers for the time being.

I sighed and wrinkled my nose at my clothing. Dudley is our whale of a cousin and is, like, five times our size. Ever since we were little we have had to wear his cast-offs, even me who's a girl. Aunt Petunia refuses to even buy us clothes that fit second-hand. Hell, even my panties, socks, and bras used to belong to my aunt at some point or another. Currently I'm wearing a pair of trainers that are way too big and falling apart as well as a pair of jeans that have been ripped and then patched so many times it's not funny, the things are tent-like and fold around my legs in hundreds of little crinkles. The shirt I'm wearing is a drab grey, about to fall off my shoulders, that goes almost down to my knees. I also, like Harry, wear glasses. Both of us have similar pairs, both big, cheap, and black. Before we went to Hogwarts they would always be covered in scotch tape because of all the times Dudley punched us in the face. The only reason Harry and I have glasses is because the school nurse said we needed them when we were five. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia made us get two pares from an indigent bin and then they didn't feed us for a week. I growled irritably, flicked my unruly hair behind my shoulders, and exited the bathroom. I met up with Harry halfway up the train corridor and we headed back to our compartment. It looked like everyone else had taken our example and gone to get changed so we were alone. It was almost eery the way Harry and I were sometimes, I looked to see that his outfit was very similar to mine...not that we have much variation in the first place, mind you. As we sat looking out the window the prophecy entered my mind.

"The ones with the power to vanquish the dark lord approach—com" I started.

"Born to those who have thrice defied him—com" Harry continued.

"Born as the seventh month dies." we said together.

"The dark lord shall mark them as his equals—com" I said myself.

"But they will have the power the dark lord knows not—com" Harry continued.

"And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the ones with the power to vanquish the dark lord approach." we finished together.

"Damn prophecy." Harry ground out.

"Damn, stupid, bloody prophecy." I agreed. Just then, the others returned and sat down, joy oh joy.

The rest of the train ride passed without incident and we were soon getting off of it with our trunks and Hedwig's cage. Both of us shared Hedwig, she was a gift from Hagrid on our eleventh birthday. Hedwig, we decided, could just fly to the Dursleys' herself.

"Oh I'll miss you two!" said Hermione as she swept us into a tight hug. "You make sure to write or something okay?"

"We will!" we promised. Hermione really was my favorite friend.

"Er, have a good summer." Ron said a bit awkwardly, quickly going to meet his parents with Ginny. I smiled and winked at the twins who were wearing jackets of some sort of vivid green leather.

"Hello, partners! How goes the business?" I asked.

"It goes well." Fred said. Harry and I can always tell the twins apart, perhaps it's because we're twins ourselves even if we're fraternal and not identical like them.

"We just thought we'd treat ourselves." Said George, tweeking the zipper of his jacket.

"Finest dragon hide, you know." they said together.

"Nice." Harry commented.

"Fred, George, get over here!" Mrs. Weasley hollered. The twins groaned.

"See you Harry, Hope!" they called out before sinking into the crowd. It was then that I noticed three people making their way towards us. It was Lupin, Moody, and Tonks.

"Wotcher!" Tonks called out as they neared.

"Wotcher, Tonks. What's up?" I asked.

"Yeah, erm, not to sound rude but why are you here?" Harry asked.

"We think it'd be good to smack some sense into those Muggles you call family." Moody said with a growl.

"No...I mean...that might not be a good idea." Harry and I protested together.

"Relax, you two, we're just going to have a little chat." Lupin assured us.

"Their's nothing stopping you lot is their?" Harry asked.

"Even if we cried and begged and pleaded?" I added.

"Nope!" the three said. The two of us sighed and walked through the barrier, the three Order members behind us. Apparently their "talking-too" consisted of a few not-so-well-hidden threats and Moody showing off his magical eyeball to the Dursleys.

"Bye!" Tonks called as they left.

"See you later this summer!" Lupin called out.

"Constant vigilance!" Moody barked as they disappeared from sight.

"Well what are you two waiting for? Get yourselves to the car!" Uncle Vernon barked. Harry and I sighed. We each hefted our trunks, took Hedwig's cage between us, and followed the three Dursleys out to the parking lot. The two of us opened the boot of the car, put our trunks and cage in, shut it, and got in the back seat. Dudley sat on the left side, Harry on the right, and I got squeezed into the middle. The drive back to Little Whinging was not particularly eventful except for a few muttered insults from Uncle Vernon which Harry and I ignored. Uncle Vernon was soon parking the car and the two of us got out. With a sigh, we went around back, opened up the boot, and lifted our things out. As we got to the spot where the door to our room would usually be we just saw blank wall covered with fresh wall paper.

"What the hell?" I asked out loud.

"You'll watch your language, girl." Uncle Vernon barked as he huffed his way upstairs. "We knocked down the wall between your old room and Dudley's room to make him a larger room. You'll be staying in the attic from now on."

"The attic?" Harry and I asked together.

"That's right, the attic. You'll have to clean it out yourself but their should be plenty of room, it's as big as the rest of the house but one room. You can do what you please with whatever's up their, the important stuff's in the garage and the basement. I expect to see as little of the two of you as possible, understand?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." we muttered. The two of us then went to the middle of the hallway and dropped our things. We'd never been allowed in the attic before but I had the feeling that Harry felt the same as me, that this was a good thing. At least it was a finished attic. Since I'm a little lighter than Harry and before he could object I hopped onto my trunk, reached up, and pushed open the trap door in the ceiling. Then, reaching up with the tips of my fingers, I found the ladder. I took it out and unfolded it little by little until it finally reached the floor. Then, with a nimble leap, I was on the floor again.

"You could have let me do that, Hope." Harry protested.

"Nah. If it's any consolation you can do it next time." I said. "I tell you what, why doesn't one of us go up their and then the other can hand over our stuff?"

"Good idea." Harry said. Then, without another word, he shimmied up the ladder. I handed him Hedwig's cage, his trunk, then my trunk. With nothing else to be handed up I climbed up myself. The attic was quite large with a dusty window on either end. Their were boxes and crates and totes scattered everywhere, what were we going to do?

"Looks like we have our work cut out for us, Harry, not even a bed for us to sleep on." I muttered as Harry folded the ladder up and shut the trap door. Harry nodded.

"We can at least start going through all the Dursleys' junk." he said. I nodded.

"First, let's find a secluded spot for our trunks and cage." I said. Harry agreed and our things were soon stacked up in the bottom left corner. The trap door to the attic was right in the middle. The two of us started working in separate directions, Harry towards the east window and me towards the west window with the dim pull-string light above the trap door on for good measure. Mainly all we found were a bunch of stupid old nick-nacks. We decided to put the throw away/give away pile on the trap door and the keep pile, which was much smaller, with our own things.

Chapter Two: Revelations

For the next few days Harry and I were only seen out of the attic for meals and bathroom breaks. Other than that, nobody saw us.

"Oh my god, Harry, this is so rich. I think I just found Aunt Petunia's high-school diary." I said with a laugh on the fourth day, July 1.

"Really? What's so funny about that?" Harry asked me.

"I'll read it to you, okay?" I asked. "Ahem. Tuesday September 4, 1972. Oh my god, oh my god oh my god ohmigod ohmigod _OH_ _MY_ _GOD!_ I have, like, just one word to say about him, _SO_ _HOT!_ Okay, here's how it goes. It's my first day of ninth grade, right, and I'm lost trying to find my algebra class when I run into him, m'kay? We basically tumbled backwards and our stuff went flying but he was _SO_ nice about it. He's a junior and is, like, Stonewall's sex-god, every guy wants to be him, every girl wants a piece of him. There's nothing that you can't love about him, his name is Vernon Dursley—com"

"Wait, that _PIG?"_ Harry interrupted. I burst out into giggles at his utter shock.

"Yeah, that pig. Just listen though, all right? I seriously can't believe what an airhead and a shallow bitch she was back then...I suppose nothing has changed." I said. "Anyway, here we go. There's nothing you can't love about him, his name is Vernon Dursley. He's tall, like, six feet and super buff. He's the school's heavy-weight boxing champ and he's just so devilishly handsome. He's got this beautiful blonde hair, a round face like an angel, and these clearwater blue eyes I could just get _SO_ lost in. I made such an idiot out of myself though, I could barely say anything but he helped me collect my things and he wished me a nice day, can you believe it? _HE,_ Vernon _DURSLEY,_ wished _ME,_ Petunia _EVANS_ a _NICE_ _DAY!_ I'm so on cloud nine right now. His sister, Marjorie, who goes by Marge, is the head cheerleader and, like, the school bitch but she already likes me, I can tell, and has offered me a spot on her team. I'm _SO_ excited. This is so much better than stupid Lily and her stupid freak school and her stupid freak friends, I know it is. At least I don't have some poor loser with a weird name, Sevriss Snake or something like that, as my best friend and don't have some other guy chasing after me. Leave normal living to normal people, I say, and that's what I'm gonna do. Petunia Azalea Evans."

"Disgusting." Harry muttered as I slammed the book shut.

"What, the way Aunt Petunia is about Mum or that Mum was best friends with Snape?" I asked as I threw the diary into the keep pile, if only for some blackmail material.

"Hmmm, I think both. At least we're almost done with this attic." Harry said with a shrug. "Then all we'll have to do is clean it up and boom, we have a propper room." I smiled at my twin and we continued sifting through the few remaining boxes. As I pulled back a box of Christmas lights I saw something amazing under an old sheet. Right their was a cherry trunk engraved with lilies around the boarder with seven larger lilies on the front. The hinges and edges of the trunk were solid gold and, carved in gold, was the name Lily Amaranth Evans. Next to the trunk was a solid black case with gold edging and latches and the same name in gold lettering across it, Lily Amaranth Evans. The case was rather small and I found myself wanting to open it. As I unlatched it and opened it it took my breath away. Sitting in the case which was lined in red velvet was a beautiful carved gold flute. I took the pieces out gingerly and put them together, instinctively knowing how. Then, without a single thought I wiped off the mouth piece, raised it to my lips, and blew. The note that came out was rich, light, and airy. As it pierced the air I heard another, the rich sound of a guitar.

As Hope was looking around one side of the room I was at the other. I scoffed disgustedly as I pushed back a box filled with old pictures of Uncle Vernon's family. Then, something caught my eye. In the corner of the attic I saw a mahogany trunk. Little swirls were carved into the boarders with seven larger swirls in front. The edges and hinges were made of solid gold and the last name I expected to see was written in gold calligraphy across the lid, James Andrew Potter. Next to the trunk was a case of some sort. It was hard and black with the same gold hinges, edging, and gold latches. Across the top the same name was written in gold, James Andrew Potter. I gently lowered the case to the ground and opened it. Right their was a beautifully made guitar with it's strings still in tact. The main face of the guitar was a light golden wood and the rest of it was a darker mahogany. I picked it up instinctively and placed it so that the fret board was on my left. Then, slowly, gently, I plucked a note just as a beautiful, high, airy note came from the other side of the room, the note of a flute.

"Our parents' instruments." I murmured as I fingered Mum's flute.

"I can't believe it, why didn't anyone tell us?" Harry asked as he fingered Dad's old guitar.

"I don't know, perhaps it slipped from their minds or something...strange. I think that these are their old school trunks...but how do we open them?"

"I don't know...let's bring all this stuff to the center of the room first." Harry said. I agreed and we gently took the trunks and the instruments, now back in their cases, to the center of the room.

"I dunno...I'd like to be the one who opens Mum's trunk if you don't mind, Harry?" I said a bit uncertainly.

"Of course. I'd like to be the one who opens Dad's trunk anyway, Hope." Harry said. I smiled at him.

"I think it has something to do with the swirls and the lilies. Just touch the big swirl furthest to the left, I'll do the same with the lilies." I said. Harry nodded in affirmation.

"Three...two...one...go!" we said together. We pressed our thumbs to the center of the lily and swirl respectively. I winced as I felt a prick and quickly yanked my finger away just as a drop of blood absorbed itself in the cherry wood in the center of the lily. I could see that the same was happening with Harry. Suddenly, the trunks both glowed a bright gold under the dim pull-string light of the attic and their was a click. Then, the lids popped up to show what was within.

"I think we should look in the trunks together." I said. "Can we do Mum's first?"

"Sure." Harry said, scooting next to me on the dusty floorboards. Both of us peered inside to see into the trunk. IT was about twice as large on the inside as the outside and looked like any other school trunk. It was still filled with books, parchment, clothes, quills, and bottles of ink. However, right on top of everything, we saw a letter. With trembling hands I lifted it out. It was sealed with a blood red lily and had To My Beloved Children written on it.

"Should we open it?" I asked uncertainly.

"Yeah...yeah I think that we should." Harry said, taking a shuddering breath. Both of us approached the seal from opposite sides of the letter and reached our fingers under it at the very same time. The envelope opened for us no problem and a sheet of parchment fell out of it.

"Let's read it." I said. The two of us held the letter with trembling hands and began to read.

To my dearest Harry James and Hope Lily,

I pray with all of my heart that this letter finds you well. Their is so much that I must say but it is so hard to write it all down on paper. As I write this the date is October twenty-ninth, 1981. Your father is asleep right now, he and some other Aurors went on a Death Eater raid tonight. I do hope that you do not have to know just who the Death Eaters are, I really do. They are the dark lord Voldemort's followers, the most cruel, horrid of people. The two of you are together in your nursery in a single crib. You are so precious, my little baby boy and girl. When we first brought you home we tried having you in two cribs but you needed each other so much, the twin bond is very strong between the two of you. I would not be surprised if you have already picked up twin telepathy and an empathy towards each other. Since that first night you have slept in the same crib and you are very hard to separate. I digress from what I wish to tell you. Hopefully you are eleven as you read this, off to go to Hogwarts or you are not reading it at all for if you are reading this than it means that both James and I are dead for James knows the information I am to disclose to you, nobody else knows. There is a letter from your father in his school trunk as well if you have not already read it. I really, truly hope that you two are happy living with my mother, Sirius, Remus, the Longbottom family, the Bones family, the Tonks family, or another loving wizarding family as specified in our will. If you are living with that horrible, horse-faced Muggle Petunia than I am so, so, so sorry for how she and her husband may have treated the both of you. They hate everything about me and to an extension you. If you are living with them than that means that Albus Dumbledore was somehow able to seal our will to not be read. It should have, however, been read in any case as soon as you turned eleven.

You have many responsibilities on your shoulders because of your heritage. This might come as a shock but I am not Muggle-born as everyone believes me to be. I did not find out myself until my sixteenth birthday. Before that I was always sent anonymous gifts, very lavish gifts fit for a princess. This trunk and my flute are two of these gifts. On my sixteenth birthday I got a letter from the king and queen Arcturus and Amaranth Pendragon of Avalon. I do hope that you have heard of the magical kingdom. It is it's own island that nobody is allowed on without express permission from the king and queen, not even distant blood relatives of the current royals may enter without permission. Avalon has kept to itself for more than five hundred years and has stayed neutral in the wars. It has sent out contingents of it's soldiers to assist in fights against dark forces but it is not widely known. I was sent away from Avalon as a child for my own protection so that I did not have to grow up in times of war. This is customary during wartime, my grandfather was sent away just the same. I was adopted by the Evans family and they raised me in a loving, supportive home. I always knew I was adopted but I never knew who my parents were. Petunia was always jealous that I, Lily, who was adopted, could be so much more loved than her. All of this, I hope you know, is complete and utter bullocks. The evans family loved and cared for us equally but that could not stop Petunia's petty, jealous nature.

My parents are, as you might already have guessed, Arcturus and Amaranth Pendragon, king and queen of Avalon. I am their only child which effectively makes me princess of the magical nation of Avalon. Father died last year due to a hunting accident, nothing more, leaving Mother to rule Avalon alone. My coronation as queen and James's as king was to be on the summer solstice after my twenty-first birthday but the prophecy came to light. The ones with the power to vanquish the dark lord approach, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. The dark lord shall mark them as his equals but they shall have the power the dark lord knows not. Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The ones with the power to vanquish the dark lord approach. I wanted to go to Avalon right then and their with you but Albus Dumbledore convinced us to go under the fedelius with Peter Pettigrew as our secret-keeper. The fools that we were we agreed, Albus did the spell and here we are, in hiding. If we are dead it is because Voldemort found us, Peter betrayed us. It states in our will as well just _who_ the secret-keeper was. Albus himself found out exactly who I am and the sort of power I wield over the wizarding world and he still shot down Avalon. Now I am terrified of what is to happen. I have a horrid feeling in the very pit of my stomach that something will happen...and soon...and that Albus cannot be trusted.

As Lily Pendragon, princess of Avalon I am, as you might have guessed, heir to King Arthur himself. I am also the heir of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin. They too were king and queen of Avalon once. Slytherin was Salazar's father's last name but it was his mother who was descended from the Pendragon line. It is always the most worthy child who gets to rule the kingdom, gender and age matter not in Avalon. If it is a woman who ascends the throne, as I would have, and she marries the last name of herself, her husband, and her children stays Pendragon in Avalon. That is why Salazar Slytherin was never known as Salazar Pendragon outside of Avalon. Contrary to popular belief, Salazar did not leave Hogwarts due to a falling out with the other founders because of blood purity, he left to rule Avalon after his mother and father died, Helga left soon after. This means that you, in truth, are heirs to half of Hogwarts on my side alone.

You need to get to Gringotts as soon as you have finished this letter. The goblins are friends to Avalon and their is a traveling gate from Gringotts directly to Avalon. The goblins hold a place on our council, after all. From their you can claim your inheritance. Also, please note one thing, Albus Dumbledore should _not_ be trusted. He has lost sight of the little picture and uses everyone like pawns on his master chess board. I do pray that he has not done so to you. If he has, however, here is what you are to do. Firstly, claim emancipation, surely he has set himself up as your guardian. As prince and princess of Avalon it is your right, Dumbledore has no pull on you. Also, get an audit of all your family vaults and make sure that everything is as it should be. Next, find out who your true friends are. With Albus in the mix it's hard to trust anybody. Also, if you're living with that horrid Petunia or in another unsavory place get to Avalon as soon as possible, you must. If my mother is dead by the time you are in Avalon you are to take up your position. In Avalon, if twins are born they take the worthiness test together and rule together. For instance, back in the 1400's, their were twin boys born, Cor and Corren. They took the test together and eventually ruled with their wives, Aravis and Katerina, making two kings and two queens. Just think of it like the Chronacles of Narnia books; the four Pevencey children ruled Narnia together as two kings, two queens, but they were all four brothers and sisters. It is not at all uncommon for royal siblings in Avalon to be deemed equally worthy and made rulers together, king and king with their queens, king and queen with their queen and king, or queen and queen with their kings.

Let me last tell you a bit about your father's and my trunks and instruments. I have charmed them to appear automatically at your place of residence upon our deaths. They are not to appear to anyone in the house until your eleventh birthday. Also, for good measure, Muggles cannot see them if you are in a Muggle household. In each trunk their are books on how to play the instruments. Both of our trunks have seven compartments. The first compartment is just a basic trunk compartment expanded to 200 percent. The second compartment is a wardrobe that could come out and display all of your clothes. You can also go down into it to organize them. Their are rods for hanging, built-in drawers for folded things, and racks for shoes. Their is also a wizard mirror that will critique your choices. The third compartment is a library room with several cherry book shelves, squashy chairs and sofas with tables, and enchanted windows. You can either go down into it and study or you can think of which shelf you want to see and a horizontal shelf with the correct books would show themselves in the compartment instead of the library room. The fourth compartment is a fully equip potions lab with only the best supplies and instruments. The fifth compartment is a dueling and spell practice room. It also has room for some exercise equipment and other things that you might want to add. Their are practice dummies that can move around and that are very hard to damage but can gage your spellpower. They can also critique you on your spellwork, form, and such. Their is also an locker room and pool attached, swimming is an excelent way to keep in shape. The sixth compartment is a small living area, like a flat, with one bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen, and living area. The kitchen can never run out of food but only some basic things can automatically appear. It is the same for both trunks. Lastly, the seventh compartment is an outdoor simulation. In their you will find five acres of land with grass, trees, and animals, their is a pond you can swim in as well as a Quiddich pitch. It is like it's own little dimension. Their is a portal that you can take from compartment to compartment. Also, their is a trunk floo system set up and we have the trunks connected so you can go from trunk to trunk easily. I suppose both James's parents and my parents thought alike when they bought us these trunks. Also, only those keyed into the trunks can enter, if anyone else so much as tries to budge them they will be hexed or worse based on intent. Lastly, their is a time-slowing rune that you'll find on the underside of the lid. If you activate it, one hour in the trunk is only a minute outside of the trunk. All you do to activate it is press your thumb to it and say activus. To deactivate it, do the same but say cancelus. Also, no matter how much time you spend in the trunk you will only age according to outside time. Last of all, you can use magic without the underage wards going off and you getting into trouble. I hope that these trunks are of some use while you are not in Avalon, my dearest children.

And now this letter must come to a close though I do not want it too. If I am dead than you surely cannot remember a mother's touch, a mother's love, a mother's lullaby. There is a song that I sing to you every night that always gets you to sleep that I wrote myself. I will add it onto this letter so that you will always have something meaningful from me.

Soaring high into the sky, blending with the sunset.

Hush my babies please don't cry, please do not be upset.

Fiery red and dazzling gold, trilling up a melody.

A song to fight away the cold, a melody of family.

A creature that is light and pure, like fire in the sky.

A creature that is strong and sure, babies watch him fly.

Up he arcs and then goes down, glittering in the twilight.

And the phoenix will sing and soothe you asleep, he'll watch you through the nighttime.

The phoenix will sing and soothe you asleep, he'll watch you through the nighttime.

I do hope you enjoyed that and that it is able to show at least a small portion of how much I love you. I have not only the lyrics to that song and others I have written but the notes for the flute. James has the guitar notes and chords written in his own trunk. And now, I am afraid, this letter must truly end. Please know how much I love you and that if I am gone I hope that I went down protecting you, never backing down. Harry James, Hope Lily, I, Lily Amaranth Pendragon-Evans-Potter, your mummy, will always love you. In life and in death I will _always_ love you.

With all my love,

Your mum,

Lily

I could feel the tears sliding down my face at Mum's gentle words, her curvy, elegant handwriting that is so much like mine, all the love that she put into this letter. I could see that Harry looked the same as me, teary-eyed.

"She really did love us." we murmured together.

"I can't believe that Dumbledore...I trusted him...how could he have gone against our parents wishes?" I demanded angrily.

"I don't know but I have one thing to say. No more! No more being his pawn! No more being controlled!." Harry said.

"And no more being deceived! No more being lied too!" I finished.

"We will fight this war on our own terms!" we said together.

"Let's look at Dad's letter, Harry." I said.

"Good idea, Hope." Harry agreed.

The two of us scooted over to Dad's trunk and looked inside. It was a bit of a disorganized mess just like my own trunk is, Hope's is more neat like Mum's. Sure enough, on top of everything was a parchment envelope. Hope and I picked it up and read the envelope address together: To my Prongslet and my Rosebud. We turned it over to see the seal of a black stag keeping the envelope shut. Just like with the last one we split it together and read it's contents.

To my sweet Prongslet and mischievous Flower-Bud,

I hope that this letter finds you both in good health and spirit, the Marauder spirit, that is, haha. All right, I guess I shouldn't really be joking around now should I? At this moment, Harry, your mum's trying to feed you some baby food and I'm quite disappointed in you, you're not even trying to fight back! I thought you were going to be a little mini me! Nah, your sister's more a mini me. Right now, Hope, you're playing with your blocks but if Wormtail gets too close you keep thumping him in the head. Neither of you seem to like the ol' rat for some reason, I wonder why. Well if you're getting this letter than both your mum and I are dead, hopefully we went out fighting. If we are dead it means Pettigrew betrayed us and we should have listened to the signs and how much you two seem to dislike him. Anyway, there's a lot of stuff that I have to say so please just listen to a Marauder's ramblings, all right?

Their's a lot that I have to say, things that only your mum knows. Firstly, you had better be living with Lily's mum, Sirius, Remus, the Longbottom family, the Bones family, the Tonks family, or another loving wizarding family like it says in our will. If not than that means a certain lemon drop addict, hint-hint, has gone against our wishes and managed to get our will sealed somehow. I just hope that you weren't stuck with Spitunia and Vermin, as I like to call them, they are the _worst_ sort of people imaginable and would treat you terribly. I also hope that you are not following Albus Dumbledore blindly, he just cannot be trusted. Even if our will is sealed than it should be read to you on your eleventh birthday which should be today. I hope that you are not older than that when you read this but if you are it cannot be helped.

AS I said earlier their are some things that I must tell you. The Potters are an old Avalonian line of wizards, we have always lived in Avalon. We are second in status only to the Pendragons because of who we are descended from. Now the Potter line and the Pendragon line have finally merged with the two of you. All Potters have gone to Hogwarts, it is tradition so that we may know what is happening outside Avalon. I as a Potter am descended from Merlin himself as well as Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw. This means that you own half of Hogwarts on my side of the family alone.

If you are, somehow, under the thumb of Albus Dumbledore than you need to get out of his control. You need to go to Gringotts as soon as possible to look over your accounts and claim your inheritance. Also, you need to do an audit on all of your accounts; I wouldn't put it past Dumb-Old-Dork to take money and items from you. Next, you need to get emancipated. As Avalonian Royalty this hardly does anything since you technically are not under the Ministry's rulings but it will turn out in your favor to formally file for it anyway. Also, if you are in an unloving home such as the Dirgeleys...I mean _DURSLEYS_ get out of their as soon as possible and get to Avalon.

Your mum probably gave you all the info about the trunk and instruments in her letter so I won't be redundant. Their is one last thing I have to say though. I love you, your mum loves you, and we know that you'll make us proud. You are the two most wonderful things in our lives and if we are dead we hope we went down fighting for you. If you have grown up without a father's comfort, a father's laughs, a father's love than I am truly sorry. Your mum wasn't the only one who wrote things for you and I've added this little ditty to this letter so you'll always have a piece of my love.

Crazy colors mixed together making shapes that don't exist,

Full of big green snakes with lions roars and gold lions that go hiss-hiss.

Lots of things you'll find in dreamland that you can't find when awake,

Like Padfoot in a pink tutu and Moony drinking a hole lake.

So let your little eyes close and open on the other side,

Their's so many things to see when you both go sleepy-bye.

When you close your eyes you are in Dreamland's sweet embrace,

And you will see so many things that in real life you'll never face.

So I hope your night is filled with giggles and sweet dreams, sweet dreams, sweet dreams galore,

Now my sweets it's time for bed and soon you shall awake once more.

Ah well, Lily said that made you giggle and stay awake more than anything but hey, their's lots of things in a baby's dream land...I think. I guess the entire Padfoot-in-a-tutu isn't too far off during a prank but hey, I try. Lily's the brilliant writer. Well at least, if anything, you get a little bit of your daddy's zany personality and a little bit of love, you know? Well this letter's coming to an end, I'm quite afraid, but please always know that I, James Andrew Potter-Pendragon, your daddy, love you with all my heart.

With all my love,

Your dad,

James

"Daddy." Hope sobbed out. "Oh Harry, we'll never get to know him, _NEVER!"_

"I know, Hope, I know. They really did love us." I said, thinking about the messy scrawl that was so much like my own handwriting but was our dad's.

"I know. It's like you here it from other people how much we're like our parents or how much they love us but it's like when we see it on paper—com" Hope trailed off.

"When we see it in words and feel the emotion—com" I continued.

"We know they really _did_ love us." we said together.

"How are we to get To gringotts, Harry?" I asked my brother.

"I don't know. I bet Dumbledore's order-of-the-flaming-chicken has guards posted. I think we'll just have to keep watch over the next week or so to know who is when." Harry said.

"Either that or wait for Dung to come on duty, he's always half-asleep, hammered, and strung-out anyway." I said with a shrug. "At least these trunks solve the problem of where we're going to sleep."

"Yeah, you're right." Harry said.

"Aren't I always?" I asked cockily.

"Cocky are we?" Harry joked.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyway, Here's what I say we do. I say that we alternate from trunk to trunk and not leave them except for checking the Order guard and going outside. By day we stay outside, by night we live in the trunk. In this way we put up the perfect facade for the Order, two mopy kids spending time doing chores for their relatives. Then, at midnight, 3 AM, 6 AM, 9 AM, noon, three PM, 6 PM, and 9 PM we check and see what Chickenette is on watch. Each day if we stay outside from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM but we're in our trunk from 6:03 PM to 6:00 AM except three minutes to check for our watch we have a lot of time. If each minute is an hour and we enter the trunk at 6:03 PM until 9:00 PM we have two hours and fifty-seven minutes making it 177 minutes on the outside, that's 177 hours inside giving us an entire week in just three hours." I rattled off.

"Hope, you are a genius. Then, from 9:03 to 12:00 we have another week, right? Then from 12:03 to 3:00 and 3:03 to 6:00 we have two more weeks! Merlin! We can have an entire month a night in this trunk." Harry said excitedly.

"That's absolutely right. So if we stay here until, say, July 12, we'll have an entire year's worth of training. This way, when we go to Gringotts, we can be prepared." I said.

"Yeah but I can't help thinking we'll need some help...like house-elf help." Harry said, scratching his head.

"Excelent idea, brother mine." I said with a smile.

"Dobby, Winky?" the two of us called. With two cracks, Dobby, who wore multiple sweaters and knitted hats, and Winky, who wore a stained outfit, cracked in. Dobby's green eyes were big and excited but Winky's blue eyes were dull, unhappy.

"What cans Dobby and Winky be doing for the great Harry and Hope Potter?" Dobby asked.

"Yes, what cans we be doing for yous?" Winky asked.

"Do you guys like working at Hogwarts?" I asked tentatively. Winky's eyes let loose a few tears while Dobby looked thoughtful.

"Hogwarts is not being a bad place but we is not bound and as free elves we is getting weaker. Dobby knows now that free elves eventually be losing power if they not be with new masters soon after being freed." Dobby said.

"Winky is wanting new masters so, so, so bad." Winky sobbed.

"This is why house-elves like to serve, it be keeping us alive, Hope Potter, and we rather be having mean masters than no masters at all. Dobby can feel his power weakening, Winky can as well." Dobby said.

"Well—com" Harry started.

"It's a good thing—com" I continued.

"We'd like you to work for us." we finished.

"Yous be wanting lowly Winky and Dobby to be working for yous?" Winky asked, wide-eyed.

"You are _NOT_ lowly, you are wonderful elves." Harry said passionately.

"I have one question for you, though. Do you want to be our elves? Has anyone else asked to be your master?" I asked.

"Headmaster Dumbledore be asking that very much, Hope Potter, but we is saying no. Headmaster Dumbledore is being a nasty man who is not caring for house-elves, who is not caring for Hope and Harry Potter. Dumbledore tried a forceful bonding to Winky and Dobby but we resisted him. He be wanting us to tail Harry and Hope Potter and report to him but we say no. We shall never betray Harry and Hope Potter, not at all." Dobby said.

"Well these letters will make you even more angry at the headmaster." Harry said, taking Dad's and giving it to Dobby as I gave Mum's to Winky. The two little house-elves paled as they read one and then the other letter and then they looked furious.

"Headmaster Dumbledore is a bad man, a bad man indeed!" they chorused angrily.

"We is being happy to serve your majesties, oh we is." Dobby said, bowing as Winky curtseyed.

"None of that." I said.

"We're just Harry and Hope, that's all." Harry said.

"Harry and Hope Potter are so great, so great." the elves chorused.

"Will you guys keep our secrets? Never tell anyone?" Harry asked.

"Especially not Dumb-As-A-Door?" I asked.

"Never." they chorused.

"Winky be frying herself in the ovens before that be happening, Hope Potter." Winky said fervently.

"And Dobby be throwing himself off the tallest tower before that be happening, Harry Potter." Dobby said.

"Er, no need for that." the two of us said together.

"So, erm, how do we bond you guys to us?" Harry asked.

"Do you, Harry James Potter and Hope Lily Potter, accept Dobby into your home?" Dobby asked.

"And do you, Harry James Potter and Hope Lily Potter, accept Winky into your home?" Winky asked.

"Er, you're older, bro, you go first." I said.

"Okay then, sis. I, Harry James Potter, accept Dobby and Winky into my home. Here they are not just house-elves. They are our equals, our friends." Harry said.

"And I, Hope Lily Potter, accept Dobby and Winky into my home. Here they are more than house-elves. They are strong-willed, brave, and loyal to the end and they are true friends." I said. The four of us were caught in a golden light which only dimmed after a few minutes.

"Harry and Hope Potter is being so great!" the elves squeaked together.

"Erm, thank you." Harry said.

"Now we have a few rules for you two." I continued.

"Firstly, you are not punish yourselves. If you feel you have done something wrong or made some sort of mistake please come to us so that we can talk." Harry said.

"Secondly, their's the clothes thing. If we accidentally give you clothes it does not mean that we want you free, please know that. Sometimes we do things without thinking isn't that right, brother dearest?" I asked.

"Right you are, sister mine." Harry said. "Now onto uniforms. We do want you to be dressed in uniforms befitting of equals, friends. Dobby, I want you in shoes, pants, a shirt, and propper undergarments. If you still want to wear all these hats Hermione sewed that's all right."

"And Winky, I think that you would look lovely in a dress and shoes with the propper underclothes, of course. You two can get the material yourselves. I'm sure you'll do the house of Potter and the other houses we're heads of proud." I said.

"Yous be so great." they squealed yet again. "Thank yous thank yous, _THANK_ _YOUS,_ master and mistress."

"Please, you two, just call us Harry and Hope, okay? If you must you can use our last names but only those, okay?"

"That's right. Also, you are equals so I want you to have equal language skills to us. I want you to buy grammar books and study them, talk like the people around you." I said. The little elves nodded emphatically, grinning ear to ear. Over the next hour or so Harry and I explained our plans to both of them and I think we earned even more respect from them. Dumbledore's little pawns were no more, now we could put our plans in motion.

Chapter Three: Of Trunks and True Friends

"Okay, it's 11:00 now which basically means we have just over seven hours to put on an appearance." I said.

"That's right. The Dursleys will be wanting lunch won't they?" Harry asked, I nodded.

I say we put these trunks in a secluded spot, though, we don't want the Dursleys noticing them." I said.

"Leave that to Dobby and Winky, Hope Potter miss, leave it to us." the elves chimed. Harry and I smiled.

"Thank you." we said. The two of us then went over to the trap door, opened it, lowered the ladder, and climbed down into the upstairs hall. We then headed downstairs and into the kitchen. Both of us are good cooks and we mainly work together, that's how we work best. Apparently Dudley's diet had been disbanded so we were back to cooking disgustingly unhealthy foods for him. His little posse has been coming over quite a bit this summer so we get stuck cooking for them too. As Harry got the deep fryer out from one of the cabinets I got out the oil, the fries, and ingredients to make Dudley's stuffed junk-balls as we like to call them. They're really just bacon, cheese, and pizza sauce sealed in a tortilla ball and then fried. Let's not forget the french fries. The smell of food must have sent itself out like a homing beacon to the pile of lard because their he was, traipsing through ow front door with Peers, Malcolm, Dennis, and Gordon. Joy oh joy, the foolish five.

"Where's our lunch?" Dudley demanded as he and his thugs mace themselves at home in the dining room chairs.

"Still in the deep frier." I said shortly.

"Oh." Dudley said thickly. Harry and I rolled out! eyes and shrugged as we made ourselves some sandwiches. After a minute Dudley's heart-attack balls and fatstfries were done and we were giving them all heaping plates of the junk. As they scarfed down their food savagely Harry and I ate our sandwiches one bite at a time.

"I say we go to the garden, how about you?" I asked Harry. He nodded and we went out into the back yard. For the rest of the afternoon until just before six we mowed the lawn, weeded the flower beds, and water all the plants. At 6:00 exactly we heard one crack and then another showing the change in guards. The person must have been Tonks for they fell right into a bush and cussed colorfully under their breath. Harry and I snickered and rushed upstairs so that we could enter our trunks at 6:03. We had decided to explore Mum's trunk first and then Dad's. Since we had Dobby and Winky now they had said they would tell us who was on guard duty and when. They would also look out for any incoming owls or anything out of the ordinary. When Harry and I climbed up into the attic the first thing that we realized was that what was once a dusty, box-filled space was now a very comfortable, even lavish, suite. We were now in a sitting room with couches and chairs all over the place with a round table surrounded by comfortable-looking chairs. Their was even a fireplace on one wall and a bookshelf on another. Also, their was a wizard chess board. The floors were made of mahogany planks, the walls were also mahogany with cherry accents as well as the ceiling. On little tables around the edges of the room sat little gold candle lamps that would make the room very cozy at night. In the center of the room taking up most of the floor was a large red and gold area rug with beautiful patterns and designs running through it. The furniture was all made out of a light gold wood; the cushions on the couches and chairs were made of red velvet with gold edging. Around the room their were six doors situated. We opened up the first door to find a small kitchen with the same wood floors, walls, and high-beamed ceiling. The cabinets were made of the same wood and the countertops were white marble. Their was a full range of top-of-the-line Muggle appliances and a small dining table. The next room held a clean little bathroom with a floor made of intricately carved grey-and-white tiles. Their were two sinks, a large mirror, a shower-and-bath combo, and a toilet. The next two rooms were bedrooms that looked basically the same; wood interior with a mahogany bed, dresser, and nightstands as well as lamps and an alarm clock. The last two rooms, however, we could tell were just for us. The first room was definitely Harry's. It had soft cream carpet with gold-colored accents, the walls were mahogany. All over were pictures taken of us over the years as well as Gryffindor banners. The furniture in the room was the same light color as that in the sitting room. Their was a love seat on one wall with forest green cushions. His bed was the classic Gryffindor four-poster but king-sized and their was green instead of red. At the foot of his bed was Dad's trunk and Harry's original trunk. Their was a window looking out over Privet Drive that we recognized as one of the original windows, not an enchanted window like the other rooms had. It had green and gold curtains around it. The next room was all mine. It was decorated in varying shades of soft green and blue and the furniture was white. The carpet was a soft blue, the walls were a light ocean bluish green, the ceiling was enchanted to show the night's sky, the solar system with the surrounding stars. All around the room on the walls were nature pictures of forests, the se, and outer space as well as the same pictures of us that Harry's room had. My bed was a king-sized four-poster with light blue coverings and pillows that matched the walls. The hangings on the bed matched the floor but had trim that matched the wall. At the end of the bed was Mum's trunk and my original school trunk. On the back wall near my bed was a large window that I recognized as the other original window. It was made larger with a cushioned blue window seat and blue curtains. On one wall was a bookshelf as well as a love seat. I also had two nightstands and a dresser like my brother. Harry and I rushed out to the sitting room again to see a beaming Dobby and winky.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" we both breathed, enveloping the elves in a Mrs. Weasley-worthy hug.

"You is welcome, Harry and Hope Potter, you is welcome. We used elf magic to expand the attic but when nasty Durzey-people see attic all they be seeing is what the attic used to be." Dobby explained.

"And Winky be making you proper meals so that you be growing stronger." Winky added.

"Thank you so much." I said.

"We really appreciate it." Harry said.

"It's brilliant!" we finished together.

"C'mon, Harry, let's go check out the trunks. Dad's first?" I asked my twin.

"Sure, Hope, trunks first." Harry said.

I followed her back into my room and we opened the trunk. I pressed my thumb to the rune and said the activation password. As I did so, Hope left the room. She came back a minute later, smiling.

"I activated mine too." she said. With that, we went down into the wardrobe, taking the narrow stairs one at a time. As soon as we were down their the stairs automatically turned into a door. When we looked around we were shocked. The wardrobe was probably twice the size of our old bedroom and was filled with what looked like Dad's clothes. The carpet was the same shade of cream as my bedroom carpet and the walls were paneled mahogany. Their were robes in in a variety of styles as well as some slightly dated Muggle attire. Their were drawers built into the back which Hope and I realized must have held foldable things and undergarments. They also had different accessories in them like sunglasses and watches. I automatically picked out a nice white gold watch with a black dragon hide band with green running through it and put it on. Both of us have watches that stopped working during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament and we needed new watches.

"Whoa scruffy, someone needs a makeover." came a voice from one of the walls. It was a gold mirror.

"We do don't we? Go on and pick something out, Harry." Hope said. "I'll be in the library."

"Er, all right...but should I? I mean...these _were_ Dad's clothes." I said.

"If they minded us wearing our clothes would they have left them here?" Hope asked huffily.

"No...I guess not...go on then." I said. Hope beamed at me and went to the only door in the wall. She touch her hand to the doorknob, said "library," and she was out. A few minutes later I joined her. I was now wearing a pair of black sandals, black jean shorts, and a red T-shirt. I entered the library to see that it was huge. It was filled with shelves of books and scrolls for two stories. Enchanted windows looked out to grasslands and it was very cozy. The bookshelves and floor were made of mahogany but the walls were a sparkling washed white. All around their were tables surrounded by chairs, scattered couches, and a few writing desks. I could see that Hope was having a ball looking through all the books. I began feeling the excitement myself. Their were a lot of books on transfiguration and defense as well as Muggle subjects, languages, and books on Muggle and wizard law from all around the world.

"Oh my god, Harry, this is all so fascinating!" Hope squealed.

"Yeah it is but we don't want to spend the entire month in here, come on. Let's see the potions lab. I'd bet Snape would run starkers around Hogwarts to see it, wouldn't you?"

"I dunno, we'll have to see it first." Hope said. We smiled at each other and went through the portal. The potions laboratory was everything that we could have wanted. The interior was stone, stone walls, floors, and ceiling with torches high up on the walls letting out flickering gold light. Their were several tables all around with varying sizes and makes of cauldrons. On one wall was a shelf filled with scales, cutting knifes, vials, the whole shebang. Their was even a cupboard taking up an entire wall filled with potions ingredients that were in stasis. Their was also a small clean-up counter where we could wash our hands and clean things off with a large utility sink.

"C'mon, I want to see the dueling room now!" I said eagerly. Hope simply laughed as I pulled her through the portal. The dueling room was absolutely massive. It too was made of stone but we soon realized that their were cushioning charms all around it. Even if we were to run heads on into the wall we'd just bounce harmlessly off of it. On the back wall their were several dummies lined up as if they were ready for battle. Some of them even had weapons like swords and bows and arrows. We saw the two doors that led to the pool and locker room and went to take a look. The locker room was small with a few lockers, a shower area, sinks, and toilet stalls. It lead directly into the pool. The pool was huge, perhaps olympic size. Their were racks on one wall filled with pool things; noodles, floaties, kick boards, and other things. At the deep end was a diving board with several strange little notches. We soon discovered that the notches were to adjust the height of the diving board. The two of us smiled and left the pool back to the fitness room. Through the portal we went to the sixth compartment. It really was a nice little flat. The portal was like the front door. Next to it was a closet to put shoes, coats, umbrellas, and such. The walls, floor, and ceiling were mahogany and the furniture was that light honey gold. An elegant stone fireplace was in the back left corner of the room. Around it were comfy, squashy red armchairs and a sofa. A small bookshelf was on one wall as well as a window seat. On another wall to the left of the entrance portal a couch and two chairs surrounded a telly that must have been large by the standards of the seventies and eighties but was rather small now. Their was even a classic Atari hooked up. Next to the telly was a wizard wireless radio. Essentially the room looked mostly like the sitting room that Dobby and Winky created back in the Dursleys' attic. On the right side, however, was an open kitchen that was about the same size as the one Winky had created. The appliances were rather dated, fifteen or more years dated, in fact, but they would do. The dining table in the bottom right corner of the room had space enough for six people. On the back wall of the sitting room their were four doors. The first door that we tried led into a large bathroom with gold-trimmed red walls and white tile floors. their was a sink, a toilet, and a bath-and-shower combo. The second door led into a simple concrete laundry room with an old washer, dryer, sink, and laundry basket. The third door simply led to a linen closet. The last door led into a large bedroom. The furniture was made entirely of mahogany wood. Their were two nightstands, a king-sized four-poster bed, a dresser, and a love seat. All over their were Quiddich posters and pictures of Mum and Dad and of Dad and the Marauders. There were even a few of Dad growing up. On the nightstand was a picture of Dad, Sirius, Remus, and that rat Peter. On the back was written Remus, Peter, Sirius, and James also known as Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, The Marauders, 1976. The carpet was soft cream and the walls were papered red with gold swirly trim.

"Wow!" I breathed. "It feels so...so like dad."

"I know what you mean, Harry." Hope said. The two of us smiled and exited the room. We went to the portal in the sitting room and went to the final compartment. Both Hope and I were awed by what we saw. Five solid acres of rolling hills, trees, and grass as well as a large Quiddich pitch. The portal took the form of a large fur tree with a hole in it.

"Oh Harry look!" Hope breathed.

"Yeah, it's amazing isn't it?" I asked.

"Oh yes. Ooh, their's a nest over their, see?" she asked. It was then that I noticed what she was pointing at. In the very center of the property their was a round nest with six mid-sized white eggs in it. Attached to the little nest was a note. Hope and I walked over to it with trepidation. I picked it up and read it, Hope reading it from over my shoulder.

Prongslet and Flower-Bud,

Their's a few more things that we have to say but we felt it best to put it in another note. Some people who act as friends may not be friends, some people may surprise you. I am sure this is a lot to take in but my ancestor, Rowena Ravenclaw, made a prophecy. A little-known fact about her was that she was a seer. It points to you, it has been passed down from Potter to Potter for generations. We fear that it is you for you are the only Ravenclaw descendants that we know of. Well, here it is. A time will come of dark and light, where two mere children are forced to fight. Molded, manipulated, living in a fickle world, whoa is the life of the marked boy and girl. Ten centuries descended from myself and from my husband, the world is on their shoulders and they are forced to save the land. The two are more than just two friends but the closest of them all, twins closer than any seen before, that come to one another's call. One boy, one girl, the same except for gender, no closer twins you'll ever see, to each other always tender. Ten years they live a life of darkness, for those years they live a life of scorn, five years they live in half-truths but in their sixteenth year they are reborn. A man riddled with folly that people look too as a god, will try his best to hold them back but then the shackles shall be gone. The air is thick with the betrayal of the flame-heads they called friends, but they shall soon know who their true friends are, friends that will fight for them til the end. First their is the bookish one who holds much wisdom in her head, a lie is what her life has been with a family, a name, a face not hers when the truth is that her parents might as well be dead. The second is the timid one, the one that people scoff at, but he shall be destined for great things, strong and swift, in tune with mother earth, and he shall grow stronger still once he gets his sister back. The third is one of soft wisdom, the one that her peers call half-mad, but she's twice the witch they'll ever be, she sees what is not seen, does what nobody else will do, and is destined for the timid lad. Lastly is the dragon, the one that comes as a surprise, raised in darkness, forced to think one way, but he will not do what his father who is truly not his father, the dark one named for light, says that he must do, for he is boy-twin to the airy one, and on the light side he shall fight. But each of these, the six of light, for light surrounds them all, cannot make it through their tasks without the help of twelve familiars that will hatch when they are called. All from eggs the twelve will hatch but of different breeds, they will come the help the six when their is great need. And the six of light will form a side that will be all their own, they will bring victory to the earth, bring victory to their home. Well...there it is. I don't know who the others are but it sounds like two more sets of twins to me, two of them separated from each other. These are six of the twelve familiar eggs. Your mum put a charm on them to automatically go to your true friends but I suggest you put letters on them. Five will go to your true friends, Harry. The last egg will stay for you. Hope, their are six more in your mums trunk. Five of them will go to your true friends and one will stay for you. One of the eggs, I know, will go to Harry just like one of his eggs will go to you. Remember that we love you and we have full confidence in you.

Love,

your dad,

James

"Oh...my...god." I moaned.

"Great, another bloody prophecy." Hope scoffed.

"Yeah, erm, bright side is we'll succeed right?" I asked.

"Hmmm, I suppose so but we better not get cocky about it, cockiness could get us killed." Hope said.

"Good point. Let's go to the library and write the letters." I said. Hope nodded and we headed back over to the tree portal. After about ten minutes we both wound up with six copied letters each. Mine went like this.

True friend,

I congratulate you on receiving this egg because if you have than that means that you are, or will be, my true friend. Keep this egg a secret from others in case anyone wishes harm upon it. This egg is a true familiar egg. You should be getting another one from my sister before this letter is through. I will be glad to know just who is and who is not my true friend, I can't stand the thought of having friends that might betray me. This egg will be only one of the ways you will be able to show that you are a true friend. If you are able please owl or contact me in some form, use code, do whatever you have to do. Thank you for being a true friend. I look forward to finding out just who you are.

With All Sincerity,

H. J. P.

"Very good, brother. Just giving your initials will give a clue but it doesn't explicitly say Harry James Potter." Hope said with a smile. It was her idea that we use initials instead of our full names. Hopes letter was similar and went like this.

To my True Friend,

Congratulations, yahoo, and whoop-ditty-dee, it looks like you're a true friend to me. If you're getting this egg that's what that means, anyway. So here's the deal. You should have gotten my brothers egg a minute or so ago. If you did than that means you're my true friend. Let me tell you a little about true friends. If you actually finish this letter without crumpling it up that means you're my true friend. Friends are the ones who'll bail you out of Azkaban; true friends are the ones who'll be in the same dementor-guarded cell saying "Damn that was awesome!" Friends are the ones who'll comfort you when you just got rejected by a really sexy guy; true friends are the ones who'll be unsympathetic, honest, and who'll say "Girl, I told you he was out of your league." Friends will be the ones who say "Good luck, mate." before you go into battle with moldy Voldemort, true friends will be the ones right next to you saying "And take that you snake-faced bastard!" So I ask you just one thing. Are you ready to be my true friend? If so, hurrah, you passed the test if not than kiss my ass. So here I am, kookie, witty, and sarcastic as hell but you've got me. This is a true familiar egg that you damn well better take good care of. Contact me as soon as you can by owl, in code, or something like that. Now I'm going to get serious. I need to know just who my true friends are in this world and I can't be betrayed. My brother and I have gone through enough shit already and we need you, okay? I honestly can't wait to find out who you are.

With All Sincerity,

H. L. P.

At first I thought Hope's letter was a bit too random but that was just her, random.

"I need to know that they're in it for the long hall, okay?" she said. "You're the serious one who establishes the mission; I'm the witty one who tells them of their place and if they betray me I'll kick their sorry asses." Hope acts tougher, witty, and all that but she's sensitive. I hate to admit it but she's not the only one. She's not the only one who hurts at the thought of betrayal, who can't stand the thought of it like I'm not the only one who keeps on a cold, serious mask when really I'm pissed at Dumbledore beyond belief. Hope and I took our letters and went back into the nature room of the trunk.

"How do we attach these letters to the eggs without touching them?" I asked.

"Sticking charm! Duh, bro." Hope said.

"That's a good idea and all, sis, but I'm just not sure about the under-age wards." I said.

"Remember Mum's letter, Harry? We'll be safe." Hope said.

"But what if their's tracking charms on our wands? On us? I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore or the Ministry to do it." I said.

"Hmmm, very Slytherin. That is a good point. Let's have Dobby and Winky do it then." Hope said. I shrugged and we called the two elves. After a minute the letters were stuck on with a mild elf sticking charm. Apparently, the only reason we were blamed for the cake incident before our second year was because Dobby was able to imitate wizard magic; that was why they weren't caught when they changed the attic for us.

"You ready, Harry?" Hope asked. I nodded and bent down on my knees. I touched the first eg, it vanished. The second, third, and fourth did the same. Soon it was down to two. I touched the one on the left, it vanished and reappeared in Hope's hand. The last one warmed up as soon as I touched it.

"Looks like we have our first eggs, Harry." Hope said.

"Yeah, why don't we floo over to Mum's trunk?" I asked.

"Great idea, Harry." I said. Both of us discarded the letters, put our eggs snug in our pockets, and went through the portal to the trunk's flat. After a quick spin through the floo network we were in another sitting room. This room was very similar to Dad's except the book shelf was larger and so was the window seat. Also, the wood of the floor and walls was cherry as well as the cabinets in the kitchen. The first door I opened went to a bathroom that had a very sea-like feel to it. The walls were a shade of sea bluish-green and the tiles were alternating white and light blue. Their was a sink, medicine cabinet, toilet, and shower-and-bath combo with a blue shower curtain. I liked it very much. The laundry room and linen closet were both essentially the same as Dad's. Mum's room, I saw, was a lot like mine upstairs. On a few of the walls their were some scattered posters of Quiddich teams like the Holyhead Harpies but their were mainly nature pictures and pictures of Mum and some other girls. On the back of one on the nightstand their were the names, Marlene, Lily, Sadie, and Alice also known as Sunbeam, Petals, Fireflame, and Greenleafe,, The Anti-Marauders, 1976. They would have been our age. I noticed that one of the girls looked a lot like Neville, she must have been Alice. The only difference, really, was that she had strawberry blonde hair, Neville had brown hair. Both of them had the same clearwater blue eyes. We exited the living compartment a few minutes later and went into the wardrobe. It was the same size as Dad's wardrobe but with a bunch of Mum's clothes both wizarding and Muggle. I sifted through the built-in drawers in the back to find jewelry, watches, and foldable things like underclothes. My favorite watch was a beautiful, shining silver with a greenish blue dragon hide band which I wound up and put on promptly.

"What are you? The princess or the pauper? Put somethin' else on." came a cheeky voice. Harry smirked at me.

"Your turn." Harry smirked as he exited the wardrobe for the library. A few minutes later I followed him. Now I was wearing white sandals, blue capris, and a blue tank top trimmed with a thin band of white lace. The library looked a lot like Dad's except, perhaps, their were more books and the furniture was cherry-based. Also, their were a few window seats for reading.

"This is excelent. We'll be hard-pressed to finish all the books we have now even in a year's worth of training." I said.

"Yeah, yeah maybe you're right. Let's go to the potions lab." Harry shrugged. When we got their it was to discover that it was much like Dad's except perhaps a little more organized and with a few more exotic, rare ingredients. The dueling room and pool was also similar to Dad's. Finally, we went into the nature area. Right in the center, as we expected, was the nest with the final six eggs along with a note basically saying the same thing as Dad's. Dobby and Winky stuck the letters onto the eggs and I touched them all. The first one stayed where it was, the next four vanished, and the last appeared in Harry's hand.

Chapter Four: And the True Friends Are?

"Come on, Hermione, I could use your help going through the basement and getting rid of old things. You know that I promised your father I'd clear out the clutter." my mum called through my bedroom door. I sighed, dog-eared my favorite book, (The Fellowship of the Ring) and got up off my bed. I then went out of my bedroom and down to the basement.

"Oh look, Hermione, it's a picture of your father and I at high-school prom." Mum squealed as we dug through one of the many boxes. I looked at it, they seemed so happy and care-free. "Is their anything like prom at Hogwarts?"

"Hmmm? Oh...no, no their isn't. When their was that tournament thing I told you about in fourth year their was a Yule Ball but that went pleasantly." I said with a snort.

"What happened again?" Mum asked.

"Well I was asked out by one of the champions, Victor Krum, so I went with him. Then, of course, Ron...you know, gangly with bright red hair, freckles, and that long nose...gets all jealous at me just because he didn't have the guts to ask me out himself. Oh no, he invites Padma Patil, a Ravenclaw in our year, but then is a complete beast to her. Sometimes he gets so on my nerves; I just want to go with the classic right hook to his too-long nose sometimes. I fancied him at one point but can't he see that that's passed? I mean the boy acts like he owns me...my god he does." I ranted. I stopped for a moment to catch my breath, even after a week and a half I was still very sore from Dolohov's curse.

"He doesn't exactly sound like he's being the very best friend. What else has been going on at Hogwarts, Hermione? I know you're not telling me everything and the letter sent to us from school only told me that you had been hurt in some sort of fight but I want to know more, all right?" Mum asked.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I want to know, Hermione." Mum said.

"Well...okay. You know almost everything of my first four years. You know how my friends, Harry and Hope, are famous in the wizarding world?"

"Yes?" Mum asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well last June they saw the wizard that killed their parents be given a corporeal form again. Also, one of Voldemort, the dark wizard's, servants killed the extra student who got dragged into it."

"I know, you told me last summer." Mum said.

"Well for this entire year nobody believed them. "Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," "You must be mad," "You're attention-seeking liars," and the like floated around all year not to mention we had this ghastly professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts that refused to teach us anything practical; it was absolutely horrid. When they tried to speak against her and the drivel she was spouting they assigned detentions where they would have to write the phrase _I must not tell lies_ with a blood quill, that's a special type of quill that will use one's own blood to write what is being written as well as carve it into the skin. It also sounds like it hurts a lot."

"I should think so, what a horrid woman. So Harry and Hope did nothing about it?"

"I tried to get them to go to the headmaster but they didn't want to show weakness. Anyway, let's not forget that all through the year Harry and Hope are getting visions of Voldemort's plans through links to him in their scars. Around Christmas-time they even saw someone, Mr. Weasley...that's Ron's Dad...being attacked by Voldemort's snake, Nagini. Near the end of the term they were sent a false vision of their godfather, Sirius Black, being tortured for information in this place in the Ministry of Magic called the Department of Mysteries regarding a prophecy. The twins tried to get in contact with Sirius by using the floo connection in Umbridge, that nasty professor who took the title of headmistress for a time's, office because it was the only one the Ministry wasn't keeping tabs on. When they poked their heads into the fire Sirius's house-elf, creature, lied to them and said that he had already left. You see, Kreature believes in Voldemort's philosophy even if Voldemort views house-elves as scum."

"Well isn't that a bit of an oxymoron? This Kreature looks down upon wizards and witches with less than what they call pure blood but his own kind is looked down upon by the master he wishes he could serve?" Mum asked, frowning.

"Yeah, that's about it. Anyway, Harry and Hope were caught by Umbridge as well as Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and I who were all keeping a look-out. Umbridge was about to use the torture curse on them both because she thought they had information on what was being planned only because she discovered the vigilante organization that they ran, and that I was a part of, called Dumbledore's Army or DA. In this organization Harry and Hope were able to teach us more defense and better than with any professor except, perhaps, Remus Lupin. Anyway, I came up with a very stupid idea then. I acted all meek and scared and told her that the "plan" was located in the forbidden forest. And so Umbridge made Harry, Hope, and I lead her out to the forest. We accidentally on purpose went into centaur territory and let's just say that the centaurs were _not_ happy when she started calling them inferior half-breeds and such. The last thing we saw of her was of being carried away by Hagrid's giant brother, Grawp. The centaurs weren't pleased with us but at least they let us go. A few minutes later the other four showed up with our wands, they got away from the Slytherins detaining them. Harry and Hope were adamant on going to the Ministry to save Sirius but we wouldn't let them go alone so the twins called a herd of thestrals to us. Thestrals are black, horse-like creatures with wings and you can only ever see the thestrals if you've seen someone die. So off we went, flying from Scotland to London on horses I couldn't even see."

"That must have been rather jarring." Mum commented.

"It was, it really was. When we got down to the DOM and to the prophecy room and Harry and Hope touched the prophecy we were surrounded by Death Eaters, Voldemort's followers. That's when the battle began. Eventually, Dumbledore's Order showed up and helped us fight. We were already in this room with a veil in the middle. Sirius was battling his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, right by the veil. Bellatrix is evil and really whacked out, she's the one that tortured Neville's parents into insanity. Anyway, she hit Sirius with a stunner that sent him right through the death veil...Harry and Hope were forced to watch someone die for the second year in a row, someone close to them. The battle made its way to the Ministry's atrium where Voldemort himself showed up...oh god he was scary-looking. He had this chalk-white skin, this thin face, nostrils slitted right into his face with barely a propper nose, slitted pupils, and these horrible red eyes. He tried to possess Hope and Harry for just a minute but they were able to throw them off. The battle soon finished with Voldemort leaving with Lestrange. The other Death Eaters had been mainly brought down by the seven of us. Oh yeah, and the best part? Fudge stumbled through the floo in his pajamas and saw it all so now he has to acknowledge the fact that Voldemort's back. The reason I got hurt was because of a dark curse hurled at me by one of the Death Eaters, Antonon Dolohov, I think. Ron got attacked by these brain things they were keeping in the DOM and Ginny broke her ankle...the curse Dolohov threw at me will leave a scar and broke a few ribs...but other than that we're all fine." I said.

"Hermione Jane Granger, is your school always having something dangerous happen to it? It sounds like somebody is out to get those poor dears, Hope and Harry." Mum said.

"Yup, They've not had an easy life. Their relatives hate them, they're Muggles." I said.

"But I thought you said that their parents were both magical?" Mum asked.

"Yeah, that's because they were. Their mum, Lily, was Muggle-born like me and their dad, James, was a pureblood, that means that his family has been all-magical for generations. To the people that care, that makes Harry and Hope halfbloods. Halfbloods are those with a Muggle and a pureblood parent like Tom Riddle also known as Voldemort, a pureblood and a Muggle-born parent like Hope and Harry, or two halfblood parents." I explained.

"I think this blood thing is a load of nonsense." Mum scoffed.

"I do too but...hey...what's this?" I gently lifted out an envelope marked Hermione. Without thinking I opened it up and shook the contents loose. In it were four papers. The first paper that I picked up was my birth certificate.

Hermione Jane Granger

Mother: Emma Louise Granger

Father: Daniel Jacob Granger

Born: September 19, 1979 at 1:23 PM

(Adopted)

My eyes bugged out at this news.

"I-I-I'm _WHAT?"_ I demanded.

"Read the other papers and then I will explain." Mum said with a sigh. I nodded and read the second paper.

Birth Name: Vanessa Alice Longbottom

Birth Mother: Alice Catherine Brandon-Longbottom

Birth Father: Franklin Tiberius Longbottom

Birth Siblings: Neville Franklin Longbottom (older twin)

Born: July 30, 1980 at 11:57 PM

Adopted Name: Hermione Jane Granger

Adopted Mother: Emma Louise Granger

Adopted Father: Daniel Jacob Granger

Adopted Siblings: None

Date of Adoption: September 19, 1980

I looked incredulously at my so-called mother as I read through the third paper, my birth certificate. The last one that I read was a letter.

To the Grangers:

It is my understanding that you are unable to have children. This girl's parents have given her up for they fear for her safety, their is somebody after their family. Her true name is Vanessa Alice Longbottom but do not tell her her name, I fear it would be too dangerous. Instead call her Hermione Jane, that is what you would have named your own daughter is it not? I have taken the liberty of going through all the proper legal steps. This child will also look like you, their will be no doubt that she is yours. Take good care of her and give her the home that her parents cannot.

Yours Sincerely,

APWBD

"I can't believe it! How could you have not told me? How could he have split me from my...my...my _TWIN?_ Mum, that letter was written by Hogwarts own headmaster, Albus Dumbledore."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Nobody writes like that and those are his initials." I said with a sigh. "Couldn't you have at least told me I was adopted?"

"It was as though, over the years, you became completely ours and, to be honest, we forgot that we had ever adopted you. The only reason I can remember things clearly is because you found that envelope." Mum explained.

"Oh...I see. I need to do some research. Mum, this means Neville...he's...he's my twin brother. My parents...they're as good as dead. You'll always be my parents but I'll never get to know my birth parents. I want to take on my true name though, Mum. I'm proud to be a Granger but I don't want to keep living a lie that my school's headmaster set up. I have been, I am now, and I will always be Vanessa Alice Longbottom." I said. Their was a white flash and I felt something about me change.

"Her...erm...Vanessa...your looks...they've changed. This must be what you truly look like." Mum said. I nodded and rushed upstairs to the family room where their was an armoire with a full mirror. I looked in to see that I had actually shrank a bit. I had been five seven as "Hermione" but I was now only five five. I realized with a jolt that I looked startlingly like a female version of Neville except perhaps a bit more sure of myself. I had a more gentle, rounding figure and a round, kind face. My hair and eyes were different from Neville's though. When I had seen them...Mum and Dad...in St. Mungo's I could see bits of strawberry and blonde in Mum's hair and bits of brown in Dad's hair. Mum had blue eyes that were now dull and lifeless, Dad had hazel eyes. Neville had dad's straight, medium brown hair and Mum's blue eyes while I had Mum's wavy strawberry blonde hair and Dad's bright hazel eyes. What was I going to do about this? I sighed and plopped myself down on the couch. Just as I did so I found a letter and an egg in my hand. With no small amount of trepidation I opened the letter up.

True friend,

I congratulate you on receiving this egg because if you have than that means that you are, or will be, my true friend. (But who are you? How can I know I'm your true friend without knowing who you are?) Keep this egg a secret from others in case anyone wishes harm upon it. (Why would anyone want to harm an egg?) This egg is a true familiar egg. (Oh, that's right. I hear those are really rare.) You should be getting another one from my sister before this letter is through. (Sister?) I will be glad to know just who is and who is not my true friend, I can't stand the thought of having friends that might betray me. (Why would I ever betray a friend? I would never do such a thing!) This egg will be only one of the ways you will be able to show that you are a true friend. If you are able please owl or contact me in some form, use code, do whatever you have to do. (Why are you being so secretive?) Thank you for being a true friend. (Erm, you're welcome?) I look forward to finding out just who you are. (Me too.)

With All Sincerity,

H. J. P.

H. J. P? Was that...could it be...Harry? Before I could think further on it I noticed the other letter and egg in my lap. I gently set down the first egg and letter and picked up the second. Could this be from Hope? It must be.

To my True Friend,

Congratulations, yahoo, and whoop-ditty-dee, it looks like you're a true friend to me. (I think that's definitely Hope-speak.) If you're getting this egg that's what that means, anyway. So here's the deal. You should have gotten my brothers egg a minute or so ago. (Yup, I most certainly did.) If you did than that means you're my true friend. (Good.) Let me tell you a little about true friends. If you actually finish this letter without crumpling it up that means you're my true friend. (Yup, this has got to be Hope. Only she would give that sort of warning.) Friends are the ones who'll bail you out of Azkaban; true friends are the ones who'll be in the same dementor-guarded cell saying "Damn that was awesome!" (Hmmm, I don't know if I'd say that. This is definitely Hope, though. Only she would go off on such a crazy tangent in a serious letter.) Friends are the ones who'll comfort you when you just got rejected by a really sexy guy; true friends are the ones who'll be unsympathetic, honest, and who'll say "Girl, I told you he was out of your league." (I never said that, I just said that Cedric probably didn't like you like that and that it was his loss, not yours.) Friends will be the ones who say "Good luck, mate." before you go into battle with moldy Voldemort, true friends will be the ones right next to you saying "And take that you snake-faced bastard!" (That's right, I'll always fight by yours and Harry's sides.) So I ask you just one thing. Are you ready to be my true friend? (Absolutely.) If so, hurrah, you passed the test if not than kiss my ass. (Language, Hope.) So here I am, kookie, witty, and sarcastic as hell but you've got me. (And I'm glad.) This is a true familiar egg that you damn well better take good care of. (I promise I will.) Contact me as soon as you can by owl, in code, or something like that. (I'll try.) Now I'm going to get serious. I need to know just who my true friends are in this world and I can't be betrayed. (Never, Hope, never.) My brother and I have gone through enough shit already and we need you, okay? (Yes you have.) I honestly can't wait to find out who you are. (And I can't wait to talk to you.)

With All Sincerity,

H. L. P.

Definitely Hope their. Wow, true familiar eggs. How did they get a hold of so many?" I gingerly picked up the two eggs and put the letters in my pants pocket, going upstairs to my room to think.

"Gran, where's that flesh-eating slug repellant? The creatures are eating up my Devil's Snare." I called through the house.

"Oh Neville, don't you remember? It's in shed A, top shelf to the very left." Gran hollered back to me. I nodded and left out the door of the manor-house again. Quickly I walked towards the large shed and pulled open the doors. Was herbology all I was good for, I wondered? Sure I had gained a bit of confidence because of Harry and Hope but really I was still the same. I never could quite live up to Gran's expectations of being just like my father. She was actually "proud" of me now which was a start but would that pride fizzle out? I sighed and reached up, grabbing the large jug of the thick, gloppy, putrid greenish-brown liquid. Their was no way I'd ever do anything great. I wasn't going to try and do anything great, I didn't want the attention; all I wanted to do was live my life. That couldn't be said for some people, though. I'm not talking about Hope and Harry, they want to stay in the shadows more than me, I'm talking about people like Ron and Ginny, a good chunk of the DA who just joined for that little piece of greatness that they might never receive otherwise. Some people only wanted to be their friends because they were the famous "twins-who-lived," the "ultra-handsome boy-who-lived" and the "mega-sexy girl-who-lived". It was disgusting, really, the way some people would act just to get a little piece of the pie, just a little bit of fame. It was like that little purple petunia shrub in a field of white lilies. The shrub would tollerate the plants and all of that but eventually it would grow out and smother the lilies, taking up the entire meadow for itself. That was how a lot of students at Hogwarts were and it really was sad. Putting on protective gloves and goggles I stepped back into my greenhouse and over to the problem plant. Slowly I took off the lid of the repellant and began dousing all of the plants in the greenhouse with it, pinching my nose tight because it smelled so foul. As soon as I was done I screwed the lid back on and plopped down onto a workbench. It was then that something fell into my gloved hands, an egg and a letter. Feeling a bit nervous, I unrolled the letter and began to read.

True friend,

I congratulate you on receiving this egg because if you have than that means that you are, or will be, my true friend. (Okay?) Keep this egg a secret from others in case anyone wishes harm upon it. (What could be so important about it? Is it a rare sort of animal?) This egg is a true familiar egg. (Hmmm, I was close.) You should be getting another one from my sister before this letter is through. (Another true familiar egg?) I will be glad to know just who is and who is not my true friend, I can't stand the thought of having friends that might betray me. (I wouldn't be able to stand it either.) This egg will be only one of the ways you will be able to show that you are a true friend. If you are able please owl or contact me in some form, use code, do whatever you have to do. (I'll try my best, whoever you are.) Thank you for being a true friend. I look forward to finding out just who you are. (Same here.)

With All Sincerity,

H. J. P.

Hmmm, who had the initials H. J. P. with a sister? The answer was just within reach but I couldn't think of it. I noticed that in my lap was another egg and letter. I gently set down the first egg and letter and picked up the next ones.

To my True Friend,

Congratulations, yahoo, and whoop-ditty-dee, it looks like you're a true friend to me. (What girl with a brother with the initials H. J. P. likes poetry?) If you're getting this egg that's what that means, anyway. So here's the deal. You should have gotten my brothers egg a minute or so ago. (Erm, I did.) If you did than that means you're my true friend. (Okay?) Let me tell you a little about true friends. (I'm listening.) If you actually finish this letter without crumpling it up that means you're my true friend. (That would be rude anyway, not to here someone out.) Friends are the ones who'll bail you out of Azkaban; true friends are the ones who'll be in the same dementor-guarded cell saying "Damn that was awesome!" (Ugh, dementors give me the creeps. I suppose if I got chucked in their for fighting Voldemort and he ran the prison I'd be there, though...ooh, scary thought.) Friends are the ones who'll comfort you when you just got rejected by a really sexy guy; true friends are the ones who'll be unsympathetic, honest, and who'll say "Girl, I told you he was out of your league." (Hmmm, I don't know. I don't pay any attention to guys who are out of a girls' league. If anything most girls are out of _my_ league.) Friends will be the ones who say "Good luck, mate." before you go into battle with moldy Voldemort, true friends will be the ones right next to you saying "And take that you snake-faced bastard!" (Yeah, as long as I've taken out Bella-bitch first, that is.) So I ask you just one thing. Are you ready to be my true friend? (Yes I am.) If so, hurrah, you passed the test if not than kiss my ass. (No chance of that because I _passed_ the test.) So here I am, kookie, witty, and sarcastic as hell but you've got me. (And I'm glad.) This is a true familiar egg that you damn well better take good care of. (I will, I will.) Contact me as soon as you can by owl, in code, or something like that. (I'll try.) Now I'm going to get serious. I need to know just who my true friends are in this world and I can't be betrayed. (I'll never betray a friend. That's the worst possible thing you can do.) My brother and I have gone through enough shit already and we need you, okay? (What could you have gone through?) I honestly can't wait to find out who you are. (Neither can I.)

With All Sincerity,

H. L. P.

H. L. P? H. J. P? Who were they? Who could they be? Let's start with their first and last initials. HP and HP...OH wow...Harry and Hope?

"Daddy, I'm going to go to the river. I think my plimpies are getting a little lonely and I want to see if I can pick up some yellow-scaled babble-fish. They keep alluding me but I will catch them, just you wait." I said to my father as I came behind him as he worked at the printing press.

"Oh...that's perfectly nice, Luna...just be back in time for tea, all right?" he asked.

"Sure thing, Daddy." I said airily as I descended the spiral staircase. The summer really had not been very eventful so far. I had not seen any noteworthy creatures and nothing interesting had happened besides. Really I was going to the creek if only for a spot of adventure. Happily I twirled outside and glided down the front path. The creek was only a hundred yards or so from our house and I had traversed the path to it countless times since I was old enough to walk. I smiled serenely at the crystal blue water and threw off the wrap that I had around my red-and-yellow polka-dotted bathing suit. I first filled up the tank I carried with water and then waded into the shallows.

"Hey plimpy plimpy plimpy! Hey plimpy plimpy plimpy!" I sang as I bent down and looked in the watter. Five of the round little fish were swimming around me. One of them I especially liked, she, for she felt like a she to me, was pink-scaled with little gold accents.

"Now aren't you pretty?" I asked as I reached my hand out. The plimpy came too it but not without another one, a black and silver one. They went into the tank easily enough and I kept on looking for something interesting.


	76. Tegan

Tegan

An attempt to write some sort of different disability type fic where a female Harry is more badly injured in the AK backlash, so the Dursleys refuse to take her in, and she is eventually adopted by the Grangers. Features a female Harry with an SCI, a Hermione with no arms… Yeah… I do not have, nor do I know anybody who has, either of these disabilities/life circumstances/whatever. As such, whatever is written is likely very unrealistic and probably kind of ignorant to the point of offensiveness. For that, I am very, very sorry. Posting it anyway, just because. Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I am not ignorant of other disabilities, so I have my moments to make major gaffs like in this story… Again, sorry! Just posting this for a lark!

Chapter One: The Girl Who Lived

"Are you absolutely sure the child will be safe here, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall asked her colleague, Albus Dumbledore, yet again.

"Ah Minerva, they are her family. Petunia is Lily's sister and this is Lily's child we are talking about. I am positive that she shall be just fine here." Albus Dumbledore said as he unstuck two of his coveted sherbet lemons, sticking them both into his mouth and sucking on them.

"But they're the worst sort of...of...MUGGLES imaginable. The Potters child come to live _HERE?"_ Minerva protested. "The woman, all day she spent pampering her little _PORK_ _OF_ A _SON_ and _SPYING_ _ON_ _THE_ _NEIGHBORS._ The man, he kicked at me! He actually _KICKED_ _AT_ _ME,_ Albus! And _Don't_ _EVEN_ _GET_ _ME_ _STARTED_ on their son, Albus. Kicking his mother all the way up the street _SCREAMING_ _FOR_ _SWEETS!_ Oh yes, little Tegan live here. _ TEGAN_ _LILY_ _POTTER_ _LIVE_ _HERE?_ Albus I must say that this is one of those times where I wonder where your mind has got too and what you are thinking." Minerva continued to rant, green eyes flashing in the light of the crescent moon.

"She will be protected, Minerva." Albus insisted.

"Very well but if she grows up poorly don't come to me with your woes and sorrows, Albus, for I'll simply have to say I told you so." Minerva sighed. "Where is she anyway?"

"Hagrid will be bringing her shortly." Albus said placidly.

"Hagrid? You sent _HAGRID_ for the child, Albus?" Minerva sputtered indignantly. "Albus, do you...do you think it _wise_ to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"

"My dear Minerva, I would trust Hagrid with my life." Albus said, his blue eyes twinkling in the darkness.

"Yes, Albus, but with the life of—com" but Minerva was cut off by a great roaring that came from the sky. A black blob appeared in the purple night sky. As it got closer it could be more easily defined as a large motorcycle with a man of giant proportions riding on it. The motorcycle eventually touched down on the street in front of the professors and the giant man killed the engine.

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall." he greeted as he stepped off, a little bundle in his arms.

"Ah, Hagrid! I trust all is well?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh yes, sir. ouse was near destroyed buh' I got 'er out all righ'. Under a bit o' the roof, she was, buh' ain't nothin' much I can' lift out o' the way. Seemed all righ', though, bit fussy but she fell asleep just as we was flyin' over Bristol. ere she is, sir." with that, Hagrid handed the little bundle over to Albus. The three adults looked at the baby sleeping in the old man's arms. Her sleep seemed to be a bit fitful but who's sleep wouldn't be after a night like that? She had a sweet, round face, a little mouth with full pink lips, a little nose, slightly upturned, almond-shaped eyes that would prove to be her mother's beautiful emerald when open, and a tuft of curly black hair streaked with red. She looked just like her mother except for the hair which was all her father's save for the bits of red, those were from her mother. In the very center of her forehead was a curiously shaped cut that looked like a bolt of lightning.

"Albus, Albus is that where?" Minerva asked, pointing at the scar.

"I am afraid so. She will have that scar forever. even if I could get rid of it I wouldn't, scars can be quite useful. I myself have one above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London underground." Albus said, eyes twinkling fiercely.

"I don't believe that that was something that you needed to clue me in on, Albus. I'd really rather not know just where your scars are and what they can do." Minerva said frostily as though she felt that this was, and it was, an inappropriate time to be discussing the London underground in any detail. As Albus slid a small packet with a letter to Petunia as well as Tegan's birth certificate and medical records, both magical and Muggle, into the child's blanket Hagrid let out a cross between a wail, cry, and sob. This only continued as Albus gently laid the child on the porch and stood up again.

"Do be quiet, Hagrid, else you'll surely wake every Muggle in the street, perhaps even Little Whinging." Minerva hissed as Hagrid blew his nose into a large, spotted handkerchief with a sound resembling a foghorn.

"So-so-sorry, professor. I jus' can' believe wha's 'appened. Lily an' James dead an' their sweet little girl, little Tegan off ter live with Muggles. I jus' can' bare the thought." Hagrid said haltingly through his sobs.

"Hush, Hagrid, there there." Minerva soothed as she patted the man's elbow, the highest point on him that she could easily reach.

"It isn't really goodbye, after all." Albus consoled.

"Yeah, I guess yer righ' 'bout tha' buh' it don't make it easier. Righ' then, I best be gettin' this bike back." with that, Hagrid swung his large frame onto the bike, kicked it into gear, and drove off into the sky.

"Well that's that, no more use staying around here." Albus said.

"I suppose so, Albus." Minerva said with a sad sigh. "Goodbye." with that, Minerva McGonagall appearated away from Privet Drive. With a press of the button of the strange device that looked like a cigarette lighter, Albus let the balls of light back into the street lamps before he looked at the porch of Number Four one last time.

"Good luck, Tegan Lily Potter." he said. Then, with a _crack,_ Albus Dumbledore also left Privet Drive behind him. In the meantime Tegan slept restlessly, uncomfortably, clearly in some sort of discomfort. Her little baby mind had no idea that she was injured, that she was deemed special, that she would be awoken in the morning by her aunt's screaming as she went to put out the milk bottles, and that all over England witches and wizards alike were all saying "To Tegan Lily Potter, the girl who lived."

Petunia Dursley liked to think that she, her husband, and her son were perfectly normal, thank-you-very-much. She was the sort of woman that would not _stand_ for any sort of abnormality. As she did every weekday morning she woke up promptly at 6:00 AM and got out of bed. Slipping her thin white summer robe over her pink nightgown Petunia exited the bedroom. Dudley could sometimes be a chore to wake up in the mornings and this morning Petunia had to set out the empty milk bottles that she had so down the hall and stairs she went and then into the kitchen. Petunia grabbed up the milk bottles and slipped over to the door. She opened the door only to see something absolutely unexpected, a little bundle of blankets with a child's head peaking out. Petunia couldn't help it, she screamed. She recognized the visage of her sister anywhere and this child looked just like her sister. A grand boom, boom, boom came from the stairs as Vernon rumbled down them as fast as his fat legs could carry him.

"Pet? Pet what's wrong?" he asked as he stood next to her. Petunia pointed a shaking finger at the bundle before bending down and scooping it into her arms carelessly. Ensuring that all the milk bottles were out on the porch she slammed the door. Shakily she walked into the living room and over to the sofa, sitting down.

"Who is that, Pet?" Vernon asked.

"She looks like my sister's brat." Petunia said, pealing back the blankets. From within them she saw an envelope. She carelessly yanked it out and read the letter within. Her sister was dead, she was forced to take in Lily's little brat, _TEGAN._ Just then, emerald green eyes opened, glancing curiously around. The child squirmed in Petunia's grasp, all upper body, but her legs didn't move at all. Petunia could tell that their was something wrong, especially as she rubbed her hand up the child's back.

"Huwts, huwts." she mumbled tearily.

"Vernon, the girl is injured." she said. "Like it or not we really need to take her somewhere. She's in pain and perhaps we can leave her." her husband simply grunted in response. The child began to whimper and cry just then, wriggling around, clearly not comfortable. From upstairs Dudley began to wail, Petunia sighed.

"I'll take the morning off to look after Dudley while you deal with the girl. Should things go as planned we might be rid of her by afternoon." Vernon said.

"Thank you, Vernon." Petunia said. "Now look after her but don't handle her too harshly, I need to get ready." Petunia said. Ten minutes later Petunia was dressed in a sweater and slacks with the girl in her arms. With one last wave at her husband she walked outside. Petunia went over to her silver hatchback and opened the doors. A bit jarringly she put the child in the car seat and got in the driver's seat. Once she was belted in she pulled out of the driveway and down the road. The drive to Whinging General Hospital wasn't particularly long and soon Petunia was pulling into a parking spot near the entrance to the ER. She first got herself and then her niece out of the car before shutting the door. With purpose she strode up the parking lot and through the front doors. Luckily the room was empty except for a clearly distressed couple sitting together. Petunia strode up to the counter and spoke to the woman behind it.

"My niece is injured somehow. I'm not sure how...I woke up this morning to find her on my doorstep with a letter explaining that her parents were murdered and an attempt was made on the child's own life. I'm not sure why she wasn't brought to a hospital right away for a checkover right away but their's something off. Her mother was my little sister." she explained. The woman behind the desk frowned and sighed.

"Please fill out these papers and we will call you back soon. We will need identity varification for you and your niece, miss." she said. Petunia nodded and took the papers offered to her. She went and sat by the upset couple and started working furiously on the papers.

"You must be worried sick." commented the woman of the couple who had bushy, dirty blonde hair and chocolate eyes as she glanced first at Petunia and then Tegan who Petunia had put in the chair next to her.

"I'm doing what needs to be done, nothing more. I have my own son at home to take care of and worry about, I didn't ask to be dumped with my sister's child." Petunia said tersely.

"But surely you're worried a bit?" asked the man who had straight brown hair and blue eyes.

"I hold no love for my dead sister and none for my niece. As soon as this is sorted I will have the child in an orphanage. What is it you are here for?" Petunia asked.

"Our daughter, Hermione." the woman said.

"She somehow got into the electrical fuses and such and touched a highly charged cable. The shock went right through her arms...we don't know what will happen." the man said.

"She's only just over two years old, she turned two last September."

"Oh. My niece Tegan here is fifteen months." Petunia said.

"Miss? We are ready for you now." the woman at the desk said. Petunia turned in the paperwork before grabbing up her niece and following a nurse into an examination room.

"Do you have the child's birth certificate and medical history?" she asked. Petunia nodded and got out the propper doccuments from her handbag, handing them over to the nurse.

"The girl's name is Tegan Lily." she supplied.

"I see. Tegan Lily Potter, born 31 July, 1980. No previous medical problems I see. How did she come to be in your care? What of her parents? James and Lily?"

"Dead, the both of them. Apparently they were murdered on Haloween night but nobody came across the house until yesterday. that is where the cut comes from, I believe, an attempt was made on the girl's life. That was how my sister died, protecting her daughter. I know no more than this and why she wasn't taken to a hospital straight away is anybody's guess." Petunia said.

"Very well. How does the child seem ill?"

"She's not keeping conscious very well and when she was squirming her legs...her legs would not move. I didn't ask for this, you know. I have a family of my own...a husband...a son...my niece just doesn't fit into the equasion." The nurse couldn't help but scowl at the careless woman before her. Anne Thompson had seen a lot of things but an aunt caring so little for her sister's child...such a thing was hard to just "get used too," and she didn't think she ever would.

"Do you want to relinquish all rights to the child then and have her entered into the Surrey foster system?" Anne asked.

"Yes, very well." Petunia said curtly.

And so it was that Petunia Dursley relinquished her niece into the hands of the hospital staff, not really caring whether she lived or died. The doctors found out what was wrong with the girl after tests and x-rays, she had spinal fractures and nerve damage leaving her legs paralyzed. They could still feel sensations like being touched but the nerves for function weren't working. Eventually the child was put in a room in the pediatric ward, a room shared by one other little girl. Hermione Granger had no idea what would happen when she touched the wires. She was usually cautious but on this day was too curious for her own good. That found her in Whinging General Hospital. She did wake up, thank God, but only after her arms were amputated. They were so burned and charred they would be no use to her anymore. Her parents who had seen the aunt's uncaring actions towards her own niece had looked after not only Hermione as she recovered but little Tegan as well. Apparently Tegan was quite advanced for her age, she could already talk well and she would have been able to walk if it weren't for her injury. The Grangers eventually decided that they would like to adopt little Tegan. Several weeks later when they brought Hermione home they brought home her new sister, Tegan Lily Potter.

Chapter Two: Strange Letters and Stranger News

Nearly ten years had passed since Tegan Lily Potter had woke up to find her aunt screaming down at her as she lay on her front doorstep, since she had been given up so easily by her aunt, since she had met the Grangers. She and her sister lived a happy, comfortable life with many ways to cope with their unique disabilities. Hermione, without her arms, learned to do everything with her feet. Eating, dressing, and her favorite, reading. She was a very intelligent child who loved to learn but was much more cautious than she was as a toddler. Tegan, on the other hand, was very mischievous and playful. She loved her sister dearly but that didn't mean that Hermione never was a prank target. After a few years she began to get some control over her legs and could now walk, with assistance, short distances but that was all she could do. She mainly got around the house on her own, however, she could get up and down the stairs easily enough and their were things that she could cling too. At home was the only place that she would walk without crutches. Though she kept her last name of Potter she felt like a Granger through and through. Hermione's parents, Dan and Emma, were how she imagined her own parents (, kind and full of love. Both of them were dentists and brought in a good amount of money so the girls always had what they wanted and needed. Sometimes the two girls would get pittying looks from people that passed them by but their was nothing to pity, they thought. They were happy and healthy and loved, that's what mattered.

"Happy birthday, Tegan!" Hermione cheered as she kicked the door of my room open and jumped onto the end of my bed.

"Hermione, what time is it?" I groaned.

"Time to get up, sleepy-head, or do you want Mum's chocolate chip pancakes to go to waste?" Hermione asked as she jumped back off my bed.

"Hmmm, yummy." I said as I sat up and stretched. "Now get on out of here so I can get ready, Mia."

"Fine fine but hurry up, Tia, I'd hate to eat all the pancakes." Hermione laughed as she exited my room and shut the door. I sighed and threw back the covers of my bed. Then, I swung myself so my legs dangled off the bed. Shakily I pushed myself to my feet, adding some of my own body weight to my nightstand. Carefully, slowly, I stumbled my way across the room and to my dresser. After picking out the clothes I was going to wear, a green summer dress with matching hair bandana, I went into my connected bathroom where I brushed my teeth and combed my curly red-streaked black hair. I made my way back out to my bedroom and got myself dressed. Opening the door I slowly went out into the hallway and down the stairs, step by step. Eventually I was in the dining room and sat down at my chair. Mum served me two pancakes with whipped cream and syrup as well as a healthy ration of bacon which I began eating immediately, savoring every bite.

"Happy birthday, Tegan." Mum said.

"Thanks, Mum." I responded as I polished off the rest of my plate.


	77. Terra Potter and the Neutrons

Terra Potter and the Neutrons

An attempt to write a fic where a female Harry is raised by the Neutrons from Jimmy Neutron… Not much written here, so enough said… Sorry in advance! More insanity incoming!

Prologue

"They are the only family she has, Minerva." Albus insisted. "She is best here. If Lily had other family than I would bring the child to them but she doesn't."

"Yes she does, Albus." Minerva McGonagall snapped. "Lily has a sister, Rose Judith, who met an American at university and moved their a few years ago. Rose is two years older than Lily, Petunia is a year older. You never heard Lily complaining about Rose because Rose was a quiet, intellegent girl. She graduated secondary school a year early. She has a son, James, who is Terra's age."

"AND where does Rose live?" Albus asked.

"They live in a little town called Retroville in America." Minerva explained.

"Ah, I see. And you are sure they are a good family?"

"Better than this load of dung! Rose was valedictorian, her son, like Terra, already has intelligence levels off-the-charts for an infant. Her husband, Hugh, is very kind and fun-loving. I want Terra to live their!" Minerva snapped vehemently.

"Very well, very well, just let Hagrid arrive with the girl and then we can be off." Albus said with a sigh. A few minutes later, a huge motorbike came out of the sky with an even larger man on it. He carried a little bundle in his arms. When they looked closer, they saw a baby girl with unruly raven black hair like her father's streaked with bits of her mother's dark red hair. She looked like a female version of her father but, beneath her creamy little eyelids, they knew she had her mother's emerald eyes.

"You may go now, Hagrid, we will be taking her to family in America." Albus said gently.

"All righ' then, professor Dumbledore, I best be gettin' this bike back." the large man, Hagrid, said. With that, he was off again and Albus and Minerva appearated away with the little baby girl, the girl-who-lived.

When they arrived, it was not Midnight like it was in England, it was much earlier. It was 7:00, to be exact, for they were on the east coast.

"I will not have you leaving the child on the doorstep, Albus Dumbledore, we will tell them the news in person." Minerva hissed.

"Very well, let us ring the doorbell." Albus said. Minerva, knowing Rose, or as she liked to be called, Judy, the best rang it.

"Would you get that, sugar booger?" asked a man from inside.

"Yes, I'll be right back. Make sure Jimmy eats all of his strained peas, won't you Hughby." said a familiar voice. Rose sounded much more American than the last time Minerva had heard her voice, she must be adapting well. Soon enough, she was opening the door. She was slim, wearing a dress and apron, and had short, wavy reddish-brown hair and green eyes.

"Can I...Minerva? Minerva McGonagall? Come in, come in." she said. Albus and Minerva did so. "What can I do for you?"

"We have come with some rather grave news, I'm afraid." Albus said.

"Um, why don't you come have dinner? It must be quite late back in England, you're on Greenwich Mean Time, right? We're GMT-5:00 here so it must be midnight where you lot have come from."

"We don't want to impose upon your hospitality." ALBUS said.

"No imposition at all, sir, come in. I've made a pot roast and lemon pie for dessert."

"Well how can I refuse?" Albus asked, eyes twinkling.

"Fantastic! Come on into the dining room...is that Terra you have their? What's happened to my favorite baby sister?" she asked, suddenly tense, accent popping out.

"We'll tell you when we're sat down, Judy." Minerva said as they entered the dining room. She quickly waved her wand, making another high-chair appear. She gently took Terra from Albus and set her in it.

"Where Ma-Ma an' Da-Da?" the baby asked.

"We're about to tell your aunty, baby girl." Minerva said gently as she and Albus sat down, Rose served them the roast, and Terra was given baby food.

"What's happened to my sister?" Rose demanded again.

"Voldemort attacked their house last night." Albus said.

"Oh, do you mean that really evil dude with the creepy red eyes that Lily told us about in those birdie-letters?" Hugh asked.

"Hugh, be quiet and let them talk." Rose snapped.

"Anyway." Minerva said, feeling that she would be the best to bring the news, "he and James dueled for a short while and James was killed in the living room. Lily tried to baracade herself and Terra in the nursery but he got in. Rose..."

"Don't call me that! Only Lily could." she snapped.

"Yes...erm...Judy, Lily was killed trying to keep him away from Terra. The amazing thing is that when he tried to kill Terra...all she got was this scar." Minerva said, pointing to the baby's lightning-bolt scar.

"Oh god...my sister...my favorite baby sister..." Rose sobbed into her hands.

"We are sorry that we are here on such a grave note." albus said.

"Albus was about to leave Terra with that big Muggle, Petunia, your other sister. I, thank goodness, thought of you and I'm glad I did. You clearly care about Terra. Will you take your niece in? Will you raise her as your own? Give her love?" Minerva asked.

"O-of course I'll ta-take her, o-of course." Rose sobbed.

Chapter One: The Yokians

Around Nine Years Later...

I woke up on Monday morning ready for school. I quickly got up and made my bed the normal way, not with my cousin's stupid inventions. Once that was made, I dug around my closet for something to wear. I smiled and pulled out my favorite emerald green tanktop and a black skirt and sandals. Once I was dressed, I went in to brush my hair and teeth. Like I always do, I put my unruly hair up in a high ponytail. Once that was done, I went back out into my room. I grabbed up my gold wire-rimmed glasses, put them on, and picked up my black backpack with my name, Terra, embroidered into it in emerald green.

"Meow!" my almost normal-looking robotic cat, Aila, squeaked from her little bed.

"Yes, Aila, time for me to go to school. Make Uncle Hugh or Aunt Rose give you some lugnuts and oil, you've been a good kitty." I said as I scratched her fuzzy black head. That's the cool thing about magic, you can do so much with it. Jimmy, my cousin, on the other hand is all "I want to invent things _WITHOUT_ _HELP,_ thank you very much." Sometimes he really irks my nerves. I think he's jealous because I'm smarter than him, I can still act like a normal preteen, and I don't have a superiority complex, just a hero complex. I am Britain's famous girl-who-lived, after all. That's right, I know everything about my parents; Aunt Rose told me years ago. Their's this weird thing I can do with my hair and body to make myself look different but I never use it. I might Britify my accent when I go to Hogwarts next September, though. My best friend, Cindy Vortex, even knows because she's a pureblood; her mother's British, Vega Black Vortex, and her father's name is Henry, he's American. They're both aurors at the American Bureau of Magical Affairs. I went downstairs and got a glass of orange juice and some cinnamon toast crunch. By the time I was done, Jimmy still wasn't out of his room yet. I humphed, went upstairs, and banged on his door.

"_JAMES_ _ISAAC_ _NEUTRON!"_ I yelled.

"If you don't hurry than you'll miss the bus, you big-head dummy! I swear some mornings that you take longer than a teenage _GIRL_ to get ready!"

"_I_ _AM_ _NOT_ _A_ _GIRL!"_ he yelled as he threw the door open and stomped out.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Come on now." I said, pulling him downstairs and outside.

"Well isn't that nice! Their goes the bus, left-brain boy!" I snapped. "I don't know how you're getting to school but _I_ am running." with that, I took off. I could here Jimmy panting behind me but then I heard him do something and their he was next to me in a bubble-gum bubble. Soon enough he was bouncing in front of me and I ran to keep up, using the strength of some sort of magical creature.

"Hey Vortex!" Jimmy hollered through the open buss windows.

"Look, it's bubble-boy." Cindy mocked.

"yeah yeah. Who needs to ride that stupid buss when their's bubble-gum bubbles, the ultimate mote of transportation."

"Whatever, and what about when it...pops!" Cindy asked just as it got caught on a tree branch. As Jimmy fell I set him upright.

"Nice job, genius." I said dryly as I ran past.

"Hey!" he called.

"You could use some excersize, more muscles to hold up that big head of yours, run." I said. Soon enough I reached the school, Jimmy panting behind me as the buss let everyone off.


	78. The Magical Sound of Music

The Magical Sound of Music

An attempt to write a sort of HarryPotter and Sound of Music universe mashup. Features wizards at war with Muggles, a female Harry, a Lucius Malfoy with lots of children, and a female Harry and Lucius eventual pairing, though I didn't get that far… Wow… no comment!

Chapter One: Maria

I looked out over the landscape, the beauty of the scene of the green grass and the blue sky with it's wispy white clouds taking my breath away. As I sung I thought of how much better my life had been since I had found out I was a witch, since I had joined the Order of the Phoenix.

"My heart will be blessed with the sound of music and I'll siiing once mooore!" my voice rang out in the open air. In the distance, I heard the bell toll. Oh dear, I was late, so very late. What would Professor Dumbledore say now? I rushed towards headquarters, dark strawberry hair flying out behind me. Oh why didn't I bring my firebolt like a smart person? Why did I forget it like a stupid, worthless idiot? Now it's my broom, what will it be next, my _wand?_

Third Person POV:

"Where could Maria be?" Albus asked to the top-ranking Order members around him."

"Wasting our time as always, the insufferable brat." a sallow-faced, hook-nosed, black-haired, black-eyed man scowled.

"My goddaughter had better be safe!" Sirius Black growled.

"I'm sure she is, Padfoot." Remus Lupin reassured his best friend while still reassuring himself as his wife, Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin, better known as Tonks, clung to him. Maria always had her head in the clouds, it seemed. She certainly got her knack for trouble from James, her father, and her love of everything from the trees to the fleas from Lily, her mother. As a matter of fact she was almost a replica of Lily. All who knew Lily Evans-Potter were sure that if she had lived to twenty-four she would look just as Maria did now. Their was one slight difference, however. Maria did not have Lily's bright emerald eyes but James's mischievous hazel ones that seemed to change with her mood.

"What do you all think of her? Is she truly suited for the Order? I know that she is to defeat Voldemort because of the Prophecy and his army rivals the size of that of the Nazis but is this the best place for her to be? She is almost twenty-five, that's barely a day in the life of a powerful witch such as herself, let alone one that absorbed the Sorcerer's Stone into her very magical core making her very hard to kill. The lightning-bolt scar marring the middle of her forehead marks her as a target but she is no safer here then anywhere else." Dumbledore said.

"She is a trained auror and healer and has worked very hard to get to this position, Albus. Even as a third class recruit she glows with potential if only we can get her to come to meetings on time." Minerva McGonagall said. "We have been working with her since she found out she was a witch when she was eleven. Even when Hogwarts was closed after the return of Voldemort during the Triwizard Tournament at the end of her fourth year, the death of Cedric Diggory, and the decapitation of the Ministry with the assassination of the Minister she never gave up. We let her and her friends train here at Hogwarts as well as the children of other Order members and those Muggle-borns who could not afford to go abroad. She is brilliant at magic and has talent beyond any student I have ever had, even her father what with her highest of metamorphmagus abilities."

"Insufferable know-it-all, always trying to prove herself." Snape growled. "She is adequate at _best_ in potions."

"You know that is not true!" said Horace Slughorn as he waddled into the small knot of people. "She is truly the best potioneer without a doubt I have ever met, even better then myself. Have you forgotten, Severus, that she was able to cut down the time for the Felix Felicis from six months to two and make it twice as effective without the side-effects? Have you forgotten, my old student, that she cured Remus Lupin of his lycanthropy? Have you forgotten that if she had not made that potion out of phoenix tears, unicorn blood, crushed unicorn horn, and phoenix talons that the poison you-know-who gave you when he found out you were a traitor would have eaten you from the inside out?"

"Don't remind me!" Severus muttered. "I already owed the girl a life debt and now I owe her two. She's bloody brilliant at potion-making, all right?"

"Very good." Slughorn said, a bit smugly.

"Miss Potter is quite an excellent student of charms. They could be a bit better but I do suppose you can't have it all." squeaked Fillius Flitwick, a tiny professor who only reached Tonks's thigh.

"She's got defense down." Sirius and Remus said.

"And she's picking up the dark arts well." said Regulus Black, Sirius's little brother who the world thought was dead. "Every dummy I have set to Death Eater standards and First Class Auror standards have had a variety of...rather nasty things happen to them."

Maria's POV: I ran up the cobbled path and to the large iron gates. I stuck my wand in the wand hole before putting my thumb on the identifier. The gates swang open, I ran in, and they slammed behind me. I ran to the middle of the stone courtyard of Hogwarts to find the Order's Class Ones in a tight knot.

"Oh my god, I'm so, so, so sorry." I panted, coming to a stop and throwing my dark blue witch's hat with the bronze strip signalizing my rank on my tousled red hair, making sure, as has always been my habit since entering the wizarding world, that my bangs covered my lightning-bolt scar in the middle of my forehead. "It was just such a beautiful day and so nice to be out of Headquarters for a change and I just had to sing my feelings out. I know, constant vigilance and all that, but it's just so hard to keep track of what you're doing in the tantalizing grip of nature, you know? When I'm alone I don't have to worry about elevating my ranks as an auror or Order member or worry about Voldemort and avenging him of what my parents did or even of what on earth I should wear the next day. I'm really, really, really really sorry about being late for the zillionth time since I joined the order."

"We need to talk Maria, my dear. Please come to my office at 8:00 tonight. Remember, I like acid pops." with that, Dumbledore swept away in his light blue robes.

"Seriously, I'm sorry." I muttered to nobody in particular, my face heating up, covering the light smattering of freckles on my cheeks and my nose.

"You'll be all right, dear. Now why don't you come with me to the Great Hall? Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Luna, and Neville will be very happy to see you came back." Mrs. Weasley said. I smiled and walked the distance to the hall, awaiting a delicious dinner.

Eight o'clock came closer and closer until I was forced to go to Dumbledore's office.

"Acid Pops." I said with a sigh. I ascended the spiral staircase and was told to enter when I knocked.

"Maria, I have asked you to come here so we can discuss your further involvement in the Order." Professor Dumbledore said.

"You're not kicking me out, are you? Oh Headmaster, please say you're not kicking me out. I remember the first Order meeting I went too when you were talking of the weapon, the prophecy that involves Voldemort and I. When Mrs. Weasley cut Sirius off from saying everything I vowed that I would be a part of this organization. Then, Hogwarts closed but I was lucky enough to be allowed to train their when you remade it into Headquarters. I really didn't mean to be late, nature has always been so soothing from me when I was a child being chased by my cousin Didi or avoiding the house for fear of another paddling and now to escape the war and all the uncertainty with it. I'll do my best to be on time and keep my head out of the clouds and—com" I was cut off.

"You are not getting, as you so put it, kicked out." Professor Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. "I think that you should get out into the world a little, however. Their is a man who lives on the other hill, the one on the other side of Hogsmeade Valley. His name is Lucius Malfoy, he is an ex-auror, and he has seven children. His wife died some five years ago and it has been hard for him to keep a governess for very long."

"Governess? What century are we in, sir, no offense." I laughed.

"The 21st as you well know." he said, eyes twinkling. "I apologize if I did not get the proper word used by Muggles. I believe it would be tutor. They need to learn magical and Muggle subjects alike. A few of his children are old enough to start things with a wand. I expect you have plenty of Olivander's wands and of your own to fit them all?"

"Yes but how long will I be gone?" I asked.

"That is your decision but at least two weeks, that is a minimum. Please have your bags packed tonight, you may leave tomorrow morning."

"Shall you owl Mr. Malfoy or shall I?" I asked.

"I shall. And don't worry about going under disguise, he knows who you are."

"You already have haven't you you meddlesome old goat?" I teased.

"Yes, yes I have. And I suggest you wear Muggle clothes. Since the Muggles found out about us when Voldemort came back it does not do well to be a witch. I trust you have plenty?"

"Sure, if you count my cousin Didi's rags from when I was a teenager _clothes."_ I ground out.

"Then I shall have Minerva transfigure you some, you may buy more later." I nodded at him. "You may go." I stood up and thanked him before walking out of the office and down to my room on the first floor.

The next morning, as I always do, I woke up at the crack of dawn, a red Muggle duffle packed with everything I needed. There was my wizard clothes, Order uniforms, shoes of all types, Muggle clothes, a satchel of healing ingredients, a potions kit, my three cauldrons, several books, the fifty wands I had made, another hundred of the deceased Olivander's wands, and, of course, my guitar sat right by the bag in it's case, and the carrier with my two-year-old cat, mittens, who was pure black except for a white-tipped tale and white paws. My broom, like everything else, had to be shrank down and put in my bag to make room and so I could look "Muggggle" enough. I am one of the privileged few magical people who can actually dress well like a Muggle. People like Dumbledore, however, would wear violet suits or bathing suits or thongs in the middle of winter or something like that. I wore a simple yellow shirt, black jeans, and black Muggle leather slip-on shoes. Hung in my ears were a pair of gold hoops and around my neck was a gold locket with flowers carved into it and pictures of my parents with and without me. My somewhat wavy dark red hair just barely brushed my shoulders since it was in it's normal state and my bangs, which I had actually grown out long but usually didn't show them so, were swept over to the right showing my scar. In any case, Mr. Lucius Malfoy would know that I, Maria Lily Potter, was no Death Eater.

Up my sleeve I put my dragon hide wand holster with my wand, Voldemort's brother wand, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, and I made sure that my watch with the black and red dragon hide band was on my left wrist set to the Muggle setting. I then grabbed my duffle in my left hand, threw it over my head so the strap rested on my right shoulder, picked Mittens's carrier up in my right hand, and my guitar in my left, heading out into the hallway where I said my goodbyes with all my very best friends in the world. When that was done, I grabbed a few granola bars to snack on on my very long walk.

"You magic?" asked yet another Muggle magic-patrol officer as I passed through the formerly all-wizarding town.

"You will forget me!" I said, putting a minor memory charm on him.

"I see, another normal person then, very good, pass on through." he stood aside and lowered his gun, too easy. I followed the road through the rest of the valley, crossed the bridge at Hog's Head Creek, and went up the hill towards the Malfoy estate. I had to admit that it was very nice, especially on such a beautiful early spring morning but nothing, to me, was as beautiful as Hogwarts, perhaps the Potter estate but nothing was better then that. Mittens yowled uncomfortably from his cage.

"Be quiet, boy, we're almost there." I soothed the rather pissed-off cat, glaring daggers at me with his ice blue eyes. Eventually I reached the gate to a long driveway and stuck my wand in it, not unlike the Hogwarts gates.

"Name and business?" came a voice from nowhere but everywhere at the same time, rather like the voices their used to be on the Hogwarts Express before the school closed and the Ministry elevators before it was destroyed. The Order was like the wizarding world's government now, fighting for power with the Death Eaters.

"Maria Lily Potter, age twenty-four and three quarters, birthday 7-31-80, titles, girl-who-lived, Order third class recruit, Rank 2 dark-arts certified Auror, fully-qualified Healer, Curse-Breaker, a master of all the subjects tought at Hogwarts and many that are not, and governess for the seven children of Mr. Lucius Malfoy." I rattled off all my stats just to be sure, the gates sprang open, launching my wand back into my hand. I immediately stuffed it in my holster and went up the stone driveway as the gates slammed with a _bang._ As I neared the end, I shortened my bangs to cover my scar; I didn't want it to be the first impression. The house was beautiful with a wrap-around porch and balconies or false balconies on every window. I couldn't help but like it, like it a lot. I went up to the front door and rapped on it. I was greeted by a rather ape-like butler who ushered me in.

"Mr. Malfoy has been expecting you, miss." he said.

"I anticipate the meeting Mr. um, what's your name?" I asked.

"Goyle, Gregory Goyle." he said. Ah, Goyle, like Gargoyle! I silently laughed at my joke as Mr. Goyle trundled to the foot of the stairs.

"Mr. Malfoy, the governess is here!" he hollered.

"Um, not that I care, but are you a wizard, a Squib, or a Muggle?" I asked. He wore black wizard robes but you couldn't be too sure these days.

"Wizard, I would hope I wasn't a Muggle. I don't use my wand in the entry foyer, not ever. It's not safe." he said. Oh great, hopefully Mr. Lucius Malfoy wasn't a Death Eater supporter or a Death Eater. Was it the real Albus Dumbledore who assigned me to him? Was it a Death Eater on Polly juice? My paranoid thoughts were broken as a man in forest green wizard robes glided gracefully down one of the two marble staircases leading to the second floor. Oh great, was I the only fool in this house wearing Muggle clothes? It was clear that this was an old, noble house of purebloods. Would I, the "freak," the "witch-bitch," the "terror," the "parasite," the "Anomaly," the "filthy half-blood," the "Mudblood-lover," the "Mudblood," the "Blood-traitor," the "Brat-who-lived, bitch-who-lived, or bloody-girl-who-just-wouldn't-bloody-die," as I had been called by various Death Eaters and Muggles alike in a miriad of imprisonments, fit in?. "Ah, Albus told me you would be coming today but has left out your name. I am Lucius Malfoy." he said. His voice was silky and smooth, strict-sounding but guarded. He had to be the most handsome man I had ever seen with his flowing platinum hair, sharp, aristocratic features, penetrating grey eyes, and his body, just over six feet of sexiness...no, no, bad Maria, I can't be thinking that! Any man I take a liking to would be in danger, terrible danger since I'm number one on Voldemort's hit-list. Plus he's what, ten years older than me?

"It is very nice to meet you." I said, walking forward and grasping his outstretched hand in a firm shake. "My name is Maria Potter."

Lucius's POV:

I could feel the wards detect somebody, hopefully it wasn't another Death Eater attempting to recruit me or one of those bothersome Muggle magic-patrol officers. I could here voices downstairs and then Goyle, my butler, called up to me. Was it the new governess?

"Mr. Malfoy, the governess is here!" Goyle hollered. Ah, so it was this mystery governess that Albus did not name, hmmm? As I neared the stairs I could here a woman's voice ask a question.

"Um, not that I care, but are you a wizard, a Squib, or a Muggle?" she asked.

"Wizard, I would hope I wasn't a Muggle. I don't use my wand in the entry foyer, not ever. It's not safe." Goyle responded. As I strode down the stairs, I really got a good look at this mysterious woman. She was tall, about five eight, with a slender body, long legs, curves, and perky breasts. Slung over her shoulder, resting on her left hip, was a red Muggle duffle bag. In her left hand was a case that looked to hold a musical instrument. Oh how I detested music after Narcissa died, she was like my singing angel. In her right hand their was a cat carrier, I hated cats too now that Narcissa was gone. She wore a pair of black leather shoes, black, skinny Muggle jeans, and a top that was long-sleeved and yellow. I swear, if this girl was a Muggle I was going to kill Albus. I had nothing against Muggles, mind, but they had caused so much trouble and knew nothing of our customs. Her knowing of wizards and Squibs was nothing these days, everyone did. My eyes snapped away from her attire scrutinize, that's what I was doing, everything else. Her hair was a rich, dark red. It could, perhaps, be compared to the color of blood. Her face was round and kind, her nose just the right size, her eyes hazel orbs of mischief, her lips as pink and kissable-looking as...no, no, I shouldn't be thinking like that! What betrayal would it be to Narcissa if I fell for a woman just five years after her death? Anyway, I was high up on the list of people the Dark Lord either wanted to recruit or kill. Plus, how old was this girl? Twenty? Twenty-one? I reached the bottom of the stairs and spoke.

"Ah, Albus told me you would be coming today but has left out your name. I am Lucius Malfoy." I said, extending my hand.

"It is very nice to meet you." she said in her melodic voice that dazzled me to the core as she took my hand with her own slightly callused one and shook firmly. "I am Maria Potter." with that, she allowed her bangs to grow and sweep to her right, showing the lightning-bolt scar that was now so infamous in Wizard and Muggle worlds alike.

Maria's POV:

I laughed as I saw Mr. Malfoy gape like a fish out of water.

"Do close your mouth, it is not dignified for a pureblood lord." I giggled, slapping my hand to my mouth immediately. "I'm sorry, I have a big mouth. You just looked kind of funny is all. There you come all dignified and stuff right down the stairs and I introduce myself and altar my looks a little and _BOOM!_ You look like a Muggle-born or a first-year who's never seen Hogwarts before. Speaking of blood purity, you're not a Muggle-hater or a pureblood nutjob are you? I mean, my mum was a so-called Mudblood and my dad was a so-called blood-traitor and I really don't want to work with someone who hates people like me...oops! Oh dear, I really don't mean to offend, stupid stupid stupid!" Now what would Mr. Malfoy think of me? I started to turn towards the door when he called out to me so I turned back around.

"I don't care about purity. My wife was a pureblood but that doesn't matter, I married her because I loved her and not because of her blood. I must admit, though, that Muggles have been very troublesome because of Voldemort." he said, I smiled.

"I know. You have know idea how many I've confunded on the way here, they're at every street corner and sometimes in between in Hogsmeade. Plus, if they found out I was the freak-who-lived then I'd just be stuck in another prison with shock cuffs on. The thing that sucks about those things is they make all my magic go wonky so whenever I let out a burst I get zapped like a misbehaving dog because my magic is so free and unrestricted and powerful as Professor Dumbledore puts it. When I came through the door and saw you in wizard robes when Professor Dumbledore told me to wear Muggle clothing I thought for a minute I had been given an assignment by an impostor and that this would be where I was surrounded by Death Eaters and killed. I'm sort of paranoid like that, I swear I get more like Mad-eye every day. He trained me, you know. I'm only a class 3 order member but I'm a rank 2 auror out of ten ranks and one of the only ones licensed to do the dark arts other then Sirius, Remus, Nym, and Regulus. Sorry for talking so much, I'm really a horrid blabbermouth, always have been when I found out I was a witch because whenever I talked when I was little my aunt and uncle slapped me around but it's just intensified in my stints in Azkaban under the silencing spell and getting rounds of the cruciatus three or more times a day for five, sometimes ten or fifteen, minutes. Its a wonder I'm still sane, really, but I am and I'm here and I really should stop talking now shouldn't I? You probably don't want the person on the top of Voldemort and the British Muggle government's hit list do you?"

"Well I'm just as high up as you, almost. Voldemort either wants to recruit me or have me and my children killed and the Muggle government is certain that I have some so-called useful information about magic. It was Voldemort who killed Narcissa, you know. Moody trained me as well, by the way." Mr. Malfoy said.

"Oh my god that's so horrible!" I gasped. "To have that special someone torn right from you...oh God. I've been in love once, and I know that it's love. His name was Cedric. I felt a lot like that when Cedric died, it'll be the tenth anniversary in June, but I only really got to know him and love him just that one year. It still feels like a hole is being ripped in your heart when you see a happy couple or a young mum and dad with their adorable baby or a family with parents in love for life and their children. It's like wow, that could have been me, you know?" I asked.

"Yes, yes I know." Mr. Malfoy said as he stepped off the last step and strode to the middle of the foyer. "Now why don't I introduce you to the children? I think you should disguise yourself until they have introduced themselves and you introduce yourself." I nodded, morphing so that my hair was strawberry blonde, my eyes were blue, and I was about five foot five.

"Too much like, like Narcissa. Could you do something else?" he asked, his voice choking up a bit. I nodded a yes and decided to pull a Tonks. I made myself even shorter, gave myself a pixy-like round face with pointed ears, made my eyes big and bright purple, and made my hair black and spikey with hues of blue, purple, pink, and red going through it in crazy spirals.

"Very good. You really look like a punk rocker, though. Goyle? why don't you take Miss Potter's things to her quarters?" I allowed Mr. Goyle to take my bag and Mittens's cage but I still held my black guitar case in my left hand and Mittens curled around my legs.

"I believe you shall be a governess to not forget, Miss Potter." he said.

"Thank you. You can call me Maria, just Maria, Mr. Malfoy. I decided to pull a Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks, that is. I heard she's related to you in some way? Same with Sirius and Regulus." I said.

"Nymphadora is technically Narcissa's niece but she is my niece by marriage and my children's cousin by blood. Regulus, I thought he was dead. He and Sirius were my wife's cousins, my cousin-in-laws, my children's first cousins once removed. You may call me Lucius, by the way."

"You've got another Black in the hous, by descent anyway. My dad's mum was Doria Black, later Doria Potter. That's why I can morph, it mainly runs in the Potter and Black families. Both together makes it stronger, I'm surprised Dad wasn't one." I said.

"Yes, all of my children are, and strong ones at that. You might see a squirrel or a fox and it could be one of my children. I hope you can keep them in line better than the last twenty-six governesses." Lucius said with a smirk, what fun. So I was number twenty-seven then? This might not be easy but I would make it fun. Lucius raised his wand, mahogany and dragon heartstring, twelve inches, and made it emit a loud bang along with a puff of white smoke seven times. From both of the staircases seven children from teenagers to little ones came running. All of them wore identical robes of red, almost like auror robes, with the Malfoy crest, two swords crossed over a shield, on their right breast pockets and their first names were embroidered in gold right below the crests. Their hair was immaculately combed back in the case of the boys or put up in some sort of do in the case of the girls.

"Everyone, this is your knew governess." Lucius said, motioning to me as I smiled and waved at them. I noticed that some looked a lot like Lucius but others looked like who must have been Narcissa. I had seen pictures of her from Siri and Reg and she was quite pretty. The childrens hair went from platinum blonde to golden, their eyes from grey to blue, their features from sharp to soft yet still arristocratic.

"Hello!" they chimed together.

"Hey!" I answered, standing so I was about two feet in front of them.

"Children, why don't you line up, oldest to youngest, and introduce yourselves?" Lucius asked. Their was a shuffling and jostling of them but eventually they were lined up quite neatly.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, seventeen, sometimes they call me Dray." said the oldest boy who looked like a younger Lucius but with blu-grey eyes instead of just blue.

"Lyra Narcissa Malfoy, fifteen, sometimes they call me Lys." said the person next to Draco, a girl who looked like Lucius on a gender-switch potion but with the same blue-grey eyes as her big brother, perhaps a bit bluer, though.

"Andromeda Bellatrix Malfoy, thirteen, sometimes they call me Andi." said the next child who looked almost exactly like Narcissa save for her stormy blue-grey eyes.

"Orion Abraxus Malfoy, eleven, sometimes they call me Ryan." said a boy who looked like a male duplicate of Narcissa except his eyes were more grey then blue.

"Lucius Regulus Malfoy, nine, sometimes they call me Luke." said a boy who looked like his father in miniature.

"Nova Druella Malfoy, seven, sometimes they call me Nove." said a girl who looked like the perfect median between her parents with gold hair and grey eyes.

"Vega Sierra Malfoy, I'm five years old and they sometimes call me Vaiggy." said the littlest one, an exact Narcissa miniature.

"Now why don't we introduce the mystery governess?" Lucius asked.

"I'm Maria Lily Potter, I'm twenty-four years old, and sometimes my friends call me Mare." I said as I became my five nine self.


	79. The New Princess Diaries

The New Princess Diaries

An attempt to write some sort of next-next generation Princess Diaries repeat/rip-off thing… Yeah… I worry about my brain, too…

Chapter One: _SHUT_ Up

Monday October 13, 2056

Ugh...just _UGH!_ Why is it that I always seem to make a total idiot out of myself? I honestly have no idea. Okay, so here's what happened. I was walking over to my table with my lunch when Bryan Chadwell, the most popular guy at school, actually said something to me.

"Hey, Clara!" is what he said. I was so absorbed at staring at him incredulously because he almost got my nickname right that I wasn't looking where I was going and totally made an idiot out of myself by tripping over a chair leg and landing sprawled-out on the floor with my lunch scattered ten feet around me, not to mention those unfortunate enough to catch some of the spray on their uniforms. Also, their was the fact that my glasses had slid away somewhere into the depths of our school's outdoor lunch courtyard connected to the cafeteria where most students at Washington Preparatory Academy like to eat. So their I was crawling around on my hands and knees looking for them like an idiot, _lovely._ Please highlight my use of sarcasm their. Now I'm even more of a laughing stock and that's saying something. I'm basically the most clumsy person on the face of the universe. Oh yeah, and if you haven't got it by now, I'm practically the least popular girl in the tenth grade except for that nose picking kid. Now, at least, I'm home where I can vent into this diary. Mom's calling me for dinner, I'd better go!

I sighed as I shut my diary. It had been a gift from my dad for my fifteenth birthday before he died. I would be sixteen in a month's time. It had only been a few months since Dad died but I was still understandably sad. I didn't know him well because he lived overseas but still...what girl wouldn't be sad when her dad died? I got up from my desk chair and took one last look at my cluttered, disorganized desk. My computer was in the middle but pushed back, yet another gift from my dad, and I had my diary in front of it. Fanning out all around were papers and books and pens. Organization is not my strong point, not by a long shot. As I left my room I gave my cat, Oreo, a scratch behind her ears.

"Hey, Mom." I said.

"Hey, Clarice!" Mom said. "How's it coming on the speech preparations?"

"Ugh!" I groaned. "I hate public speaking, I'm going to make an idiot out of myself I'm sure."

"Don't say that, Clarie! I'm sure you'll be all right!" Mom soothed as she put some steak on my plate. I smiled and dug in.

That night I went to sleep feeling mildly better but still nervous for the next day.

That next day came sooner then I wanted it too and I was forced to get up out of my nice, cozy bed with Orio sleeping by my head for the harsh realities of school. I took a nice, hot shower and dried my hair. To spur the fact that I'm unpopular, I'm tall and gangly for a girl with unruly red hair that I can never get to lay streight. I have a pale complexion and I can never tan, I just burn for the most part. The more I'm in the sun the more freckles I get. My face is sort of round and I have overactive metabolism. Hardly anything I eat is turned into fat on my body. I guess it's a good thing that I'm still basically flat-chested because if I wasn't they'd look like two olives on a tooth pick. The only thing I really like about myself are my eyes. They're almond-shaped and hazel and the few friends that I do have, Rosalie Southwick and her older brother Chase, say that their's something more hidden in them, like I know what that means. I sighed and went to my closet to get a fresh uniform. I put on the shin-high white socks, the pleated navy and baby blue skirt that went to just above my knees, the pressed white shirt, the navy and baby blue tie, the navy blue blazer with the baby blue trim with the school crest on the left brest pocket, and the paten leather shoes. I then grabbed up my navy blue bag, gave Orio a quick pet and a scratch, and ran, without tripping thankfully, down the spiral staircase that leads right into the kitchen of our house.

"Good luck today, Clarie!" Mom said as I gobbled down a bowl of cereal. "You'll be fine!"

"Yeah...sure!" I said as I picked up my bag again. "Buy, Mom, see ya later!" I slung my bag over my shoulder and then went outside. I grabbed up my electric scooter and rushed past, accidentally knocking over our grumpy neighbor, Miss Milanta's, trash can.

"Sorry, Miss Milanta!" I yelled as I zoomed past.

"Ah the woes of the younger minds, how can they stand to be so unkind?" I heard her mutter. A few blocks from my house I met up with Rosalie who was on her own scooter.

"Hey, Rose!" I said as I joined her.

"Hey, Clarie!" she said. "How're you feeling?"

"I shouldn't have eaten so much cereal, dang my bottomless pitness!" I said as we drew ever-closer to the school.

"Oh c'mon, Clarie, you'll be great!" she assured me. I nodded mutely as we pulled into the parking lot of Washington Prep. The two of us put our scooters in a rack and went to English class.

"Now, what's the point you'll be making?" Rosalie asked me.

"Uniforms are good, they enhance self-esteem and nobody is left out or picked on because of what they wear." I said timidly.

"Good job!" Rosalie said as we sat down. First up was the representative for the opposing side, uniforms basically suck and should be gotten rid of.

"Here's what I've got to say about our uniforms! They're totally last century and nobody has the chance to be individuals. Most of the other schools in the city now have no uniforms, we're one of the only ones who still do. That's my point, uniforms suck and individualism _rules,_ people should be able to wear what they want to wear!" it was Bryan Chadwell who was speaking. The whole class, basically, was cheering as he pumped his fist into the air and strode away from the podium.

"All right, settle down!" our teacher, Mrs. Pryne, said. "I want you in your uniforms again as soon as this class is over! Now, Clarice, why don't you come up here and present your side?" I stood up on trembling legs and stumbled up to the podium. I faced the class and every bit of courage was sapped from me in less then a second.

"O-okay...uniforms are good be-because...because..." I couldn't take it anymore, I could feel everyone, except Rosalie's, eyes boaring into mine waiting for me to continue. "Um...well..." I trailed off, feeling sick as I stumbled a few steps away. Then, the worst of the worst happened, I puked, _yikes!_ As I was finishing, I could here several people in the class laughing their butts off. At least I didn't get anything on my shoes this time. I rushed to my seat, grabbed up my bag, and ran out of the room before anyone could call me back. I rushed into the bathroom and dug through my bag, always come prepared, I say. I smiled and pulled out my travel toothbrush and toothpaste. At least I could have a clean mouth now. Once I was done brushing, I put them back in their plastic baggy and put it in my backpack. Still thinking my mouth tasted off, I opened up my tin of altoids and stuffed a few in my mouth. God, how much more pathetic could I get? Now Candy Black and her sweet-themed cronies would laugh it up for sure. Their was Candy, Cookie, Cherry, Coco, Cinnamon, and Caramelle (pronounced like the candy." The six girls that basically made up the cheerleading team. They always found some way to poke fun at me. At least I'm not an anirexic, bolemic, scarecrow afraid of everything she eats like Candie and her cronies.

"Clarie, Clarie, Clarie are you all right?" Rosalie asked, bursting into the bathroom.

"I'M fine, Rose, I'm fine." I said.

"Are you sure? You really looked sick."

"Yeah! Nothing a tooth brushing and a few altoids can't fix, though." I said.

"Good, we have Spanish next. We'll be working on reflexives, I think." Rosalie informed me.

"Oh what a joy." I groaned. The rest of the day went relatively smoothly, that is, if you count six toothpicks laughing at you as smoothly. Soon enough, I was entering the front door of our old house.

"Hey, Clarie, how was school? did your speech go okay?" she asked. Her only response from me was a groan as I got a glass of milk and some oreos. "Not good than?"

"You could say that." I sighed, taking a bite out of the cookie.

"You got sick didn't you?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah I did." I answered, taking another bite.

"Oh dear. Hey, I have an idea, why don't we do something fun?"

"Fine, that sounds okay." I said. A half hour later found Mom and I about ready to get on the ice-skating rink at the mall's ice arena.

"Why here, mom? You know I'll wind up falling on my butt!" I moaned.

"Oh come on, Clarie, you'll be fine!" Mom said, pulling me onto the rink.

"Meh, we'll have to see about that." I said as I slipped and slid beside Mom who was dancing and spinning as gracefully as an ice princess.

"So I got a call from your grandmother." Mom said after a minute.

"Wait! Your mom's dead so you mean...Grandmother Amelia called?" I asked.

"Yes. She'll be here in America for a few weeks and she'd like to meet with you tomorrow for tea."

"Wait, just wait, this grandmother who I've practically never met before is coming from Europe or wherever the heck she's from to have tea with me? Why now? Why not get to know me when I was younger?" I asked.

"Please, Clarice, just go, all right? She'd really like to see you. And technically she's not _from_ Europe, she just lives their. She actually lived the first part of her life in San Francisco."

"Right...well...okay then, I guess I'll meet with her." I said with a sigh.

The next day instead of hanging out at Rosalie's house like I had planned I found myself in front of a very ritzy-glitzy hotel. Eventually I was lead to my grandmother's quarters and asked to wait in the sitting room. After a few minutes my grandmother walked out. I was sort of imagining a stuck-up prude of a woman but she seemed quite relaxed. She wore fine jewelry and her clothing was obviously of high-quality make but other than that she looked like the cool sort of grandma. She was even wearing jeans and a T-shirt, how awesome is that?

"Hello!" she said in a distinctly American accent, I guess Mom was right.

"Um, hi, Grandmother Amelia." I said a bit formally and awkwardly.

"None of that, Clarice. You can call me grandma, Gran, Nan, even Grandma Mia if you feel so inclined. Everyone calls me Mia. I mean really, try having a name like mine and see if _you_ like being called Amelia."

"It can't be that bad." I said, shaking my head.

"Oh it's worse. I am Amelia Mignonette Thermoppolis Renaldi-Deverow."

"Hmmm, very dignified, Grandma." I said. "I'm almost as bad, almost; Clarice Antoinette Camdon. What's with our family and French names?"

"I don't know but I called you here because their's something I want to tell you but I have something for you first." Grandma handed me a beautifully carved case which I opened. Inside was a beautiful tiara with real jewels and everything. "I got this from my own grandmother when I was your age almost exactly. Keep it safe."

"Wow...Grandma...it's beautiful...I'll try." I said as I put the tiara back in it's case and put the case in my bag. I gave my bag a little shake, trying to keep it protected and padded. Grandma laughed at me.

"You remind me so much of me, Clarice. I did the same thing with it." she said. "Now this next thing I'm going to say is really, really important. I'd tell you not to freak out but you're going too so that's a lost cause but I'm making this worse aren't I?" wow, she was a lot like me.

"It's okay, Grandma, just tell me." I said.

"Clarice, you're a princess, princess of Genovia to be exact." she blurted out. My eyes bulged, my mouth opened in shock, I gasped.

"Shut...up. No way, no way, shut _UP!"_ I gasped.

"You're doing better than I did; I spilt my te on my own grandmother and ran off." Grandma said.

"You didn't always know?" I asked.

"Nope. My dad was the prince and heir-apparent but he died, ironically, about the same time in my life yours did. We sort of paralell each other, you know? Artistic, single mother; fathers that we didn't know were royalty until just before we turned sixteen; and a grandmother to share the news. My grandma Clarice is your namesake, you know, but she was quite a bit more formal than me. My philosophy, however, is that when not in queenly capacity I can dress and act as I please.


	80. The Next Godchild

The Next Godchild

An attempt to write an HP and FOP crossover where Cosmo and Wanda become a female Harry's godparents after Timmy… and things get crazy, like a 10-year-old girl getting thrown in Azkaban for badmouthing the minister of magic and stuff… Ugh, I cringe!

Chapter One: Fairy Godparents

It had only been two weeks, two weeks since Cosmo and Wanda plus their son Poof had been taken away from Timmy. They couldn't stay with him anymore, he was a legal adult so the cab had come to pick them up and Timmy's memories of them had been removed so the only thing he remembered was having two...and then three...goldfish. How upset he had been when it was time for them to go, they had tried to poof him younger, just a day younger, but their magic wouldn't...couldn't work on him anymore. The family had been shipped off back to Fairy World, awaiting reassignment. Hopefully, it would take them awhile to come up with a new godchild, at least give them enough time to grieve the loss of another godchild, perhaps their favorite one yet. They had been with him longer then any other godkid, nine years. Most barely made it past one before blowing the secret. They had only had one child other then Timmy who kept them up to their eighteenth birthday, age ten to eighteen to be exact, almost as long as Timmy. They wanted some time for themselves, but that was not to be. Two short weeks after their loss, they received a visit from Jorgan VonStrangle.

"I have found another child for you!" he said. "Her name is Tiffany Potter and she lives in Little Whinging, Surrey in England. She is ten years old and she has been an orphan since she was one."

"Ooh ooh ooh, what's an orphan!" Cosmo piped. "Is it that thing that that one fairy played at our wedding?"

"No, you moron, that's _organ!"_ Wanda said. "An orphan is a child who has no parents!"

"aaaah!" Cosmo said, still looking confused.

"Yes, well, she is quite unhappy. She has been living with her aunt and uncle since then and they do not treat her well. She is the smartest in her class and she is ridiculed for it by her cousin. She needs you. Also, she will be entering a very trying time in her life, now _go!"_ Jorgan ordered. Cosmo, Wanda, and Poof nodded and poofed out of the room.

Meanwhile, at Number Four Privet Drive, a small, skinny, rather pale, green-eyed girl was huddled in a cupboard under the stairs. It was dead winter and yet all she had to wear was an over-sized T-shirt and jeans.

It was cold, so cold. My cupboard had no heat, of course, and the Dursleys took all my sweaters just to be cruel. "I just wish things were better, I was so miserable. The Dursleys were out to dinner and had locked me in my cupboard.

I hugged my bruised arms around my legs and put my chin on my knees, trying to get warm. Right at that moment, something fell and thunked me on the head, that had to have been a hell of a big spider. I was so surprised that I saw my usually black hair go rainbow colored and knew my eyes had done the same. I became normal again as quickly as I could, last time the Dursleys saw me change my appearance I couldn't sit properly for a week for Uncle Vernon's belting. I rubbed my head where the thing had hit it and looked around for the culprit. Right their was a strange sight, a green, pink, and purple ball with the number nine on it. It looked like an eight ball except that it had the number nine on it. "The things these people come up with!" I said, shaking my head and picking it up. "Ah well, it's not like it can grant my every wish!" I gently tossed it onto my pile of old boys' clothes from my charming cousin Dudley. Right then, it cracked and multicolored smoke started to come out of it. The ball itself disappeared and instead their were three little, I guess, people. One had pink hair in a swirly do with pink eyes, a yellow T-shirt, and black pants, the second had short green hair, green eyes that were just my eye color, and black pants with a white shirt and a black tie, and the third had purple hair falling into his purple eyes, black shoes, blue jeans, and a green shirt with a pink P on it. He looked a few years younger then me. The three of them were hardly a foot tall, if that and all of them had little crown things floating above their heads and wings on their backs. The two older looking ones carried star-tipped wands.

"I'm Cosmo!" The green haired guy said.

"And I'm Wanda!" the pink-haired woman said.

"And I'm their son Poof!" the boy said.

"And we're—com" the three of them started, then a little stage appeared with sparklers and all. "Your fairy godfamily!"

"Huh?" was about all I could manage. "How'd you get into my cupboard? If I was out right now I'd call the cops...or maybe not...last time I even waved at a cop I got locked in here for a week...ah well!"

"Hold on, kiddo, you can't tell anyone about us or else we'll go away forever!" Wanda said.

"So has everyone else who seemed to care about me...that friend in kindergarten, that nice teacher in third grade, even my parents..." I trailed off and turned away as my eyes started to turn black with sadness, trying to get them back to normal. I could see a bit of a sad expression on Wanda's face.

"You okay, sweetie?" she asked.

"Yeah..." I said, wiping a tear away furiously. If their were five things I had learned at the Dursley's it was these, don't cry, don't ask questions, stay out of their way, do whatever they say, and keep quiet.

"Ooh, what about your eyes, they just turned black, was that magic or what?" Cosmo asked.

"The Dursleys say their's no such thing as magic!" I said. "Look, I'm no good for you, why don't you go to someone who really needs you, okay? I'm not worth your time. I'm nothing, they say my parents were nothing, I don't need three people who look like they're made from Barney's costume popping in here trying to make me happy!"

"Awe, sweetie, we're here if you need us. Why don't we just go over the rules and what we can do?" Wanda said.

"All right, the Dursleys are out to dinner anyway." I said. Poof seemed kind of quiet, Cosmo kind of an idiot, and Wanda like she could be a bit overbearing at times, but I liked them.

"Mom and Dad can grant just about any wish that you want!" Poof said. "You can wish for lots of things like toys or candy—com" Poof was interrupted by his father.

"Or pudding or fudge...or fudge pudding, _yay!"_

"Yes, Cosmo, like that too!" Wanda said.

"Hey, you don't exactly sound British, where are you from?" I asked, feeling that they wouldn't mind questions so much.

"We're from Fairy World!" Cosmo piped. "Yaaay for Fairy World!"

"Oh Cosmo!" Wanda sighed. "Anyway, we're from the part of Fairy World that's like your America. Cosmo's mother...gag...is from our version of England in Fairy world!"

"I take it you dislike his mother?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's a real..." Wanda started, but I shushed her. I could hear a key turning in the lock to the front door.

"Shush, they're coming, hide!" I hissed. Cosmo, Wanda, and Poof nodded, turning themselves into three spiders with green, pink, and purple eyes respectively.

"Oh Vernon that restaurant was terrible!" Aunt Petunia complained.

"Don't worry, we'll make the freak cook us some dinner!" Uncle Vernon said.

"I want food _noooow!"_ Dudley, my piggy cousin whined.

"Oh, don't worry Dinky Duddidims, Mummy and Daddy will make sure and get you food!" Aunt Petunia cooed. Uncle Vernon yanked open the door and grabbed me out by my shirt collar.

"Girl, make us some food!" he barked, giving me a hard shove towards the kitchen door. I staggered but then righted myself when I saw the annoyed glare on my uncle's face.

Meanwhile...

"The poor girl!" Wanda said. I couldn't imagine going through what she's gone through, and did you see the bruises on her arms?"

"Bruises? I thought those were just pretty colors!" Cosmo said airily.

"No, you dolt! Isn't it obvious that they mistreat her?" Wanda demanded.

"Uh..." Cosmo started, looking confused.

"Oh just zip it and listen!" Wanda said, changing Cosmo's mouth into a zipped zipper.

"Mom, how could people do that to their own kid?" Poof asked. "And to make her live in a cupboard...that's just _wrong!"_

"I know, Poofie! She's actually their niece but their's no excuse. Sometimes people just do that, though I have no idea why. I already think she's had it ten times as hard as Timmy ever did. I wonder what was up with her earlier, her eyes seemed to change color for a second. Plus, when we hit her on the head, her hair and eyes changed to a whole bunch of different colors when she was surprised." Wanda said. It was then that Cosmo was able to poof away the zipper.

"Yeeeah, such pretty colors, how did she do that?" Cosmo asked in wonder.

"I don't know, but I think Jorgan is hiding something from us. Could he possibly think she is like Severus Snape and Lily Evans?"

"Who's Severus Snape and Lily Evans?" Poof asked.

"Oh, old godkids of ours that we had several years after we had Crocker!" Wanda said. "He was a wizard and she was a witch, they could do magic."

"Really? Humans can do magic too?" Poof asked.

"Not all, but their are a select few who can, like Severus and Lily." Wanda trailed off.

"Lily was my favourite, I liked her name. It started with an L, yay L's!" Cosmo piped.

"That's right, Cosmo. We were reassigned to Lily after we had Severus, actually, her sister Petunia ridiculed her for being magical. You see, Poof, their are some people who come from magical families, but then their are people, like Lily was, who were magic but had non-magical family."

"Ooh, ooh, isn't Tiffany's aunt named Petunia?" Cosmo asked, making hyper laps around the room and stopping between his wife and son.

"I knew I heard that voice from somewhere...poor Tiffany, Lily must have been her mom!" Wanda said. "And if I remember right, Lily was dating James Potter, another wizard, when we left. She was the only other godchild we had that kept us until she was eighteen."

"Wow!" Poof said. "So Tiffany's mom was your godchild and her friend was your godchild before that?" Poof asked.

"Yuppers!" Cosmo said with a happy, stupid grin plastered on his face.

"I wonder how they died!" Wanda mused. "Could it have been Tom? Honestly he was the worst godchild we ever had, always wishing ill of people. He eventually tried to show us off for power when he was sixteen, but that got his memories wiped and us taken away. You see, if magical children with fairies show their fairies off, they lose their memory. However, like with Severus, his losing us was an accident thanks to Cosmo, he showed himself to Severus's parents. They had their memories wiped, but Severus still remembers as would Lily if she were alive. We couldn't easily wipe magical children's memories of us because they have spells to take down memory blocks. The spell we used on Tom, however, couldn't be broken down. He became the most evil wizard of the age, Lord Voldemort. I have the feeling it was he who killed poor Tiffany's parents!" Wanda sighed and sat on an old T-shirt, thinking about the only magical godchildren she and Cosmo had ever had, Lily Evans, Severus Snape, Tom Riddle, and Albus Dumbledore who lost them by accident during a fight.

I started up the Dursleys' dinner as quickly as I possibly could and made Dudley his favorite monster bacon burger, Uncle Vernon his big, juicy steak, and Aunt Petunia a chicken caesar salad. I served them politely but was not met by the same politeness.

"It isn't biiiig enoooooough!" DUDLEY whined.

"You heard him, girl, do it over!" Uncle Vernon barked, giving me a shove back towards the stove. I sighed and put together another huge burger with three burgers stacked and at least five pieces of bacon. The Dursleys always unsettled me and I was nervous around them, could you blame me? I make one wrong move and I'm belted and shoved in my cupboard. As I was walking towards Dudley, I accidentally dropped his plate. You see, other then being nervous around them, I'm dead clumsy anywhere, not a good combo. I didn't want to have to clean up the mess and get in trouble, the next thing just happened. Suddenly, the plate started going up instead of down and landed on the table in front of Dudley...oops! I was going to get it for sure.

"Freeeeaaaak? What did we tell you about doing those things!" Uncle Vernon roared. He rocketed up, mustache twitching, face purpling, vein in his neck undulating madly, lard belly wiggling like mutant jello. He ripped off his belt and grabbed me by the arm, pulling me to the living room where I was unceremoniously dropped to the ground on my stomach where I hit my nose on the wood floor and my glasses cracked at the nose, again, my shirt pulled up, and pants and undies pulled down to right past my rear. He grinned manically and started whapping, the point making contact with my flesh like so many times before. I held everything back like I had trained myself. It was only worse if you let your emotions through. I went into a state of numbness, unfeeling, unknowing, I felt the stings and whaps but paid no attention. Eventually, a rogue tear slipped loose which I tried my hardest to wipe away.

"You-will-not-do-that-again-do-you-understand-me-you-little-freak?" Uncle Vernon roared, whapping me with his belt each time.

"Ye-yes, uncle!" I stuttered, holding my aching nose and glasses with my right hand. Uncle Vernon grabbed me up by my shirt collar and brought me right to his face.

"Cupboard...two weeks other then school...no food...go!" he barked, opening the cupboard and shoving me in, slamming the door behind me and locking it. Knowing that I was alone, I allowed my first tears to escape. Just because I wouldn't cry in front of people didn't mean I didn't cry by myself. Then I remembered that my little fairy friends were their.

"Oh sweetie, I can't believe that man!" Wanda said, flying over to me as I flopped on my stomach, taking off my pair of heavily taped and bent plastic ten-dollar drug store specs and tossing them lightly to the head of my little sleeping pad.

"Ju-ju-just go, guys!" I sobbed. Wanda poofed up a box of tissues and gave it to me.

"Ooh, look at the pretty patterns!" Cosmo said, landing on my very sore back.

"Ouch! Gerroff you idiot!" I snapped, swiping at him.

"Ouchie!" Cosmo said as he thunked the floor.

"You deserved it, dummy, I swear you're almost as dumb as Dudley! I don't mean to sound mean, but it's true! Wanda, is his head filled with boron or something?" I asked as I covered my shirt over my scars, both old and new.

"That's what I always say, sweetie!" Wanda said with a sigh, I actually laughed as I sat up.

"You know what, I could get used to you guys!" I said with a meek smile.

;Chapter Two: Of Wishes and Explanations

"So," I said. "Can you tell me more of these rules now?"

"Sure, Tiffany!" Wanda said. "Like we said before, we can grant wishes. Their are rules and we can't grant wishes against the rules. Wishes to goof up true love, wishes that are exceedingly stupid, and now wishes that change the course of history among other wishes."

"Oh...so I couldn't wish my parents alive again or wish they were never killed? (sigh) I don't even know their names, I only know my own, Tiffany Lily Potter, Tiffy for short."

"Nooope, can't bring anyone back from the dead...except for that gerbil of Timmy's!" Cosmo chimed.

"He's actually right, sweetie, if we brought your parents to life, it wouldn't be the same. Also, our last godchild, Timmy Turner, goofed up the history thing. He once let a magic muffin into the hands of a monkey and his crazy fifth grade teacher who was one of our old godchildren and was still convinced fairies exist. You see, most godkids get their memories whiped...but magical children's minds never get wiped because wizards and witches have spells to break down memory charms anyway. Tiffany, sweetie, we were your mom's godparents."

"What? Spells? Witches? Wizards? Magic? I knew it had to exist, I always felt that it did and you guys are proof. So you guys were my mum's fairies?"

"They were, I wasn't born yet, I'm only eight, how old are you again?" Poof asked.

"I'm ten, I'll be eleven in July." I said.

"Reeeeally? I thought you were younger!" Cosmo said airily.

"Nah, that's just the result of being undernourished and stuck in a cupboard for ten years. I'm just small for my age. Hey, can you guys fix my glasses?"

"You got to wish for it, kid!" Cosmo piped.

"Erm...I wish you would fix my glasses and make them whole again!" I said, grabbing my glasses and holding them out.

"Done!" Cosmo said. The star on his wand glowed and my glasses fell into tiny pieces.

"Cosmo you idiot!" Wanda and I both snapped at the same time, then started to laugh.

"Finally somebody who understands me!" Wanda said, waving her wand and fixing my glasses. "I've been with him for almost 10000 years and he never changes!"

"Hey!" Cosmo said indignantly.

"Awe, you know I love you!" Wanda said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"So tell me more about my mum!" I said.

"Well, your mom was a witch, literally. She was what they call muggle-born, that means her family wasn't magical. We were assigned to her after we were with one of her friends, Severus. Cosmo showed himself to his parents and their memories were wiped, except Severus. Severus was a wizard. If he's still alive, he'll remember us. Your mom would too even though she probably wouldn't bring it up. Anyway, with non-magic children, like our last one, their memories are wiped. Magical children's memories aren't wiped because their are spells to make them remember anyway. We were assigned to your mom because of the way her sister, Petunia, treated her." Wanda explained.

"Yeah, she was a meeeeaaaaanie!" Cosmo said matter-of-factly.

"My aunt, she was probably jealous because she wasn't magical too!" I said. "I can't believe her!"

"Yes, she was very jealous. It was Severus who told your mom about magic, that's when Petunia first started to be nasty to her. Anyway, when she was eleven, your mom received a letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was excited but Petunia started to call her freak and make her cry. Your mother was a brilliant witch, Tiffany, great at every class. The school she went too had four houses, Gryffindor for the brave, Hufflepuff for the loyal, Ravenclaw for the wise, and Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning. Your mom and future dad were sorted into Gryffindor while Severus was sorted into Slytherin. Your dad and Severus didn't get along, neither did your mom and dad at first. Your dad was head over heals for your mom, but she thought he was...what's that British saying, oh yes, an arrogant prat! Your mom's and Severus's relationship started to decay eventually because he got different friends and started expressing interest in the dark arts. Your dad became part of a group of friends called the Marauders. He and his three friends would go around planning pranks—com"

"So _that's_ where I get it!" I piped. "Oh Wanda, it was brilliant the one time I was able to rig Dudley's door with a bucket of Aunt Petunia's frilly panties! You should have seen his face, he was horrified! Plus, he had a particularly pink and lacy pair on his fat head! He looked like a demented Little Bo Peep!"

"Yup, just like your dad. Anyway, your dad and two of his friends plus your mom found out that the fourth member of the group was a werewolf so your dad and the two boys became animagi, that means they could turn into animals. They gave each other nicknames, the boy who was a werewolf, Remus Lupin, became Moony, the second boy, Sirius Black, became Padfoot because he was a dog animagus, the third boy, Peter Petigrew, became wormtale because of his rat form, and your dad became Prongs because he became a stag—com"

"So that's what I remember riding when I was really young, my dad! I've got really vague memories of those people. Did Mum have red hair?"

"Yeah, and those pretty green eyes of yours, I love green!" Cosmo chirped, I laughed.

"Anyway, they helped Remus with his transformations. Your mom's and Severus's friendship fell apart completely one time when they were fifteen. Your dad and his friends were picking fun at Severus right after a big test, they were down by the lake. They levitated him upside-down. Your mom tried to help and your dad said he'd stop if she went out with him. Well, she tried to stop them again and Severus spat out that he didn't need a mudblood helping him even though he was half of one himself. You see, Severus's father was a muggle and his mother a witch. A mudblood is a fowl word for someone who is muggle-born. That really hurt your mom and she ended their friendship that night. Severus tried to reconcile, but your mom was just too hurt. Your parents started to date when they were in their sixth year of Hogwarts and were sixteen years old. In the wizzarding world, you're an adult at seventeen but us fairies don't leave until you're an adult in the non-magic world. You're proof that your parents married after all. If it's any consolation, your father, James, was about your size at this age and your mother, Lily, was nothing short of petite when she was eleven. Both of them grew to good sizes." Wanda said.

"Wow! So their names were James and Lily. Sometimes I have dreams about one night when I was a baby, I think it was the last night I saw them. Dad was telling Mum to take me and run because their was someone in the house. Mum stayed and ran up to the nursery and shut the door. This evil man made it through the door and she begged him not to kill me. She fell in green light and then the same green light filled my eyes, then I always wake up. Sometimes I dream about a flying motorcycle too. So what did they look like?"

"Your mom had beautiful red hair, a kind face, and your eyes. You mostly look like your dad. James was a pureblood meaning he came from an all magic family. He had hazel eyes, your nose, your mouth mainly, and you _definitely_ get your unruly black hair from him as well as your size and those knobby knees of yours."

"Whenever I'm angry, my hair always goes red, I can change my appearance and I wonder why." I said.

"That's not normal, not even for a witch like you!" Wanda mused. Now I knew I was a witch, not a freak like the Dursleys said I was. "I've heard of witches and wizards who can change their appearance, they're known as metamorphmagi. Their are also some metamorphmagi who can change their voices, can you do this?"

"I have before, yeah, when I was imitating Dudley. So I'm a metamorphmagus and a witch? Oh yeah, sometimes I get premonitions or something like that or I have inklings. Is that something else?"

"That's called being a seer. The Ministry of Magic has tests for these things." Wanda said. They spent the next few hours telling me all about the magical world, Diagon Alley, The Leaky Cauldron, Gringots, transportation like appearation, floo powder, and the night bus, and tons of other things. We even came up with a cover story of how I learned about magic, I stumbled right into the Leaky Cauldron on a trip to London where I got sepearated from my family. I couldn't very well tell them that my fairy godparents and godbrother had told me!

"We'll tell you a bit more tomorrow, Tiffy, but we'd like to go and see what happened to your parents, okay?" Wanda asked around ten PM.

"Okay, g'night!" I said, hugging my new fairy family all in turn before slipping under my sheet and falling fast asleep.

It was so sweet and so sad to watch that girl go to sleep, Wanda mused as she poofed up a quilt that would still look like a thin sheet to the Dursleys so Tiffy wouldn't get in trouble. It was obvious that she had been through a lot in her life.

"Let's go!" she said to Cosmo and Poof. The three of them poofed to Fairy World right outside Jorgan VonStrangle's office. Wanda timmidly knocked on the office door.

"What do you want, puny fairies?" Jorgan boomed as he opened the door.

"We want to know more about Tiffany!" the three of them said.

"She wants to know what happened to her parents, we want to know. Also, we wonder where that scar on her forhead in the shape of a lightning bolt came from, it obviously wasn't one from her uncle!" Wanda said.

"Ah yes, come in!" Jorgan said gruffly, the three fairies obliged.

"Tiffany's parents were killed by one of your former godchildren, Tom Riddle who is also known as Lord Voldemort."

"I knew it!" Wanda said.

"He was after Tiffany and her family, especially Tiffany. Their's some sort of prophecy but I don't know much. The Potters were in hiding under a human charm, the fidilious, and they had a secret keeper. Most people suspect it was Sirius Black but I know for a fact that it was Peter Petigrew who gave away their location. I want you to tell Tiffany and get Sirius out of prison. Even I think that an innocent man should not be rotting their. Anyway, Peter Petigrew never was murdered by Sirius either. Peter faked his own death and is hiding as a pet rat at the house of a pureblood family called the Weasleys."

"Why didn't you do something before you Jarhead?" Wanda demanded.

"Because, puny fairy, I couldn't exactly show up on earth now, could I? I assigned you to Tiffany as soon as I could. I didn't want her to have any other godparents. Despite your countless screw-ups, I think you are the best...now don't let that get out of this room, puny fairies! Anyway, Tom killed James first on the bottom floor, then he killed Lily who sacrificed herself for her daughter. When Tom hit Tiffany with the killing curse, it backfired and hit him instead, leaving him without a body. She is famous in the wizarding world, known as the girl who lived because she is the only one to have survived the killing curse since it was created. She will have to fight him eventually but I do not know when, stupid puny humans and their wars!" Jorgan grumbled.

"Thanks!" the three of them piped before poofing back to Tiffany's cupboard.

The next morning, I woke up more rested then ever. The Dursleys were going to an amusement park until Friday, this being the first Tuesday of winter break, so I would be in the cupboard for a while unless Cosmo and Wanda could get me out.

"Tiffy, we have some news about your parents and how they died." Wanda said. She, Cosmo, and Poof explained all about Voldemort and how he was one of their previous godchildren. They explained how I was famous and how my parents were given away by that _bloody_ _fucking_ _rat!_

"They didn't die in a car crash...they were betrayed...that bloody rat...I can't believe it...I wish we were at the Weasley's house!" I said in quick succession.

Chapter Three: Catching The Rat and Saving Sirius

Wanda sighed and poofed the four of us outside a country home that looked like it was held up merely by magic. She, Cosmo, and Poof became pink, green, and purple bracelets on my wrists. I walked up and knocked on the door. It was answered by a motherly woman with fiery red curls streaked with bits of grey.

"May I help you...oh my...Tiffany Potter...come in, dear, come in!" she said in a rush. I liked her already, she seemed like a very caring person, I hadn't really come upon any until last night.

"Mrs. Weasley, right? I have the suspicion that your family rat might be someone long thought dead. Do you know any sort of...erm...charm to make an animagus show themselves?"

"I haven't any reason to believe that Scabbers is anybody but an old rat!" Mrs Weasley said. "He's been in the family for ten years!"

"And do rats, even magical ones, live that long?" I asked. "Forgive me for being rude, I have only found out about the magical world yesterday and what a shock. I quite literally walked right into the Leaky Cauldron, my Muggle relatives were shopping in London and dragged me along to be the bag carrier. I eventually sepearated only to find out everything about what happened, my aunt and uncle lied to me. Anyway, I was going through some of my dad's old stuff in Gringots and I found out that Peter Petigrew was an unregistered rat animagus, my dad a stag, and Sirius a big black dog. I know this all seems farfetched, but does "Scabbers" have any missing didgets on his paws?"

"Oh my...erm...yes! As soon as my husband gets here we'll do the spell, I'll fire-call him!" Mrs. Weasley said.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. You've got to be the nicest person I've met, thank you so much!"

"It's no problem, dear, and what are you doing wearing that in the dead of winter?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "You're so thin and pale and...what's this? Are those bruises on your arms, dear, be truthful, and are you bruised or cut anywhere else?"

"Erm..." I trailed off, but Mrs. Weasley already seemed to know by the look in my eyes.

"Bloody Muggles, I'll hex them into next _century!_ That settles it, you're staying here with us, dear!" I tried to protest, but it was all in vain.

"Why don't you wash up, I'll show you where the bathroom is!" Mrs Weasley said. She led me upstairs and to a small bathroom. "Their you go, dear, take your time!" I thanked her and shut the door. I was hardly allowed any time for showers or anything at the Dursleys' so I was really happy to be getting treated so nicely.

I took my time in the nice, hot bath and used some scented bubble bath before getting out and drying off. Their was a rapping on the door and I opened it, making sure I was covered by my towel. It was a boy about two years older then me.

"Aaaaahhhhh, bloody hell!" he screamed. "Oy, Forge, their's a strange girl in our bathroom!" the redhead hollered. An identical one came bounding down the hall.

"Oh, so their is, Gred!" he said.

"Erm...Forge? Gred? Makes me think of Hansel and Grettle, ha ha!" I said. The twins grinned at me, obviously pranksters.

"Actually I'm Fred—com"

"And I'm George—com"

"And you're in our bathroom why?" they finished together. "And who are you?"

"I've come about a certain rat and I'm...erm...Tiffany Potter, just call me Tiffy.

"Bloody hell it's Tiffy Potter!" the twins shouted, I was never going to get used to that, me being famous, I mean. Their was a pounding of feet running down the hall. First came a boy who looked about seventeen, then a bookish-looking guy who looked about fourteen, then a boy who was about my age, then a girl who looked about a year younger then me even though most people would probably think we were both the same age.

"What's this all about?" the oldest boy asked.

"This had better not be one of your juvenile jokes, you two, I was very much in the middle of a captivating book with information about the ministry!" the fourteen-year-old nerd said.

"What are you? A talking dictionary? And does it hurt?" I asked from behind the twins.

"Erm, does what?" the boy asked, his brown eyes looking curiously in the twins' direction.

"The stick up your arse, it might need surgically removed before you become as stiff as a board, both physically and figuratively!" I said with a mischievous grin, stepping out from behind the twins and flipping my black hair out of my face. The boy looked gobsmacked because A, I, Tiffany Potter, was in his house, B, I, Tiffany Potter, just insulted him just as I was sure the twins did, C, I, Tiffany Potter, used vocabulary just as advanced as his and I was four years younger, and D, I, Tiffany Potter was only wrapped in a towel.

"Brilliant!" the twins chorused. I grinned happily.

"Oy, where's that mum of yours? She's s'posed to bring me some clothes!" I said.

"What's going on here...oh, Tiffany, I'm sorry, did the twins walk in on you? Honestly, you boys know better, why didn't you knock?"

"They did, Mrs. Weasley, or rather Fred here did!" I pointed at the twin on my left.

"How'd you know I was Fred and not him?" he asked.

"If your sweaters are any indication...and you, Fred, have an extra freckle that's bearly noticeable beneath your right eye."

"Again—com" Fred started.

"Brilliant!" George finished.

"Mum she—com" Fred said.

"Just put Percy—com" George continued.

"In his place!" they finished.

"And I used his vocabulary to boot!" I said with a laugh. "He was beeing a bit pompous and acting all over-important!" Without thinking, I morphed my face into that of the boy, Percy's. "This had better not be one of your juvenile jokes, you two, I was very much in the middle of a captivating book about the ministry!" I mocked in his voice. Everyone looked shocked, even Mrs. Weasley.

"Bloody hell, a metamorphmagus to boot!" the oldest boy exclaimed.

"Charles Weasley watch your language!" Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. I morphed back and grinned. "Oh, and Tiffany dear, I've brought you some of Ginny's clothes!" she passed me a simple pair of jeans with a pink T-shirt, socks, and underwhere.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley!" I said. As I went back into the bathroom I heard her mutter, "Just like James but with the right amount of Lily!" I grinned to myself and changed quickly, emerging from the bathroom a few minutes later, my half-dried black hair already sticking up at odd angles and going in curls down to my waste, my glasses perched on my face. I went back downstairs to find everyone their including a thin man with hair that was balding but was just as red as the rest of his children's.

"Perhaps we'd all better introduce ourselves!" Mrs. Weasley said. "I'm Molly, this is my husband Arthur, we have an older son, Bill who's nineteen and in Egypt as a Gringots curse breaker, Charlie here is seventeen and in seventh year, Percy's in fourth year and just turned fifteen, Fred and George are twelve and in second year, Ron's ten and hasn't started, and Ginny is almost ten and will start the year after you do. Percy's brought his rat and Arthur will perform the spell. Please let it out of it's cage, Percy!" Percy did so and the rat attempted to scuttle across the room and escape, but I was too fast. I ran forward and grabbed the thing by it's tale. Mr. Weasley spoke several odd words and waved his wand around in intricate patterns. Suddenly, I was holding a fistful of a short, fat, balding man's shirt. The very sight of him made me _sick!_ Before the _rat_ could do anything, I forced him around, I had always been abnormally strong.

"You...bloody...disgusting...nasty...loathsome...creature! I...should...kill...you...now!" I said, delivering a hard punch on the "kill" to his nose and a hard kick on the "now" to his balls. He grunted in pain, blood gushing from his nose and his legs all scrunched up. "You were their friend, you were their friend and you _betrayed_ them!" I yelled. I knew that my hair was as red as it had ever gone, I could've passed for my mum or a Weasley at that moment. Before Petigrew could react, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, and Charlie had all shouted the same thing at the man, stupify. The man fell to the floor, I gave him a good kick before joining the Weasleys.

"Let's get him to the ministry, Tiffany!" Mr. Weasley said.

"Yeah, before I kill him, and you can just call me Tiffy!" I said.

"Remind me—com" Fred started.

"To never get—com" George continued.

"On her bad side!" they finished together.

"She's definitely got the Prewett-Weasley-redhead temper, it's almost as though she's related!" Charlie agreed.

"Right, Molly, stay here with everyone. Tiffy and I will go take this lump to the ministry and have him questioned under truth syrum!" Mr. Weasley levitated Petigrew over to him. "We're going to do side-along appearition, it's fastest so just grab my arm!" I obliged and felt as though I was being sucked through a drinking straw. Suddenly, however, we were in a big atrium. Mr. Weasley led me over to a lift, Petigrew floating behind. He pressed a button and we went to a floor which was for magical law enforcement. Mr. Weasley led me right to the head's office and knocked.

"Come in!" came a kind voice. Mr. Weasley opened the door.

"It turns out that our pet rat is actually Peter Petigrew who was thought dead, Madam Bones!" Mr. Weasley said bitterly, hovering the rat man into the room and plunking him on a chair. "I demand that he be questioned under veratasyrum immediately in the presence of the minister!" The woman gasped.

"Oh my god, of course, it's just Amelia by the way, and how did you come to this discovery?" she asked.

"Me, ma'am!" I said stepping forward. "I was looking through some of my dad's old things at Gringots and I found the secret keeper info, I didn't think to take it out of the vault, though!" I said. the woman looked astonished. She stuck her head into a fireplace in her office and came back out a few minutes later.

"The minister will be here shortly!" she said.

A few minutes later a short man with whispy brown hair, squinty eyes, and a hidious lime green bowler hat came through the flames.

"What's this about Peter Petigrew being alive, Amelia?" he asked.

"He's right here, Cornelius, or do you not recognize him? He was two years below me and three below you in school. You might not recognize him because you were in Hufflepuff!" Madam Bones said.

"But he's dead..." Cornelius, as Madam Bones so plainly called him, stuttered.

"Shut up, Corny Boy, can you not see? Don't you see the ugly fat bald guy in the chair? Do you still want to say he is not here? That I found nothing? That I am seeking attention? No, that is not the truth. The truth is that you, you disgusting, loathsome, stubborn man of the cheesepuffs, have been keeping Sirius Black, my Uncle Padfoot, my father's best friend, my _godfather,_ an innocent man in Azkaban for more then _nine_ years, _NINE_ _BLOODY_ _YEARS!_ If it was up to me, I'd have you sacked and _kissed:_ God knows all the innocent people you put in Azkaban without a trial you _sorry_ excuse for a man! I don't care that you're the bloody freaking Minister of Magic, I wouldn't care if you were the bloody freaking god of the bloody _UNIVERSE!_ Listen to me closely you wretched, vial man! You are going to listen to Petigrew under veratisyrum, you will look for no loopholes to keep Sirius in prison, and you're going to bloody tell me why my mum's picture looks like a variation of Molly Weasley!" I yelled, my hair going red, my eyes blazing, my body shifting to look very much like my mother.

"You be quiet you silly little girl! You do realise that you have broken several laws just by talking to me that way? That's verbal assault, little girl, abuse!" Fudge said cooly.

"_OH_ _I'LL_ _GIVE_ _YOU_ _ASSAULT_ _AND_ _ABUSE!"_ before anyone could stop me, I had lunged at the Minister of Magic, socking him in his mouth, his nose, his eyes, everywhere I could reach. I finally finished with the hardest kick in the balls I could muster before I collapsed into a chair and sobbed. Madam Bones came over to try and comfort me.

"I'm so so sorry, Mis Potter!" she said soothingly.

"Ple-please, I don't wanna be treated like a celebraty! I just want Petigrew in jail and I'm very curious why my mum looked so similar to Molly Weasley except her hair was a bit darker and her eyes green, she was clearly younger too." I sniffed.

"Don't worry, Tiffy, we'll find out. Also, I'll have you take a herritage potion. Don't worry about Fudge, I don't know if we can impeach him, but he will be much less popular." Madam bones said. Fudge had already waddled out of the room. Just a few minutes later, two people came in.

"Ah, aurors Dawlish and Shacklebolt!" Madam Bones said. "Here for Petigrew?"

"No, we're here for Potter!" said a short man. "Tiffany Potter is an extreme danger to the Minister, Amelia. She has broken his nose, his jaw, nearly scrambled his privates, and broken god knows what else !was

"Tiffany Potter is a child, she isn't even eleven." Amelia said. Shacklebolt stepped forward and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry but we must. We will loose our jobs. I'll try and get her out as soon as possible." Shacklebolt said. Mr. Weasley was in the corner but stpoke up.

"Oh no, Shacklebolt, she might just be the daughter of the sister Molly never knew about! I will _not_ have her going to Azkaban!" he said fiercely.

"I won't _either!"_ I said, jumping up. "That place is filled with dementors! I just find out about this world yesterday and you want to throw me in _prison!_ Maybe I should give you the Royal Fudgy Treatment then, Shackles, BABYDOLL!" I said. Shacklebolt, Madam Bones, and Mr. Weasley had to hold back their smiles and laughs of amusement, pride, or amazement. Dawlish looked very annoyed and grabbed me hard by the arm.

"Oh no you don't, Doll Face!" I said, kneeing him in the crotch. "I've spent nine years being bullied by my cousin. It's either beat up or get beat up, I've learned a lot, but I don't even know if he's my _real_ cousin now! If you guys want me, you'll have to drag me away kicking and screaming!"

that's exactly what Dawlish did, Shacklebolt following behind me. Other aurors met us, some looking annoyed at Dawlish and the minister's actions, some looking disgustedly at me, the girl-who-lived trying to beat up a top auror. As we passed through, their were several shouts of "_STUPIFY!"_ I felt all of them hit me and I went unconcious.

Chapter Four: Azkaban, Meeting Sirius Black, A New Aunt And Uncle, And Finally Free

When I came to myself, I was on a boat and in a drab grey outfit. We were going across some waters with a bleak grey sky up above. I jumped up but was knocked down by Baby-Doll.

"Oh no you don't, Potter! It's for the good of the magical community you stay here! You did that dammage without a wand, imagine what you could do with!" he said coldly. "You'll be in the same high-security cell as your rotten dirty _godfather!"_ My hair blazed red and I spat in Dawlish's face before Shacklebolt took me away from him gently.

"I am so sorry about this, Tiffany, if I didn't comply, I'd be fired. If it makes you feel better, your parents trusted me, you'll be alright. Maybe Sirius will teach you how to become an animigus, it's the reason he's still sane." His cool, calm voice helped me calm down and I began to weep. It was then that I realized my bracelets were missing.

"Where's my bracelets, Mr. Shacklebolt, you've graduated to real-name status with me."

"I've got them here but everyone else insists that I keep them with me. Nobody but me, Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape know what they are. You could say I wasn't the most happy child, got some stuck-up dunce named Wanddisimo Magnifico who wouldn't shut up about some fairy chick named Wanda!" I laughed at this.

"Thanks, Mr. Shacklebolt. And is it possible that I could get that mound of crap called the Daily Profit delivered to me every day? I want to see what it says!"

"Sirius already gets coppies, you'll be all right." Shacklebolt said. "And you can just call me Kingsley!"

"Thanks, Kingsley!" I said. When I went to give him some semblance of a hug or arm shake, I realized my hands were behind my back and my feet shackled together. _ I'll have these off within the day!_ I thought to myself. We arrived at a huge, bleak prison guarded by hundreds of hooded creatures. All the happiness felt gone from me, I could here a woman's scream...then I passed out. What seemed like a second later, I was being slapped by Mr. Baby-Doll.

"Oh no you don't, you won't play that innocent fainting game with _me!"_ he hissed.

"Woman...screaming...oh god...mummy..." I sobbed. Dawlish whapped me upside my head again.

"Ulrich, I don't think that necessary!" Kingsley said.

"Of _course_ it is, Shacklebolt, she clearly faked it!" Dawlish snapped.

"No she did _not,_ Ulrich, it is quite clear. I am disgusted with your actions and I will have her out ASAP along with Sirius!" Kingsley growled before gingerly picking me up. The unhappiness that came from the dementors was far too much and I passed out.

"Prongslet, Prongslet, wake up, Prongslet!" came a voice I only heard in dreams.

"Un-uncle Padfoot?" I asked groggily.

"It's me, Prongslet, what in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

"I found Petigrew, I had some...erm...company that visited me last night."

"You mean fairies? I had one myself, some Wandisimo guy, I think Shacklebolt had him before me. Being the only Gryffindor in a house full of Slytherins would make anyone miserable. Go on, Prongslet!"

"Anyway, they're my godparents and brother now..."

"What? Their hasn't been a fairy baby born in thousands of years because of some guy named Cosmo!" Sirius said.

"Well, he's Cosmo and Wanda's son! Anyway, they figured out you were innocent. They figured out where Petigrew was, a rat pet of the Weasleys. Mr. Weasley did the spell and their the rat was. I punched him in the nose and kicked him in his privates before Mr. Weasley, Molly Prewett Weasley, who just might be my aunt, and Charlie, who _just_ _might_ _be_ _my_ _cousin_ stupified him. I've been living with abusive Muggles for nine years and they might not even be related to me. I say this because Mum's picture looks a lot like a younger Mrs. Weasley except for the darker red hair and emerald eyes. So yeah, I've been beaten, whapped by belts, teased, bullied, and all around abused just to find out they weren't my family. Dudley scared away every nice muggle I tried to befriend and turned the teachers against me but I could've lived with the Weasleys or you _all_ _along!_ I'll be taking a herritage potion sometime! Anyway, Madam Bones believed me on the spot and went to get Fudge-For-Brains. He denied that it was really Peter Petigrew. I'll give you my exact words that I said to him too! "Shut up, Corny Boy, can you not see? Don't you see the ugly fat bald guy in the chair? Do you still want to say he is not here? That I found nothing? That I am seeking attention? No, that is not the truth. The truth is that you, you disgusting, loathsome, stubborn man of the cheesepuffs, have been keeping Sirius Black, my Uncle Padfoot, my father's best friend, my _godfather,_ an innocent man in Azkaban for more then _nine_ years, _NINE_ _BLOODY_ _YEARS!_ If it was up to me, I'd have you sacked and _kissed:_ God knows all the innocent people you put in Azkaban without a trial you _sorry_ excuse for a man! I don't care that you're the bloody freaking Minister of Magic, I wouldn't care if you were the bloody freaking god of the bloody _UNIVERSE!_ Listen to me closely you wretched, vial man! You are going to listen to Petigrew under veratisyrum, you will look for no loopholes to keep Sirius in prison, and you're going to bloody tell me why my mum's picture looks like a variation of Molly Weasley!" boy that made him mad!"

"Merlin, Tiffy, you've got your mother's mouth, that's for sure, but you use more curses then James or Lily dared, and this was to the Minister too, is that why you're _here?"_ Sirius asked incredulously. I smirked contentedly and curled up in my godfather's arms to tell him the rest of the story.

"Like I said, he got really pissed, here's what he said. "You be quiet you silly little girl! You do realize that you have broken several laws just by talking to me that way? That's verbal assault, little girl, abuse!"!" I morphed my face into Fudge's as I mocked him in his voice.

"Abuse? I'll show the bloody wanker what _abuse_ is!" Sirius roared.

"I already did. I was so mad I became like a replica of Mum! "_OH_ _I'LL_ _GIVE_ _YOU_ _ASSAULT_ _AND_ _ABUSE!"_ Then, I flat out beat up the Minister of Magic!" I said with a smile. "Bloody ponce deserved it!" I growled.

"Damn right! So what next?"

"He sent aurors to bring me here just because I'd, according to Baby-Doll Doll-faced Dawlish, "Broken his nose, his jaw, nearly scrambled his privates, and broken god knows what else!" He deserved it. Kingsley was with him but was sympathetic. He said he'd get us out of here ASAP. Anyway, I told Baby-Doll that he'd have to drag me out kicking and screaming which is exactly what happened, Kingsley trailing behind. Some aurors looked really annoyed with Dawlish and Fudge but others looked just plain pissed that I, the girl who lived, had beat up the Minister and was attempting to beat up one of their "top aurors", I can read people really well. Anyway, all of the aurors that were pissed off at me cast stupify at me, I dunno, five? Ten? Fifteen give or take, I think—com"

"_WHAT?_ You mean to bloody tell me that at least ten aurors stupified you, a ten-year-old girl?" Sirius demanded.

"Yeah, but not Auror Shacklebolt and the good majority. I woke up on the boat on the way out here. I jumped up but Doll-Face pushed me down saying I was a danger and would be in the same high-security cell as my "filthy dirty godfather" so I spat in his face. Apparently, Auror Shacklebolt _did_ have that Wandisimo dude before you because he said my fairies were safe. Then, we came here and I passed out because of the dementors and I heard a woman screaming and I know it was Mummy...oh Mummy...she sacrificed herself for me, Uncle Padfoot. Dawlish slapped me to wake me up, slapped me hard. When I was saying things about Mum, he hit me again. So I spat in his face and kicked him in the crotch, BFD, if he was crying and muttering I wouldna slapped him or whapped him upside his head! Kingsley stood up for me and then I passed out, now I'm here!" Sirius just held me closer. "Now I'm gonna get these shackles off, I'm a master escape artist. Think you can teach me how to become an animagus, Padfoot? I'm already a metamorphmagus, I know that, and a verbamorphmagus."

"Their are a rare few metamorphmagi who can turn into any animal they want, but they can also become animagi much easier. When a metamorphmagus is in their animagus form, they can't morph except back to normal. Just concentrate on the form your inner animal likes best, think of your personality and an animal that matches it. It takes some time, Merlin knows it took us until fifth year, but you might get it pretty quickly!" I smiled and thought about it. All of the sudden, I could feel a coolness going over my body and I became something totally new. I looked down to find tiger-striped paws. I tried to change the colors but couldn't. "You did it on the first try, and you're not even eleven!" Sirius exclaimed, turning into a big, black dog. He barked out but I found I could understand him in that form. "You're a big tiger, your stripes remind me of that muggle bubble-gum, Funstripes, that's what I'll call you, Funstripes! Plus, you're very colorful!"

"Why thank you, Padfoot!" I said.

"Your mum became an animagus after we left school, she was a tiger too. We called her Tigerlily. Funstrips fits you, though, no sane ten-year-old would beat up the Minister in the presence of the head of magical law enforcement! Merlin knows you'll be a wildfire with a wand!" I smiled in a cat-like way and licked Padfoot's scruffy coat.

"Too bad we don't have brushes, you're looking a bit scruffy, Padfoot!" I said, Padfoot's bluish gray eyes mock-glared at me and he grinned back at me. "What color are my eyes now? What about my glasses?"

"You've got Lily's animagus form but James's hazel eyes, funny, when you're human it's opposite. Also, you've got a thin black ring a little away from your eyes to show that you wear glasses normally. It fits you, your orangish red stripes and your black stripes, you look like the perfect combination between your parents, Tiffy!" Padfoot said. We heard footsteps shuffling down the hall and reverted back to our human forms.

"Food!" said a rough guard's voice, pushing in a trey of goop and two little glasses of water.

"Eeew, this is worse then the leftovers I got from the Dursleys!" I moaned, taking a bite.

"Just turn into Funstripes and eat, it will be a lot better that way!" Sirius said, turning into Padfoot. I smiled and turned into Funstripes, digging into the food. After we were done eating, Padfoot and I horsed around for a while, then we became human again and we fell asleep, me curled up on Sirius's lap, arms around each other, my shackles and cuffs having been removed. The two of us stayed like that until morning.

The next day, we were woke up by the food tray along with the delivery of the daily Profit. I looked at the front page and scowled.

"Look at this, Uncle Padfoot!" I growled. On the front page it read:

Girl-Who-Lived Beats Up Minister Of Magic Wandlessly

Yesterday, the girl-who-lived was escorted to the Ministry by one Arny Wesley claiming that the man they had with them was indeed one Peter Petigrew who was murdered by mass killer Sirius Black. When he calmly stated that it was not Petigrew Tiffany Potter exploded.

"I was just _gently_ telling her that it wasn't Petigrew even though Madam Bones seemed to think so. When I did, she went utterly mad! "You nasty horrible man, I'm the girl-who-lived and what I say goes! This is Petigrew, my _godfather_ is innocent, and if you don't let him out right now I'll...I'll _kill_ you!" She was raving mad, stark-raving _mad!_ I gently told her to calm down but she started to attack me wandlessly. I could feel these punches and jabs and kicks but she was in the same place. I fear she will be the next dark one, she is already too powerful. She is in Azkaban now with that horrible godfather of hers, the wizarding world is safe yet again."

The girl-who-lived will be in Azkaban indefinitely, no trial is needed to simply say that. Also, from a hair taken last night from her, we have determined that she is niece to one Polly Pruer-Wesley, wife to Arny Wesley and mother of seven children; Gillian (Gill,) Harlin (Harley, Priscilla (Prissy,) Theodore (Ted,) Joseph (Joe,) Donald (Don,) and Tequila (Quila,) Ranging from ages nine to nineteen. Apparently, Tiffany Potter's mother had been given to a muggle orphanage because they feared for her safety. Polly was nearly five at the time and her older twin brothers, Adrian and Hadrian were three. Let's just hope that the wizarding world will have a brighter future with the unstable girl-who-lived behind bars.

—Rita Skeeter—

"_UNSTABLE?_ _UNSTABLE?_ _I'M_ _BLOODY_ _UNSTABLE!"_ I yelled. "I can't believe that no-good dirty rotten vial excuse for a man, loyalty _in-freaking-deed!"_ I snapped, shoving the article towards Sirius. He growled in a doggish way and ripped up the paper.

"Unbelievable...can't believe...aargh! So you really _are_ Molly's niece, I always thought Lily looked quite a bit like a Prewett. So technically you were never Voldemort's "equal" when he tried to attack you. You're pureblood just as Neville Longbottom. Their was some sort of prophecy made, Tiffy, about one born at the end of july that the dark lord would mark as his equal. That either meant that it was you or Neville Longbottom who was born on July 30th. Voldemort chose you because he thought you were basically a halfblood like him, his dad was a muggle. If Lily really _had_ been muggle-born, you would be technically considered a halfblood because she would have been of muggle descent. Also, your uncles were _not_ named Adrian and Hadrian, they were Fabian and Gideon. Wow, you're a prewett _and_ a Potter, The Prewetts, Potters, and Weasleys are known as the three lightest families in the wizarding world. OF course, the Prewetts are gone now with the exception of you and the Weasley kids, Molly's married a Weasley and you and your cousins are Prewetts by descent now. It's really a bit of a shame, but their might be more Prewetts and Potters out their if you look, Prewetts, Potters, and Weasleys have _never_ been known to disown family unlike mine, I was disowned at the age of sixteen unofficially. My brother was killed a few years later for going against his master in some way and my parents died a few years later so I got all the Black family money. I think I'm related to Molly and your Mum as distant cousins or through marriage or something!" Sirius explained.

"Hey Uncle Padfoot, could you tell me all about the Marauders and their pranks and my parents?" I asked.

"No problem, Tiffy!" Sirius said. I transformed into Funstripes and Sirius into Padfoot and we talked about them all day.

For the next few days, it all went like that as the Profit dug up more things about me including my Muggle ex-relatives who made me out as a complete and total nutjob. We eventually just skimmed them and tossed them in a pile to use as piddle paper for when we were Funstripes and Padfoot. I eventually started to loose track of the days, it seemed to be getting gradually warmer. I hated it here other then Sirius. If it weren't for him, I would've gone insane long before this. The dementors gave me nightmares every night, of my parents' killings, of my uncles' beatings which Sirius was disgusted about and totally fuming when he saw the scars on my back.

"Padfoot, how did you manage this far?" I asked as I hugged him close. I was skeliton thin as he was, and I knew that my eyes were already just as haunted-looking as his were but it had only been...what, one? Two? Three months? Sirius eventually started to train me in my morphing abilities. I could now make myself look like an old woman or a little baby if I wanted too. Also, I was quite easily able to turn into any animal I wanted, even magical ones Sirius told me about. One of my favorite forms was the phoenix, I felt almost nothing from the dementors then. However, I could only stay an animal so long, their were guards walking up and down the halls, Ministry officials, that sort of thing. I didn't think I could ever forget the sounds of the screaming, the beging, the madness. In the cell to our left was Sirius's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. To our right was her husband Rudolphus. I found myself feeling more and more depressed, it was so easy to cry their. I wished I had never left the Dursleys...or not...I had met my true aunt, uncle, and cousins, I had met my Uncle Padfoot. Maybe some people would finally fix the Ministry's flawed justice system, someone like Amelia Bones, I really liked her. She should be the minister, not Fudge-For-Brains. Sirius and I kept ourselves occupied by talking about pranks. We probably had a good thousand prank ideas written on the wall. A photographic memory was something I was blessed with so I would remember them all, I would remember this place far too clearly. Sirius and I slept in shifts. He had just as many nightmares as I did.

"In something like mid-June, their was actually something good in the paper.

Minister Fudge Shown as Liar and Fraud

When Minister Fudge was attempting to give a memory of the happenings of December 22nd, 1990, the memory appeared to be a very patchworked display of Miss Potter's actions. It is the practice of the Ministry to review cases every six months. The memory prooved inadequate and the memories of one Arthur Weasley and Amelia Bones were examined to show something very different. Minister Fudge threatened and provoked the girl-who-lived. Both of her parents were known to have tempers. The Ministry has done a herritage sampling on the man claimed as Petigrew who has been in a Ministry holding cell and they have shown that he is, indeed, Peter Joseph Petigrew, presumed dead. The Ministry interrogated Petigrew on the happenings of 1981 and he was the one to betray the Potters, murder the muggles and also put a mad laughing hex on Sirius Black. Further memories of December 22nd, 1990, showed that their was no "wandless punching, kicking, and jabbing" it was true punching, kicking, and jabbing. We here at the Profit, at least those who are not secretly engaging in sexual intercourse with the minister so he can get written what he wants, feel that the bloke was simply embarrassed at having being beaten up by a ten-year-old girl and not even think about using his wand. According to St. Mungo's, Fudge's special organs are now completely unusable, sorry Rita Skeeter! That brings us to our next bit of news. Apparently Skeeter and Fudge have been trading sex for stories as long as Fudge has been minister, a long twelve years. Skeeter has been fired from the Profit and I, Ezma Schiflit, have taken her place as a fresh-out-of-Hogwarts Gryffindor who isn't scared to say what she thinks and report the truth. A ten-year-old girl has been sitting in Azkaban for six months and everyone is disgusted. Auror Dawlish and the other aurors who were violent towards Miss Potter in any way have been demoted to Rank 10, the lowest of all auror rankings. When Sirius Black is released, he will be given back his position as Auror and promoted to Level 3. Peter Petigrew will be given the Dementor's Kiss this afternoon. Also, Both Miss Potter and Mr. Black will receive compensation. Madam Bones has just been elected new Minister of Magic and I think it's about time we get an open-minded, spitfire Gryffindor such as herself in their. It's about damn time for a change!

—comEzma Schiflit—-

"Wahooo!" Sirius and I screamed excitedly, hugging each other. "We're free, we're free, we're free we're free we're _FREEEEE!"_ we sang.

That afternoon, Kingsley came to pick us up. The precession back to the mainland was great, the sky was blue, the air warm, and I was totally happy. I didn't know how long that haunted look would be in my eyes, but it would vanish in time. Wen we arrived at the dock, we were greeted by swarming press. The aurors pushed past them and we were portkeyed to the ministry in a large office where Amelia Bones sat as Minister of Magic. All around was my family, Aunt Molly, Uncle Arthure, and my seven cousins, the oldest one that I hadn't even met.

"Aunt Molly!" I squealed, launching my bone-and-muscle selfe towards her with all the strength I had left.

"Oh Tiffy, I can't believe what happened! That Fudge will be in your cell for a _long_ time! You're so thin, so is Sirius! You'll be living with us, dear, and Sirius can join you. Dumbledore says that you must still live with close family for the familial blood wards to work...oh my dear...that horrid place...look at you...the first thing you're doing, young lady, is taking a bath!" I laughed and hugged my kindly aunt harder. In her arms, in Sirius's arms, and surrounded by my red-haired family, I had never felt so at home. Now, though, that was just the word, I was home.

Chapter Three: Hogwarts


	81. The Other Sault

The Other Sault

An attempt to write some Charlie and the Chocolate family sort of… thing… with an extra golden ticket, and Veruca having a nice twin with a horrible name… Yeah…

Chapter One: The Golden Tickets

I stretched out in my over-luxurious bed in my over-luxurious room. My name is Kalgary Sault, twin to Verruca Sault. I'm the nice one, I'm not the snob, and I'm not Verruca's biggest fan. I also happen to be the oldest by twenty-five seconds. If I wanted too, I could have Mum and Dad around my petite little fingers like Ruca, but I don't. I'm a bit of a rebel. I wear jeans, sweatshirts, and tennis shoes even though Mum says they're not lady-like. I listen to rock, pop, and hip-hop even though Dad says they're just noise. I can cuss like a salty sailor even though Mum says cuss words are vulgar. I'm on all the sports' teams at our posh girls' school even though my parents say a lady is meant to cheer. Lastly, I hang out with whoever I damn well want too, even kids who go to public school, even if they say I shouldn't associate myself with dirt. They say this, I do that, that's just how it goes. I never get in trouble because that's just the way Mum and Dad are. Even Ruca does things that should get her in trouble. She's a total snob, which I am not, she's Little Miss Priss on every occasion, she demands everything she sees, Ruca would own the whole world if she could, and she isn't even sisterly to me any more. She used to be a great twin sis, we'd play and prance and it was hard to tell who was who. Now, past the first introduction, most people know I'm Kalgary, who would rather go by Kallie, and she's Verruca who hates nicknames, normal eleven-year-old versus snobby, sheltered eleven-year-old. I bet Ruca doesn't even know what the word _snog_ means! I'm not saying I do it, but I at least know what it means. Ruca is _so_ oblivious and she won't even lift a finger for hardly anything. Also, she's terrible at school but Mum and Dad say nothing, they just praise her for her C's and D's. I, however, have gotten streight A's all my life. I'm the good twin, if only Mum and Dad would see that. She's all ballet and ponies while I'm rock and video games, I forgot to mention I love video games! That's the one thing I _do_ use Mum and Dad's money for, all the games I want. I say, "May I please have such-and-such?" and they say, "_Darling,_ don't ask, just say what you want!" That's just what Ruca does, "I want this, I want that, Daddy give me that _now!"._ Ruca and I are totally identical physically, like I said, we both have medium brown hair, creamy skin, delicate face and body structures, and bright almond-shaped hazel eyes. Ruca's eyes lean more towards a powder-princess blue while mine lean towards an I-don't-give-a-damn green. That just about sums up my life.

I got up out of bed and went looking for a clean school uniform. I put on the shin-high white socks, the pleated navy and baby blue skirt that went to just above my knees, the pressed white shirt, the navy and baby blue tie, the navy blue blazer with the baby blue trim with the Lady Salera School for Girls crest on the left brest pocket, and the paten leather shoes. I put in a pair of silver hoop earrings and the silver locket that my boyfriend, boy who is my friend and not my boyfriend, Jack, who goes to public school that Mum and Dad don't approve of, gave me. Lastly, I put on my quartz watch that Mum insisted I should have and put my curly locks up into a high, oomphy ponytail. The one thing Ruca and I had in common was that we didn't wear makeup. She says she's too pretty and young, I say it's a pointless waste meant for nothing more then the illusion of perfection. Before I left the room, I grabbed my baby blue shoulder bag with the little navy blue music notes, I really do love music too, I play several instruments and am our school's lead mezzo-soprano.

I met Ruca in the hall and she had on the same outfit, naturally. However, she actually had it on "correctly". Her shirt was tucked in and her jacket buttoned up three buttons, her tie not haphazardly thrown on like mine. My socks weren't fully stretched out, my shirt had a wrinkle and came below my blazer, and my blazer was open. Ruca also had her hair down and styled with a pink flower clip holding her bangs back.

"Mornin', Ru!" I said.

"Don't call me that, Kalgary!" she snapped as we made our way down to the extravagant dining room.

"then don't call me that, Verruca!" I said cooly. I wasn't a bad child, I couldn't be disrespectful because their were no home rules to disrespect, I was always polite but I did have a temper when people, like Verruca, acted like total snobs. We entered into the room and sat down by Mum and Dad. The cook came out then and asked us what we wanted to eat.

"Just some cocoa puffs, thanks, Henrietta!" I said with a smile, Riri, as I called the young cook in private, smiled back. As far as the staff at this mansion of a house goes, I'm their favorite twin. I can tell that they want to bite Ruca's head off sometimes. Henrietta has been the cook we've had longest. Verruca always says things like "They didn't cook my veal enough!" or "My ice-cream is too _soft!"_ to get cooks fired. Riri has been giving me cooking lessons since I was nine. I must say I can cook very well by now.

"I want crapes cooked at exactly 450 degrees F. Also, I want some chilled orange juice and a bowl of strawberries with cream, you'd _better_ hurry up, _cook!"_ Verruca snapped. Mum and Dad already had breakfast so Henrietta went out of the room. A few minutes later, Henrietta came back with my cereal and milk with a glass of orange juice and Verruca's fancy meal.

"How do you stand that common food?" Mum asked me.

"Mum, it's chocolate, need I say more? The only way it could ever be better is if it was Wanka chocolate! Speaking of which, could you please get me a few bars on your grocery run today, Riri?"

"Sure, Kallie, no prob!" Riri said. I smiled.

After breakfast, Ruca and I headed out of the house. I would be heading to school on my electric scooter, naturally.

"Hay, Hank!" I greeted the mechanic in the garage.

"Hey, Kalli-o!" he said as he unplugged my charging scooter from it's power source. "Scooter's up and running for a new week! You really oughta join Frank sometime on that drive to school with that sister a yours, he could use someone who can handle her!" Frank was Hank's own twin and the only reason they were still around was because I, in one of my rare fits of begging, begged Mum and Dad to let them stay, they were the only twins I knew and they might be able to help Ruca and I get along.

"Maybe sometime, Hank!" I said as I got on my scooter, backed up, and went zipping off to school.

I arrived early, as per usual, and went to my locker to get out my English book.

"Hey, Kallie!" came the voice of one of my best friends at this school, Amanda Bideau. "Did you here about the golden tickets?"

"What?" I asked as we walked to English.

"Wonka's sent out six golden tickets all over the world. The six kids who get the tickets get to go to his factory in America and will win a special prize! It was on the news but they should have it on the afternoon news. Of course _you_ didn't see it, you sleep like a bloody corpse!"

"Oh zip it, Manda!" I snapped playfully as we got in our seats at the front of the classroom.

The school morning went pretty smoothly, as usual, and it was soon time for lunch. Unfortunately, Verruca and I had the same lunch. I got in line and wound up right behind Ruca.

"Hey, Ru-Verruca, how was your morning?" I asked comversationally.

"I want a golden ticket!" she said snobbishly. "I want it and I want to be the first! I'm going to make Daddy find it for me!"

"Gee, their's your tendancies again, Ru, why don't you actually _work_ for it? Maybe actually eat something other then your Purina Preppy-chow? I don't mean to sound mean, Ru, I really don't, but I really don't understand you! You used to be a great little sis and we were the best of friends, what happened, Ruca?"

"I realized that you just weren't good enough! I mean look at you, associating with common people like that boyfriend of yours and that Bideau girl, how she got in here I'll never know!" she said sniffily.

"How you ever got into the sixth _grade_ I'll never know!" Amanda snapped back.

"Manda, lay off, she _is_ my sister!" I said. "See, Ruca, I'd do anything I could for you, I'd help you out however if you'd only let me. No matter what you're my little sister and I love you!"

"Yes, well, I'm only younger by twenty-five seconds, no need to protect me. I'm far better off then you, at least I know who to asociate myself with and I don't dress like a boy and talk vulgarities!"

"Vulgarities? Listen to you! You sound fifty, not eleven. Ah well, if you want to be the spoiled pampered little brat then fine, don't let me _stop_ _you!"_ I snapped, almost losing my temper. Their was one thing I tried not to do and that was yell at my sister or insult her. That could get hard sometimes so I just had to look away.

"Cook, give me caviar with a slice of french bread and a dessert of baked Alaska!" Verruca snapped. The young cook behind the counter nodded and handed out Verruca's food.

"Hey, Elayne!" I said with a smile. "Could you give me two slices of that good-looking pizza their, some asparagus, and three Wonka chocolate bars?" I asked politely.

"Of course, Kallie!" she said and then whispered, "I don't understand how you and Verruca could be twins!" I laughed and headed towards the table that I shared with Manda and my other Lady Salera friend Lucila Worthington, my only friend that Mum and Dad "approved" of.

"You hear about the golden tickets?" she asked.

"Yeah, Luci, that's why I bought three chocolate bars! Once we eat our food, we can open the bars. If either of you get a ticket, don't bother to try and give it to me. The bars might have been bought with my own money, but I'm giving them to you!"

"And my parents wonder why I'm friends with you and not Rude-Face Ruca!" Luci said.

"Yeah, I know, but she's my sister." I said. "I almost think I'd miss her if she wasn't in the house. I can't live with her, can't live without her!" The next few minutes went quickly and it was time for the chocolate.

"Okay, girls, this is it, the moment of truth!" Manda, always the drama queen, said.

"Yup!" said Luci, the quietest of us.

"We open on three!" I said as the unspoken leader of the group. "One...two...three!" We all opened our wonka wrappers at the same time and looked in. Manda looked at hers and frowned slightly, she didn't have it.

"Ah well, you next, Luci!" she said. Luci looked and also frowned a little bit.

"Darn, better luck next time!" she said with a sigh. With exadurated slowness, I looked down at my bar to find...a hint of gold. I pulled it out to find a full golden ticket.

"_OH_ _MY_ _GOD!"_ I squealed. "I've got it, the golden ticket!" I said this in a whisper.

"You do? You do? Bloody hell that's _fantastic!"_ the two of them squealed together.

"Do either of you want it?" I asked. "You'll get to tour the factory and everyything, it'll probably just wind up as something my parents brag about!"

"Absolutely _not!"_ Manda said.

"If we get a ticket it will be on our own, but thanks!" Luci said. I grinned and flashed the ticket before attempting to put it away. Verruca saw, however, and came over.

"How did you get it?" she demanded. "I _wanted_ _that!"_

"I got it fair and square, Ru, I bought the chocolate, gave one bar each to Luci and Manda, and we opened them. I just got the ticket!"

"_BUT_ _I_ _WANTED_ _TO_ _BE_ _FIRST!"_ Ruca shouted, making a grab for the ticket. I dodged out of the way and stuck it neatly into the inner pocket of my blazer, buttoning it up for once.

"Maybe you'll get one if you work for it!" I said. "Just eat some chocolate, Riri's going to buy a few bars today, you can have them all!"

"I don't want the stupid chocolate, _I_ _WANT_ _YOUR_ _GOLDEN_ _TICKET!"_ she yelled. Everyone in the school stared at me.

"Verruca, act your age, not your shoe size!" I said stiffly.

"What is going on here?" Mis Sharp, our lunch supervisor asked as she came over.

"Kalgary got a golden ticket and I _want_ it!" Verruca whined.

"I believe, Miss Sault, that you will find that you don't just get things by wanting them and demanding that you get them. Your sister found it, shee keeps it, end of story!" she snapped. I grinned to myself and headed off to the next class.

After school, I headed home with no intentions of telling my parents about the golden ticket. However, that was in vain because when I got home, Ruca was yelling and screaming to Dad about it.

"I want a golden ticket, Kalgary got it first and I _WANTED_ it! I want the next one, _I_ _WANT_ _IT_ _I_ _WANT_ _IT_ _I_ _WANT_ _IT!"_ she yelled.

"It's alright, darling, I'll have my nut shellers shell chocolate bars instead, we'll have your ticket by the morning!" Dad said. "Oh, Kalgary, congratulations! Is their anything you want?" _To be adopted!_ I thought to myself but held my tongue and told him no before I went upstairs to read my ticket and stick it in a special hiding spot in my wall. I smiled at my ticket and read it:

Congratulations, if you are reading this then it means you've got the golden ticket. You and five others will have the chance to tour my factory on the first of February. Please have an adult with you and be at the gates before 10:00 AM. I look forward to meeting you.

Willy Wonka

The very next day Ruca got her wish without lifting a finger, she had "won" the golden ticket and Dad had arranged a press meeting at our house in the parlor at six. He already had our private jet ready to go. He had promised Ruca he'd buy her another pony, me another full-sized Palomino, and have a gameroom built onto our mantion. All the pets that Ruca wanted always wound up liking me best so all her cats, ponies, birds, her hampster, and her bunny wound up basically being mine along with her six ponies and my twelve purebred Palominos, (all of them past the first one I didn't even ask for but loved anyway). Also, I had a purebred toy poodle who was white with apricot splashes on her ears that I had named Tuffy because she acted so tough when she really was just a sweetie, except she almost bit Ruca several times. Anyway, I guess I forgot to mention I was an animal nut who made sure to take care of her sister's abandoned and neglected pets, even convincing Mum and Dad to send several to animal shelters because we had too many.

"Kalgary, darling, I'd love for you to wear this dress!" Mum said again as she held up an ugly, fluffy pink dress, something that Verruca might wear. It was 4:30 and people from the BBC would be here soon. I sighed in resignation, a sneaky plan making its way into my head. Come 5:45, I was dressed in the ugly dress with my hair in two pigtails, _gag!_ Verruca looked the same.

"Oh Mum I forgot my locket, I'll meet you downstairs!" I said as I ran back to my room. I yanked off the ugly dress and put on a pair of jeans, Vans, and a pink John Deer sweater that I had picked up when we went to America once that said _Will Trade Boyfriend For tractor,_ that would drive my parents crazy! I put on the locket and did my hair in my customary oomphy ponytail before going downstairs.

"Kalgary!" Mum hissed. "What in blazes are you wearing?"

"Clothes!" I said bluntly.

"Ah, very well, go into the parlor now!"

Charlie Bucket's POV

I had heard about the six golden tickets a few days ago. Their had apparently been two found already! My grandparents, parents, and I were gathered around the TV to see who won. Their was lettering that read _ENGLAND_ and the TV went to a screen in a huge house with two over-dressed parents, a girl in a fluffy pink dress and pigtails, and an identical girl, probably her twin, who looked very opposite indeed. She was wearing tennis shoes, ordinary, Wall-Mart-Esque jeans, and an ordinary sweater with the John Deer logo that said _Will Trade Boyfriend For Tractor. Her brown hair was pulled up into a haphazard ponytail and she was wearing a silver locket. Her father looked like he was trying to impress while her mother was giving the camera a tight-lipped smile while glaring at the daughter in the sweater. By the distasteful looks the fru-fru girl was shooting her sister and the mischievous smile on the girl's face and twinkle in her hazel eyes, I could tell this was not an act._

_ "We're here to discuss the Saults. Young Kalgary Sault found her ticket yesterday!" said a reporter, pointing at Verruca._

_ "Don't be stupid, I'm Verruca, she's_ Kalgary!" Verruca snapped.

"Excuse her, ma'am, nice to meet you, and you can call me Kallie if you like!" said the girl in jeans, Kalgary.

"Yes, nice to meet you too, Kallie. Why don't you tell us your story?" Kalgary smiled.

"I had heard about the tickets from my friend Amanda Biteau in the hallway yesterday morning. Both of us thought it would be cool to get a ticket but didn't really dwell on it. When I saw Ruca here at lunch..." Kallie's sister rudely interrupted her.

"Don't _call_ me that, Kalgary!" she snapped, giving her sister a nasty glare.

"Anyway, _VERRUCA_ said she wanted one in the lunch line. I bought three bars, one for me, one for Manda, and one for our third friend Lucila Worthington. We all opened our bars at the same time and I got the ticket, it was their, and let me tell you, that was probably the best chocolate I've ever had after that. I've loved Wonka chocolate since I was old enough to eat it. I was just saying yesterday morning that the only way Cocoa Puffs could be any better was if they were Wonka, wasn't I, Mum?"

"Yes you were, Kalgary!" Mrs. Sault said with a tight-lipped grin and a forced look of caring towards her daughter.

"And just today, young Verruca found _her_ ticket!" the reporter continued. "So, Verruca, what's your story?"

"I was so mad that Kalgary got that ticket first, I _wanted_ that ticket! When I got home I told Daddy I wanted a golden ticket! I said I didn't care what it took, I _wanted_ it! Now I've got it and Daddy's going to buy me a new pony and add on to our stable, I _always_ get what I want! Kalgary could too if she just said so and stopped acting like a common twit who wasn't above stupid things like rules!" Verruca sniffed.

"Yes, I said to my nut shellers, now I want you to unwrap these chocolate bars until you find the ticket for my Verruca! Now both my girls have tickets and we'll be going off to America!" Mr. Sault said.

"Fantastic, well it was nice to meet with you!" the reporter said, smiling politely at three of the saults and giving Kallie a genuine grin before the screen went back to the newsroom.

"Those Saults sound like no-goods!" Grandpa Joe said.

"I bet that Calvary or whatever her name was was just acting nice, no daughter of that sorta family could be like that!" Grandpa George said.

"Oh come on, Grandpa, she can't be _that_ bat!" I said as I washed my soup bowl and put it on the drying rack.

Chapter Two: The Chocolate Factory

Kallie's POV

It was finally February First, Verruca and I were going to the factory today. Dad didn't really care what we wore, being a man, so I wore my vans, jeans, and a LUCKY sweater with a grey tanktop underneath. My hair was back in a neat ponytail and I was fresh, clean, and ready to go with my Quartz watch on my right wrist and my locket around my neck. Veruka wore a little blue silky dress and had her hair in a plait.

The limmo Dad had hired for us drove, on the opposite side of the road I might add, us to the factory. It was such a glorious sight, I didn't think I'd seen anything better. Their was a gaggle of press around but we found our way to the gate where four other kids were. One wore jeans and a final Warfare T-shirt, the other was extremely large and wore some sweats and a sweater that wasn't quite long enough, the third child had chin-length blonde hair, green eyes, and wore a white shirt with blue skirt, and the last looked the kindest of all of them. I was just here for the tour, not to win, so I hoped he did. He had dark blonde, almost brown hair, baby blue eyes, and was wearing shabby clothing as if he was very poor, which he probably was. His grandfather looked very kind too so I decided to say hello.

"Hi, I'm Kalgary Sault, you can call me Callie if you want!" I said, holding out my right hand.

"Charlie Bucket, nice to meet you. I saw you on the TV a few weeks ago." he said.

"TV? Oh, you mean the telly! Funny how you can speak the same language but speak it so differently, huh? I mean, look at your accent!"

"Me? Accent? No, I think it's _you_ with the accent!" Charlie said.

"Ya bose have ze oxent!" said the fat boy, stuffing his face with chocolate.

"No, _you_ do!" Charlie and I said together.

"Vatever!" said the boy, going to his mother to ask for more chocolate surely.

"Kalgary, what are you doing talking to _him?"_ Verruca sniffed, walking over. "I'm Verruca Sault, by the way!" she said pompously. She then left to ask Dad what time it was.

"She your sister?" the blonde-haired girl said.

"Oh most definitely not, we just _happen_ to look the same, have the same accents, the same last names, the same birthday, and the same parents!" I said sarcastically.

"_HAY!"_ the girl snapped.

"She was merely displaying the tendancy of sarcasm that most people seem to possess more then others. Judging by what she has said, it would then be easy to deduce that she and Verruca are twins!" said the boy with the Modern Warfare shirt.

"Nice, Einstein!" I said. "Sorry if I seem rude sometimes, sarcasm is practically a way of life, better then _snobbism_ like my little sis, though...yes I know that's not a word and yes, I'm older then Verruca by twenty-five seconds!"

"So that's your dad?" Charlie asked. I didn't want to be sarcastic to this boy, he was just so nice.

"Yeah, that your granddad?" I asked.

"Uh-huh, Grandpa Joe used to work here!" he said.

"Wow, Wonka chocolate is my _absolute_ _favorite!_ I said on the morning I found the ticket that the only way Cocoa Puffs would be better was if they were made by Wonka!" I said.

"You have Cocoa Puffs?" asked the blonde girl.

"Of course, silly, England is a different country, not a different planet. If it was, I'd leave it immediately with the excuse that I just had to have that earthling Wonka's chocolates!" I said with a laugh. Charlie laughed with me but the girl humphed and turned away.

"_DAAAADDY,_ what _tiiiime_ is iiit!" Verruca whined.

"It's 10:58, sweetheart!" Dad said.

"I want the gates to open! _Daddy,_ _MAKE_ _TIME_ _GO_ _FASTER!"_ she snapped.

"Ru, he can't do that, time isn't something that can be messed with!" I said. "Plus, things always go more slowly when you're anticipating something so just try and talk to some people and the time will _fly!"_

"Hmmm, you seem to have some smarts unlike these dunderheads!" said the kid with the Modern Warfare shirt as he brushed back some of his black hair.

"Yes, and I'm _smart_ enough and have _manners_ enough to not do more then playfully tease or insult people. Scientifically I can assume that you learned all your manners from your video game characters instead of truely observing the social tendencies of _real_ people! Now with this information in hand I can clearly deduce that you don't get out much, Telly-kid!" I said, mocking his far-to-advanced speech. "Fwiew, I don't like talking like that, far too formal and dull!"

"Hey! and it's Mike Teavee, miss sodium-chloride!" Mike said annoyedly.

"Apparently you're too smart to even know what the common name for _salt_ is! Plus, Mr. Telly, it's _Sault_ without a _U!"_ I said, stepping away from him and towards Charlie and his grandpa Joe.

"I don't understand how you and that Verruca girl could be twins, she just seems like an airhead and you're clearly quite book smart and have a lot of common sense and dry whit, I like that, kid!" said Joe.

"Thanks, Mr. Bucket!" I said. At that moment, their came a booming voice.

"_ENTER!"_ the gates swung open and we showed our golden tickets to get in before the gates closed again. We all walked hesitantly forward and a curtain rose up to show some electrically powered puppets that sang a song about Willy Wonka. On the last part, "_WILLY_ _WONKA_ _HERE_ _HE_ _IIIISSSSS!"_ an empty throne-like chair rose up onstage. A second later, a tall man with dark, longish hair and rather strange clothes came out.

"Heheheheh, wasn't that great?" he asked.

"Daddy, I want an electronic puppet set!" Verruca said.

"Of course, darling!" Dad said.

"Who are _you?"_ asked Mike Telly-Head. "And wasn't it stupid to not be in that chair when you were introduced?" Before Mr. Wonka could say anything, I, from my spot front by Charlie, cut in.

"No, Telly-Head, it _does_ make sense. In England, someone of importants at a ball or social function or something like that is introduced somehow. Their seat, especially if it's the king or queen, is always their but that doesn't mean the person is in it from the beginning! They've got to make a grand entrance and I must say that that was a unique entrance after the exploding puppets, Mr. Wonka." I said.

"Yes, well, let's all go inside!" he said. I wound up by Dad and Ruca again and we all went in the big double doors.

"Just go on and put your coats anywhere!" Willy said. I shrugged off my fur-lined coat and tossed it hap-hazardly in a heap to my left.

"Hello, Mr. Wonka, I'm Verruca Sault!" said Ruca as she stepped in front of him and curtseyed.

"Verruca? Isn't that some sort of a toe-wart?" Willy asked. Verruca looked annoyed. I stepped forward to shake his hand, I wasn't that big into curtseying.

"Hey, Mr. Wonka, I'm Ruca's twin Kalgary!" I said.

"How many times do I have to tell you to _NOT_ _CALL_ _Mme_ _THAT!"_ Verruca demanded. "Daddy, when we get home, I want my name changed to Anne!"

"Then I'll just call you Annie!" I said jokingly. "She hates nicknames!" I whispered to Willy. "Anyway, I'm Kalgary Sault, her older twin sister!"

"Hmmm, Kalgary, isn't that a town in Texas?" Willy asked.

"Yup, and that's now one of my favorite American states!" I said. Wwilly looked to be thinking for a way to perhaps phase me, break through my defenses, see if I was a good candidate for whatever prize.

"Well your name sounds a bit more like cowgirly to me!" he finally said.

"You can call me that, but don't call me plain old girly, that's the _last_ thing I am!" I said. It was then that the little Southern Belle blonde girl stepped forward.

"I'm Violet Bowregard and guess what? I'm gonna be the one to win that prize!" she said.

"Oh, I don't care!" Willy said, Charlie, his grandpa, and I laughed.

"Hullo 'a'm Augustus Gloop ond I lof yowr schocolate!" said the fat boy, still stuffing his face.

"Ah, and their's Mike TV, the little devil who cracked the system, and who are you?" Willy asked Charlie.

"Charlie Bucket!" Charly said timidly.

"Hello, Mr. Wonka, do you remember me? I used to work here!" Joe said.

"Oh, were you one of those nasty disgusting spies who gave so many of my secrets to those other companies?" Willy asked.

"Of course not, I love this place!" Joe said.

"Good then, nice to see you!" Willy said. "Now come on, we've got a lot of things to do!"


	82. The Real Story

The Real Story

An attempt to write a sort of "The real Us" style thing where Muggle-borns come into the wizard world with loads of misconceptions because they read the Harry Potter books, and so a female Harry has to set them straight… So yeah…

Chapter One: Introductions

"Oy, Rose! The headmaster wants you up in his office ASAP." Oliver Wood, Hogwarts flying instructor, Quidditch referee, and good friend hollered, pelting up the hallway towards a woman with sharp features, fair skin, bright green eyes, and dark red hair.

"Bloody brilliant! I think that I know exactly what Dad wants me for, just like every year, it being July and all." she muttered.

"Don't let him catch you talking like that, Rosabelle." Oliver said in mock-disappointment, shaking his head at the red-head standing in front of him, hands on her hips.

"Sod off, Woody." she said playfully, shoving past him and down the hallway. Briskly the woman made her way through the hallways of Hogwarts castle and to the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office.

"Aconite." she said confidently. The gargoyle shook its great stone head.

"_WHAT?_ Merlin...I'm his _DAUGHTER...CAN'T_ you just bloody let me through?" she said indignantly. The gargoyle shook its head in the negative again.

"He just loves frustrating me, doesn't he?" she grumbled. "Okay...erm...asphodel! Wolfsbane! Salamander scale! Eye of newt! Oh damn my father and his potions obsession! He's as bad as Fuckthedore ever was with his sweets! All right, erm, it's that time of year again...the only time he likes to make the passwords into those that bloody annoy me so...erm...Rowling! JK Rowling! Albus Severus! Hugo Weasley! Astoria Malfoy! Luna Scamander! Ginny Potter! Harry! Harry Potter! Harry James Potter!" she rambled off. Rosabelle could have sworn she saw the gargoyle's stone lips pull up into a smirk as it nodded its head and slid aside. Grumbling to herself, Rosabelle stepped onto the moving spiral staircase and let herself be brought closer and closer to her father's office door. Sighing, she took the silver doorknocker and banged it a few times on the door.

"Enter." came the silky baritone voice of her father, headmaster of Hogwarts School. Rosabelle swept into the room, standing straight and dignified.

"Hey, Dad, you've called for me?" she asked, plopping into the chair across from him. He nodded his head.

"Yes, Rose, I have." he said, onyx eyes meeting his daughter's emerald ones.

"I'm already quite sure what you are to ask of me but, in case I'm totally wrong, why have you asked me here?" Rosabelle asked him, arching a well-sculpted eyebrow.

"As you are well aware, it is about time that the Muggle-born first-years are introduced to our world." he said, Rosabelle groaned.

"Oh please, Dad, not again? I've been doing this for the last fifteen years already and it's getting bloody tiresome." she whinged.

"Watch your language, Rosabelle." he said warningly.

"Oh come _ON!_ I'm almost thirty-five years old, that's far past my majority. I ought to be able to speak as I like." she said.

"Don't be a hypocrite, Rosabelle. I've seen you reprimand your own children for their language." the man said.

"And you're one to talk? You've got a mouth worse than old Alastor Moody and that's saying something." Rosabelle retorted.

"Oh hush you. And you haven't liked doing the Muggle-born orientations ever since I first had you doing it when you were twenty years old."

"You're da...er...darn right I haven't! And why _WOULD_ _I?_ You try telling twenty-some-odd kids that there is no bloody Harry Potter? I mean _HONESTLY!_ Firstly, I'm a girl. Secondly, I'm not just a Potter anymore even if part of me will always see James Potter as my father! Third, _GRYFFINDOR?_ Not that all Gryffindors are bad...look at Olly Wood, my dad, Siri and Rem, and the WT'S...BUT _STILL!_ I gag at the very thought. And anyway, Harry is an utterly aweful name, I would detest being named such a thing had I been a boy. I much prefer names like yours, mine, Dad's, and Mom's. Severus, Rosabelle, JAMES, Lily. Properly dignified names. Do I really have to do it this year, _AGAIN?"_

"But of course, dearest Rosabelle. Who else to tell the Muggle-born students that all those books are a pack of lies than the person they're actually supposed to be about?" the man asked.

"You've got me cornered at every argument, don't you?" Rosabelle grumbled.

"No different than every year, Rosabelle. So will you do it? Please?" her father asked, giving her an imploring look.

"All right, all right, but you don't have to puppy-dog pout at me like that." Rosabelle huffed. The man sat ram-rod straight in his chair, a look of indignance on his countenance.

"I do _NOT_ puppy-dog pout. Now off with you, brat. I'm sure your family will like to see you home. You can use my floo." he said.

"Sir, yes sir." Rosabelle mock-saluted her father. Standing up, she strode over to the fireplace, threw some floo powder in, called out "Starflower Mannor," stepped into the fireplace, and was gone in a wirl of green flames.

"Mum!" came a jumble of voices as Rosabelle stepped out of the floo and into the sitting room of the mannor house she had lived in since she had gotten married seventeen years ago.

"Hello, you lot, have a nice day?" she asked, brushing down her emerald robes.

"Mummy, Mummy, Mummy! Lil's been teachin' me how to do maths, Mummy!" chimed her youngest child, five-year-old Amaranth. She was refering to Rosabelle's oldest, Lily, who was fifteen and would be entering her fifth year at Hogwarts.

"Oh, Amy, that's fantastic!" Rosabelle exclaimed, hugging her little girl with wavy strawberry blonde hair and blue-green eyes close. "And the rest of you?" she smiled as she was pelted from all sides with accounts of her children's day. This was what she had always wanted, a big family. When she had told her husband of her dreams he whole-heartedly agreed as he, like her, was an only child. And so now they had six children. Lily Lyra, also known as Lil, was her oldest. She was fifteen and would turn sixteen next January eighth. She was a proud member of Ravenclaw house just like her mother and grandmother, Lily Evans. She was the spitting immage of her father except for the fact she had Rosabelle's hair and eyes. Next was thirteen-year-old James Severus, also called Jamie. He would be fourteen on October seventeenth and was going into his third year of Hogwarts in Slytherin house. He was Rosabelle's spitting immage except he had his father's blond hair and blue-grey eyes. After James was Ivy Narcissa, sometimes called Vee. She would be going into Hogwarts this year as she would be eleven on August twenty-third. She was her mother's spitting immage save for her father's blue-grey eyes. After Ivy was Regulus Abraxus, sometimes called Reggy, who was nine. He would be ten on November 11th. He looked just like his father save for Rosabelle's emerald eyes. After Regulus was Scorpius Hypirian, mostly called Scorp, who would turn eight on March third. He, like Amaranth, had strawberry blond hair, blue-green eyes, and a mixture of features from both parents. Amaranth Rose, called Amy, had just turned five back in June, June first.

"So Mum, did Grandpa make his special request of you again?" Lily asked with a wink.

"Yeah, did he?" James asked.

"And what do you think? Of course he did." Rosabelle said and added to herself, "The man lives to torture me, I swear." but she must not have muttered it soft enough for her youngest gasped.

"No, Mummy, no! Gramps wouldn't torture you, would he?"

"Ignore her, Amy, she's just being dramatic again." Ivy said, ruffling her little sister's hair.

"Hush, you." Rosabelle said fondly, smiling at her children.

"What's for dinner, Mum?" Regulus asked.

"You boys and your food, I swear." Rosabelle said, shaking her head.

"Mu-um!" Scorpius whined from beside his older brother. "I'm _HUN-GREE."_

"Well you should have eaten what Bibsy made you for lunch, shouldn't you have?" Lily asked sharply.

"But Bipsy made me a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich with the _CHUNKY_ peanut butter. I _HATE_ the chunky peanut butter." Scorpius groaned.

"Hey," Rosabelle said sharply, "Rule number 5: watch the whinging!"

"Sorry, Mum." Scorpius said, properly abashed.

"Moving on, I was thinking pizza for dinner?" Rosabelle asked.

"Can we do the Muggle pizza? Use the felly to call Dominos or something?" James asked eagarly.

"Yes, Jamie. But do remember it's "telephone" and not "felly," please." Rosabelle said, smiling. Growing up in the Muggle world, Rosabelle had insisted on some modern amenities being put into the house when she married her pureblood husband. He was, after witnessing the wonders of the Muggle world, all too happy to comply. And so it was that her children grew up with a foot in both worlds. They did, however, sometimes make some common wizarding mistakes. The word "felly" had come from when Lily was 6. She was trying to tell her father she wanted to talk to one of her friends, A Muggle-born she'd met in Hogsmeade Wizarding Primary School, on the telephone. However, she had gotten "telephone" mixed up with "television" and got the "F's" and "T's" mixxed up. After stumbling around for more than a minute Lily had finally shouted, "_DADDY!_ I wanna use the Felly! The _FELLY,_ _DADDY!"_ she had shouted it so loud that Rosabelle, who was putting two-year-old Ivy down for a nap elsewhere, had heard. Needless to say it took the young mother of three to finally figure what her daughter meant. The nickname had just stuck and James had started using it as well. Ivy, who was just starting on her talkative two-year-old stage, would repeat it over and over and over. Now, even the three younger kids used it. The family nicknames for the television, "tision," and the refrigerator, "Rigifrator" or "Frator," had come about in similar ways thanks to James and Ivy respectively.

"I know that and I'll remember that when Muggles are around." James said.

"I know, Jamie, I know. We'll have to wait for your father to get home, though." Rosabelle said.

"What's this I here about me?" came a deep voice as a well-put together man with sleek, blond hair and blue-grey eyes entered the room.


	83. To Be Loved

To Be Loved

An attempt to write a female Harry raised by the Delacour family. Features a vela female Harry attending Beaubattons… (Yeah, know I spelled that wrong, sorry!) Yeah…

Chapter One: Meet Lilyanna

It had been two years since the downfall of Voldemort and since Lilyanna Jamielynn Potter had been dubbed the girl-who-lived and lost her parents. Her relatives had taken her in but treated her like burglar-chewed gum on their shoes. In fact it was often that she was made friends with the bottoms of her uncles smelly shoes. Love was something she thought she would never know and something she wanted with all of her heart. To her relatives she was "freak", "brat", "red-haired, green-eyed devil spawn", and many more nasty names that should not be mentioned. She did, in fact, look almost like the mirror image of her mother though she didn't know it. She did, however, have more of the Potter build and fast reflexes. She also had her father's poor sight but the Dursleys got her no glasses because "freaks don't deserve them". Her smile, when she did smile, was like her mother's, sweet and gentle, and she had Lily Evans Potter's nasty temper getting her in a world of trouble when she was a bit younger. This story really begins on the day of a shopping trip in the middle of winter.

"Up, get up now you little ingrate!" snapped her aunt Petunia through the door of her cupboard under the stairs. She was always forced awake early and punished if she was a second late to breakfast or if she barely burnt the bacon, she was only three and a half. She got up and put on the elephant clothes that belonged to her cousin Dudley along with a pair of falling-apart trainers. She then used a brush missing half it's bristles to brush through her curly red hair. Unlike her mother's slightly wavy locks, Lilyanna had curly hair which wasn't quite as messy as her father's but could be a hassle all the same. She made sure to brush her bangs over that "horrible, ugly scar" in the shape of a lightning bolt in the center of her forehead before rushing out of her cupboard and to the kitchen.

"What took so long you vain little thing?" her aunt demanded.

"Sowy, Aunt Tunia!" she muttered.

"Sorry isn't good enough, now cook the bacon and don't dare burn a _thing_ you little ragamuffin!" her aunt snapped as she pinched her cheek harshly and pulled her by her hair over to the stove. The small child then reached up with her far-too-skinny arms and turned on the burner. While it heated up she got a skillet out from the cupboard and opened the fridge door. She couldn't find the bacon and just wished it would come to her. Suddenly, from behind all Dudley's juice boxes, the bacon flew out and conked her on the forehead. It was like an avalanche after that. All the juice boxes fell on her and burst open, spilling juice everywhere. Her uncle must have heard the ruckus for he was lumbering in to the kitchen in the next second. What he found was the little girl bent over trying to pick everything up. Oh boy, her uncle would _not_ be happy, not at all.

"What is this all about you little _FREAK?"_ he bellowed as he grabbed her by her shirt collar and lifted her up into the air.

"Wike magic...I just wanted de bacon...de juice hit me." She said. Vernon growled and slapped her across the face before dragging her out and to his wife.

"Clean this _freak_ up." he growled. Petunia grabbed the girl from her husband with a disgusted sniff and dragged her to the bathroom.

"I'll teach you to not spill all Duddy's juice boxes just for some attention, you little freak!" she hissed as she started the water, paying no mind to the trembling child. When the tub was filled enough Petunia ripped the clothes off the brat and dunked her in the tub. The girl shivered as she made contact with the tub full of icy water.

"What's that shivering, girl? I won't have it!" Petunia snapped as she forced the child under the water and up again, under and up again, under and up again making her shiver and sputter violently.

"Now will you do that again?" she demanded of the child.

"No, Aunt Petunia." she said obediently.

"Good. Now wash and get out, you have five minutes. Don't expect me to let you blow dry your hair." Petunia said before sweeping out again. In three minutes the girl was out and dried off with one of the old rag towels. She then ran downstairs and into her cupboard to get redressed. The only things left were T-shirts and shorts so that was that. She was actually able to cook breakfast _right_ this time and silently served her "family". Mrs. Fig, the batty, cat-loving woman who lived across the street was ill with the flu so the "freak" had to go to London with them. As they all left the warm house for the frigid winter wonderland outside, her uncle lifted her up into the air so their faces were level.

"I'm warning you now, you little monster. If their's any funny business, any at all, I'll be sure to lock you in that cupboard until Christmas...next year and you shan't have so much as a crumb of food for a month, do you understand?" he growled low into her ear. The shy little girl nodded and was dropped from her uncle's grip into the foot deep snow.

"Get a move on, girl, don't just dally in the snow all day!" her aunt snapped. Shaking the wetness off her body the best she could, the little girl walked towards the car and got in.

The drive to London took an hour which was filled with Dudley's incessant are-we-there-yets. The small, nearly invisible red-haired little girl said nothing, she just looked wistfully out the window. They finally arrived at the toy store Dudley had wanted to go too and parked the car. Everybody got out and headed in, the small green-eyed child following sedately behind her relatives. She was forced to follow her relatives through the store and see Dudley eye every toy greedily while she just looked wistfully around. She was a freak, freaks got no toys, and yet she wished she had one. The only toy she had was a stuffed stag with hazel eyes that she carried everywhere that somehow always stayed white and clean and soft and comforting.

"Mummy, Daddy, I want _this_ toy!" Dudley demanded as he pointed at a large remote control car.

"Of course, Dinky Duddidims, my little sweetums, Mummy will buy you whatever you want." Petunia crooned.

"Do you dink fadda Cwismas migh' gibb me a toy?" she asked shyly.

"Why would he give you anything, you little _freak?"_ Uncle Vernon sneered as he knocked her to the ground with the bottom of his shoes. The spunky yet oppressed red-haired, green-eyed child jumped up.

"I been good, I been good. I sowwy for de juice buh I been good!" she said over and over again before her aunt slapped her across the face.

"You'll be lucky to get a pair of socks this year you horrible little thing!" she hissed as tears spilled out of the little girl's eyes. "And stop whining you useless little wretch!" But this little child had had enough.

"Noooo, you not my mummy, you don't tell me whatta do no more, _YOU_ _NOT_ _MY_ _MUMMY!"_ she yelled. "I wish dat dey wasn't dwunks dat died in a caw cwash buh I'da listened be'er ta dem den you 'cause I know dat dey lubbed me even if I _am_ a fweak of natuwe."

"You will _not_ talk to your ant like that you disgusting little _thing!"_ her uncle roared as his hard fist made contact with her gut. He was quite grateful that nobody was around to see him.

"Owwwww!" the little girl cried out. Her uncle pulled her by the ear outside as her aunt paid for her cousin's toys.

It was almost Christmas and Pierre and Soleil Delacour had appearated to London for a day to do some Christmas shopping for their two children, Fleur, age five, and Gabrielle, age three. As they were looking at the dolls in the Muggle toy shop, they heard a commotion.

"Mummy, Daddy, I want _this_ toy!" a fat, pig-like British boy demanded of his horse-faced mother and wale of a father. Soleil, light veela that she was, sniffed in disgust. What parent would allow their son to get so fat?

"Of course, Dinky Duddidims, my little sweetums, Mummy will buy you whatever you want." his ugly mother crooned. Standing not too far away from them was a little girl that looked like she was about two. Unlike the fat boy's nice clothes she was wearing an oversized T-shirt, shorts, and shoes that were falling apart. Her emerald green eyes that reminded Soleil of someone eerily familiar looked wistfully at the toys and her dark red hair, made even darker because it was wet, clung to her skin in tangles. It was then that Soleil realized it, this was Lily's child. Lily had been one of Soleil's best friends when she had transferred to Hogwarts knowing almost no English in fifth year. It had been Soleil who had told Lily that she must be a fire veela because of her aura and the new abilities and allure that she was picking up. Most types of veela stayed to themselves but not Soleil and Lily. Apparently, James Potter was a shadow veela which would make little Lilyanna a shadowfire veela. Their it was on the little girl's forehead, the lightning-bolt scar. Lilyanna would have to be three and a half now but she looked to be barely two years old and thin as a stick. Soleil hoped beyond hope that the horrid family was not hers but she knew that they were her aunt, uncle, and cousin. She had seen many pictures of "horsey-face" and her "wale-friend" in Hogwarts.

"Do you dink Fadda Cwismas migh' gibb me a toy?" she asked them in a small voice using much worse grammar then her cousin and the Delacour's own Gabrielle.

"Why would he give you anything, you little _freak?"_ her uncle sneered as he kicked her to the ground.

The spunky yet oppressed red-haired, green-eyed child jumped up.

"I been good, I been good. I sowwy for de juice buh I been good!" she said over and over again before her aunt slapped her across the face.

"You'll be lucky to get a pair of socks this year you horrible little thing!" she hissed as tears spilled out of the little girl's eyes. "And stop whining you useless little wretch!" But this little child had had enough.

"Noooo, you not my mummy, you don't tell me whatta do no more, _YOU_ _NOT_ _MY_ _MUMMY!"_ she yelled. "I wish dat dey wasn't dwunks dat died in a caw cwash buh I'da listened be'er ta dem den you 'cause I know dat dey lubbed me even if I _am_ a fweak of natuwe."

"You will _not_ talk to your ant like that you disgusting little _thing!"_ her uncle roared as his hard fist made contact with her gut. He seemed to think nobody was watching.

"Owwwww!" the little girl cried out. The Delacours watched, horrified, as her uncle pulled her by the ear outside as her aunt paid for her cousin's toys.

"What do we do?" Soleil asked. "Lily was my best friend."

"We follow under disillusionment charms, mon cher." Pierre said. They abandoned their Christmas shopping then to follow one very special little girl.

The next shop the Dursleys went too was a book shop. Petunia needed to pick up some cook books and she wanted to teach Dudley to read. None of them were aware of the disillusioned couple trailing after them.

"Duddy, look at this book!" Petunia crooned to her fat son.

"Nooo, I don't want a book, books are boring!" Dudley wined as the little girl, still in the grip of her uncle, looked at the books wistfully, a look of longing in her eyes. Still feeling somewhat defiant, she asked another question.

"Will I evew leawnn to wead?"

"Freaks don't _read,_ you ungrateful little urchin. We give you food, shelter, and clothes and you want to _READ?"_ her uncle growled menacingly as he grabbed her arm tight in an almost bone-crushing hold. For the first time the little girl struggled in her uncle's grip.

"Yes! I wanna wead, I wanna leawn, I wanna know things, I wanna be smawt!" she snapped more defiantly then ever before. The only reward she got for that was her uncle squeezing her arm tighter and her aunt slapping her in the face for the second time that day. Soleil and Pierre were both disgusted, totally disgusted. The family left the shop soon after that, the little girl being dragged by her arm by her uncle. They got in their car and Vernon drove them for blocks on end before coming to a shabby little alley. He grabbed the little girl and threw her out onto the sidewalk.

"And stay their!" he yelled as they drove away. As she saw her relatives' car shrink in the distance the neglected child began to cry.

"We must take her, Pierre!" Soleil whispered.

"I agree. Fleur and Gabrielle will love her. She shall be raised right and with love." with that said, they took down their disillusionment charms. As this child was crying, she noticed that two beautiful people were standing over her. The man had silvery blonde hair, chiseled features, and ice blue eyes. He was radiating a beautiful silver aura. The woman was gentle-looking with a round face, full lips, sky blue eyes, and a silvery sheet of blonde hair down to her waste. The aura surrounded her as well.

"Do not cry, dear Lilyanna, do not cry." she said in a strange accent. "You will never 'ave to be weeth those 'orrible relatives again!" Lilyanna? Who was Lilyanna? Her name was Freak, wasn't it? Than again, in the most forgotten parts of her brain she remembered a beautiful, red-haired woman saying things like "My dear Lilyanna" and a man with messy hair saying, "Their's my two Lily-flowers". So was this her name? Would these people hurt her? The beautiful woman laid a slender hand gently on Lilyanna's shoulder but the abused child flinched back.

"She shall not 'urt you, Lilyanna, she ees your friend. She was your mozer's best friend een school." the beautiful man said.

"May I pick you up, child?" the beautiful woman asked.

"Pwomise not to huwt me?" she asked in a little voice.

"I swear on my magic and my life that I will not." Soleil said. The child tried her best not to flinch as she was gingerly picked up and held in the nice lady's arms.

"My name Lilyanna?" she asked and then gasped, putting her hand to her mouth. "I sowy, I not 'loud to ask questions. I'm weally weally sowwy!"

"You can ask as many questions as you like. You did not know your name?" Soleil asked. What was she getting at? Were they going to be nice and then turn around and be really mean? Lilyanna was rather afraid.

"Nuh-uh." Lilyanna said. "You taking me?"

"We are, you will come home to France with us and live with us and our two daughters." Pierre said.

"Now I'm going to appearate you, child. It will feel funny for a minute but you will be fine. It will get us right to France."

"What appearition?" Lilyanna asked.

"It's a type of transport magic." Soleil said.

"Buh magic don't exist." Lilyanna said uncertainly.

"Of course it does, child, your maman and papa were a witch and wizard." Soleil said.

"So de Dursleys lied to me?" Lilyanna asked.

"I'm afraid so, dear one. Oh, let me get your Prongs for you, accio Prongs. With that simple spell the stuffed stag flew into the woman's arms with the little girl.

"Thank you." Lilyanna said shyly.

"Dear child, you are quite welcome." Madame Delacour said. "Now get ready. "Three, two, one, here we go!" Both she and her husband spun on the spot. Lilyanna felt a horrible squeezing sensation as they traveled from here to there.

"Feel sick." she muttered and then, before she could stop herself, she retched all over the wide and beautiful stone driveway they were standing on. Her green eyes bulged, horrified. "So sowwy, I'll cwean it now, I'm so so sowwy, pwease don't send me to de tewible pwace fow tewible giwls!"

"The what?" Pierre asked, vanishing the sick on the driveway with a flick of his wand.

"De tewible pwace fow tewible giwls like me, fweaks." Lilyanna said solemnly.

"Lilyanna Jamielynn Potter, you are most certainly not a freak!" Soleil said vehemently.

"Weally? I'm not a fweak?" she asked.

"Eet ees zoze 'orrid relatives 'oo are ze freaks!" Soleil said. "Now look around, dear child, and see your new home." Lilyanna did just that. They were standing on a curving granite driveway heading to a pair of grand white stone doors that matched perfectly with the glistening stone of the manor in front of them. The driveway looped several feet in front of the house around a beautiful granite fountain where a winged horse standing up proudly could be seen. the driveway split off on this loop. One portion became a smaller walkway up to the grand stone porch and front doors of the mansion. The left and right paths were just about as large as the driveway. The path to the left led past four large barns, a separate tack room, four large coops, and an indoor riding arena. It also went past an outdoor arena and many pastures which were, at present, void of any activity since all the animals were in their nice, warm barns and coops. The path to the right led first past a car garage, a building for weapons and sports, an archery range, an outdoor dueling area, a tennis court, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, and a Quiddich pitch. All of these, of course, were regulation. These two paths would not directly meet up until the very back of the property. The entirety of Delacour Chateau was arranged like this outside, everything surrounding the house in a graceful arc. The only straight bit was the driveway surrounded by lawns covered in snow that would be emerald green in the spring. In the back of the house their was a fine stone courtyard with a beautiful pool in the middle, large and pristine, with diving boards and water slides and taps and taps galore. It was fenced in by a curving, spiraling fence of wrought iron. At the back of the courtyard opposite the house a path led out into a garden that would be grand in the spring and summer. It went in many twists and turns and had two other entrances. One of these was on the left path exactly halfway to the very back of the property, the second was in the same spot on the right, and the last one was a northern entrance point at the back of the main property. Of course, the Delacours had much more property than this but it was mainly unused, kept for the wild, and so no path was built to traverse upon it. In the middle of these grand gardens was a medium-sized pond with a circular path around it. Many types of fish lived in it and it, like the pool, was suitable for swimming. All around the garden their were benches and coves for picnic tables and spots to set down a picnic blanket.

The house itself was huge, at least three stories, and their were turrets and towers and balconies on the windows upstairs. Lilyanna, of course, could barely see past the house but one thing that struck her was how beautiful the place was with it's shining stone and windows that caught every ray of the sun and cast it into rainbows.

"Do you like eet, dear?" Soleil Delacour asked.

"A lot." she answered shyly.

"I am so glad, Lilyanna." Soleil said, Pierre nodding in agreement as the couple scaled the stone steps, Lilyanna in Soleil's arms. As soon as they entered, Lilyanna's eyes filled with wonder and delight. The entire entry foyer was huge with two staircases heading up to the next floor, red velvet carpet covering them.

"maman, Papa!" came two excited voices as two girls with silvery blonde hair came barreling down the right staircase. The older one clung to her father's leg and the younger one clung to their mother's skirt. Lilyanna berried her face into Soleil's chest, scared.

"It's okay." she whispered to the frightened child.

"Is that our Christmas present?" Gabrielle asked in French.

"Eenglish please, children, she does not understand French. Fleur, Gabrielle, meet Lilyanna Potter. Now don't go getting all eexcited about 'er, she does not know everything yet. er fameely 'as been 'orrid to 'er so do not scare 'er, understand?" Soleil asked in English.

"Yes, Maman." the girls chorused.

"Awe dey nice?" Lilyanna asked shyly.

"Eexcitable, oui, but zey will love you as zeir own sister." Soleil said.

"Nobody can love me." she murmured.

"Your parents deed, zey steel do, and zey, I am sure, are watching over you from eaven. I love you, Pierre loves you, you will _ALWAYS_ be loved." Soleil said, conviction in her voice.

"Thank you." Lilyanna said.

After a quiet minute, Soleil called six house-elves to get Lilyanna's room ready. A seventh she had stay behind.

"What does the mistress need? What can Maybelle gets for Mistress Delacour?" the little elf in her pink dress and shoos with big, glistening blue eyes asked.

"Maybelle, I want you to be Lilyanna's personal elf. You are the youngest of your three sisters and will be able to relate to her most." Soleil said.

"Oh, the great Lilyanna Potter? Maybelle is honored, Maybelle really is." the little elf squeaked.

"All right then. Make sure that her room is comfortable and inviting, okay?"

"Yes, Mistress Delacour, oh yes! Maybelle be doing that right away!" and with a pop, the little elf was gone.

"Who dat?" Lilyanna asked, feeling more comfortable in asking questions. Perhaps they wouldn't be like her aunt, uncle, and cousin after all.

"That, leetle dear, was maybelle. She ees a 'ouse elf, zey 'elp around ze 'ouse and are quite good company."

"Oh." Lilyanna said.

"Now 'ow about we all get some food?" Pierre asked his wife and, as far as he was concerned, three daughters.

"I get food?" Lilyanna asked wondrously.

"Of course, you may 'ave as much as you like." Soleil said, smiling. "Now you are getting 'eavy, can you stay by me and walk?"

"Yes, miss." Lilyanna said. Soleil smiled and set the child on the floor. She walked shakily up to Soleil's right and grasped her hand timidly.

"Can I?" she asked. She was certainly coping better than Soleil expected.

"Of course. Gabrielle, would you like my other hand?" she asked in French since Gabrielle was not the best yet with English. The little blonde in the blue dress smiled and skipped over, grabbing her mother's hand as Fleur grabbed her father's. Like that, the parents led the children to a beautiful dining room with paneling and fine stone floors. Stained glass windows looked out over the courtyard and back gardens. Everyone sat down except Lilyanna who stood their, looking left out.

"You may join us, Lilyanna, we would never 'ave you not seet at ze table." Soleil said, smiling. Lilyanna grinned back and took the seat between Fleur and Gabrielle. Suddenly, food appeared on the table in front of everyone. Soleil helped Gabrielle, Fleur, and Lilyanna scoop their plates full of good food.

"I'm 'loud dis much?" Lilyanna gasped.

"Eat to your 'eart's content, my child, but just eat your vegetables." Soleil said.

"Eew, vegetables are yucky!" Fleur said, Gabrielle nodding. Lilyanna clumsily picked up the fork and tried to get a bite of roast but was having trouble.

"Here, my darling, let me 'elp you." Soleil said, standing up. Lilyanna was nervous. However, her fears were unfounded as Soleil gently put her hand over the small one of the red-haired child and helped her with her food. Once Lilyanna got the hang of it, she was able to eat her food quite quickly and felt very content. The last thing was a cup of this weird juice which Soleil had explained was a nutrition potion that would make her big and strong. After lunch was done, Soleil took Lilyanna in her arms and the little family headed upstairs. Lilyanna's room would be right next to Pierre and Soleil's, right across from Gabrielle's which was next to Fleur's. When they entered, everyone was thrilled with how nice the room looked. The carpet was a soft emerald green with little threads of gold running through, the walls were a golden yellow to match the carpet. All of the furniture was white and carved with flowers. The bed was a large canopy bed with emerald green hangings trimmed in gold and a quilt and pillows that matched. Carved onto the footboard was her name, Lilyanna, and the headboard had a heart made of flowers on the top. Leaning on an emerald green pillow trimmed in gold was Prongs. The nightstand had a little gold alarm clock and a gold lamp with a green shade trimmed in gold on it. Their was also a closet and a dresser and a chest filled with a few of Gabrielle's toys. Gabrielle said nothing because in her heart she knew her new sister needed them more then she did.

"Oh wow! Pwetty!" Lilyanna squealed.

"Eet ees, eesen't eet?" Soleil said. "Now I want you to try something for me, Lilyanna. When you say pretty, I want you to say eet like zis, prih-tee. Now you 'ave been saying it like this, pwih-tee. I want you to try and work on your R's. Een ze meantime, we will teach you ze alphabet een French and Eenglish."

"Weally? I mean, uh, _REALLY?_ Oh yay! I did it!" Lilyanna piped.

"Yes, you will learn as you should. I saw 'ow zoze 'orrible people treated you and you will learn, you will read, you will be smart like you want too. You will be a master of English and French, you will have a childhood, you will be our daughter!" Soleil said passionately, setting Lily down.

"Thank you so much, thank you thank you thank you, Mummy numbuh two." Lilyanna said, hugging Soleil around her legs.

"You are welcome, Lilyanna. Now 'ow about you get cleaned up? We 'ave some clothes for you, only ze best, and I shall buy you more. Come with me so we can get your bath." For some unfathomable reason, Lily started trembling.

"I'll be good, I'm sowwy...uh...sorry, I really wanna be a good girl!" she rushed.

"You are. Ze bath ees to get you cleaned up. We will not 'urt you. Your aunt, she gave you a so-called bath zis morning, deeden't she?" Soleil asked, trying to reign in her inner veela's monster half.

"Yeah." Lilyanna said in a small voice.

"Well zeir ees no need for zat, Lilyanna. Ze bath ees for fun, ees to get cleaned up, you see?" Lilyanna nodded as Soleil led her into the bathroom. The walls were just like the ones in the bedroom, their was a lit torch on either side of the mirror above the sink. The toilet, sink, counter, bathtub, everything was white. the floor, however, was a mixture of white, yellow, and green tiles. Soleil turned the water on so that it wasn't too hot but not too cold either. After a few minutes, she helped Lilyanna out of the rags she was forced to call clothing and helped the to-small child into the tub.

"Ees eet too 'ot? Too cold?" she asked. The little girl nodded in the negative and smiled.

"Feels good, thank you." she said.

"Would you like my 'elp washing?" Soleil asked.

"kay." Lilyanna said shyly. First, she helped Lilyanna deal with any dirt on her body. Then, she showed the child how to shampoo her curly red hair and rinse it. The products she used, as with every other member of the family, were of the highest quality. After Lilyanna was clean, Soleil helped her out and dried her with a soft, fluffy white towel and spelled her hair dry.

"Neat!" Lilyanna squeaked excitedly. "I be able to do _THAT?"_

"Of course, mon cherie, you most certainly will." Soleil said, smiling.

Lilyanna had had a whole bunch of fun in the past two and a half weeks. Soleil had took her shopping for some new clothes, she had gained some much-needed weight, and she felt loved. However, today was Christmas, she never got anything for Christmas.

"Lil, Lil, get up, eet's Chreestmas!" Fleur shouted from the door, Gabrielle grinning beside her.

"Nuh-uh! Not get nothing." Lil, as she was now known by the girls for pronunciation reasons, muttered.

"Please? I swear zat I saw a pile of presents zat are just for you, Lil." Fleur said. Lil sighed and got out of bed. Since she was still quite small, it hadn't even been a month, Fleur helped her down the stairs and into the elaborate parlor where the Christmas tree was.

"Merry Chreestmas!" Soleil exclaimed. "Children, zeir are presents for you under ze tree. Lilyanna, I think zat zis one ees for you." she then passed a large parcel to the little child.

"For me?" she asked.

"Oui, dear child, for you." Lil smiled and opened her first ever present, at least since her parents died, to find something more beautiful then words could describe. Their, in the box, were two porcelain dolls on the same large stand, holding hands. The man had messy black hair, a bit of a thin face, was tall, and had knobby knees. He wore a tuxedo and sleek black boots. The woman next to her was just like an older her, Lil realized, but her hair was straight. She wore a beautiful white dress and sandals.

"I 'ad zeez made for you. Zey will never break or get tattered and dirty, zey are een ze clothes zey wore in zeir wedding. Now, dear Lilyanna, you shall always 'ave a piece of your parents."

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Lil cried, clutching at her surrogate mother's skirt.

"Eet ees nothing to see you 'appy, Lilyanna." she said softly. By the end of the morning, Lilyanna had several new toys, clothes, and trinkets from her parents, like a beautiful locket engraved with a lily with moving pictures of her parents with and without her inside, and finally, she knew that they really did love her.

Chapter Two: Le Academie Magique Des Beaubatons

If one looked at that shy little girl eight years ago, they surely would not recognize her now. She was healthy, tall, beautiful, happy, and loved as a nearly eleven-year-old girl could be. Shortly after arriving, she was taught French as Gabrielle was taught English. Gabrielle and Fleur helped Lilyanna with her French and she helped them with English. Of course, after spending so much time in France, her accent became a cross between British and French. When they were both four, Lilyanna and Gabrielle were taught to read and write in both languages. That year, Lilyanna flew her first broom, it was like discovering magic all over again. What she loved almost more than that was riding horses. The Delacour Chateau had four barns and four coops. The first barn was for banal Muggle horses, the first coop for Muggle chickens. The next barn was for cows, sheep, goats, and the like, the next coop was for Muggle ducks. The third barn held unicorns, thestrals, and hippogryffs. One hippogryff in particular liked Lilyanna, his name was Toy for his small size. The third coop was more like an aviary, their were owls and falcons and ravens. One particular raven was fond of her, she named him Nix because he liked shiny things. In the last barn were all manor of flying horses; Abraxons, Pintoflights, Skypainters, rainwings, and more. One abraxon had stolen Lilyanna's affections when she was six. She had been born early and it was feared she would die but Lilyanna stayed with her and nursed her, even snuck out of her room after bedtime which she knew was naughty. She had named her Mirabelle after miracle and beautiful, beautiful miracle. Lastly, the final coop held more of the same animals as the first one.

"When she got a little older, she learned everything about the sports of the magical and Muggle world, hand-to-hand combat, weapons training with swords, that sort of thing. While Lilyanna was deadly with a sword, her archery could be better. Seven times out of ten, Gabrielle would probably hit the mark better; that girl was deadly with a bow and arrow. Lilyanna's spell aim, hopefully, would be quite good once she started at Beauxbatons.

Lilyanna's POV:

I jumped up out of my four-poster bed, today was the day, September 1. This would be my first day at Le Academie Magique Des Beauxbatons. My large red trunk which used to belong to my father was ready to go along with the fifth compartment, a room, which was attached to Fleur's and Gabrielle's trunks. I was so excited. The first thing I did was go into my large bathroom and run my pool-sized tub. To think their was a time where I feared water, now it was one of my favorite things. Yuck, imagine if I'd stayed with the Dursleys, I would probably be dead by now! Turning the taps for all my favorite bubbles, I settled in and began to wash and swim around. A half hour later, I was getting out, drying myself with an instant-dry towel, brushing my teeth, and making my hair just so. I rushed into my room and across to my closet to grab out my Beauxbatons robes, the finest baby blue silk of an acromantula, putting them on and streightening them out. My wand holster with my wand, holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, brother to Voldemort's, went up my sleeve, my locket went around my neck, my gold and white watch went on my right wrist, and my oval, gold-rimmed glasses on my face. Yes, I did inherit my father's crummy sight. I slung my backpack with a few things for the ride on my back and hauled up my trunk. Once everything was situated, I started downstairs.

"Oh no, Lil Potter, Maybelle is getting that for you!" my personal, somewhat overeager, house-elf chimed in French.

"Mon dieu, Maybelle, I can do these things myself, you know. I don't feel right about it." I said.

"But Maybelle would feel much better for helping the great Lilyanna Potter!" the elf squeaked. Then, without further warning, she popped away with my trunk. I sighed and fiddled with my hair as I walked down one of the two main staircases.

"Bonjour, Lilyanna, how are you?" Fleur asked.

"Fine. You?" I asked.

"I am fine but Gabby is a mess." she sighed.

"I am _not_ a mess. I am just nervous." she said.

"Don't worry about it. You'll be fine, we'll be fine. At least the sorting isn't done in front of everyone like it is at Hogwarts, to think I might have gone their, to think my parents went their. Albus Dumbledore is two drops short of a lemon." I sighed, Fleur and Gabrielle giggled. "Plus, we have three houses and the method here is foolproof, unlike a certain British founder's humiliating sorting hat."

"Oui, I agree." Fleur said as we entered into the dining room and sat down, being served our favorite foods. "And our houses do not have silly names like Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. No rivalry either, just an easy way to divide everyone up. Soleil, lune, etoile, easy enough."

"Sun, moon, stars." I recited.

"Okay, mademoiselle know-it-all, dazzle us with your knowledge." Gabrielle mocked, looking less nervous.

"Meh, it's not school time yet. I think I'd rather be mischievous then a know-it-all." I said as I wolfed down my food.

"It is not a race, Lilyanna." Maman said. Soleil Delacour is my "maman," the French word for Mama or Mummy or Mum, Pierre Delacour is my "Papa," the French word for Da or Daddy or Dad. My birth parents, James and Lily, will always be my mum and dad, my mummy and daddy, my mama and papa, my ma and pa, my mother and my father, and every other title in every language except one. Soleil and Pierre are my maman and Papa, that's all I have to say.

A half hour later, we were waiting in the front yard for the Beauxbatons Coach. With many students, the Beauxbatons Coach appears in front of your house and you get on. With others, it appears in the town square of any magical town. With Muggle-borns, the coach looks like a buss to the Muggles around so no suspicion is aroused. Soon enough, the huge, majestic powder blue coach could be seen in the sky. It soon touched the ground and Gabrielle and I looked at it in wonder.

"There it is!" Maman said.

"I can't wait!" I squealed.

"Neither can I." Gabrielle said excitedly. It was then that the coachman, Monsieur Dumont, came out.

"Hello girls, come along and get yourself seated; I will put your trunks underneath." We both nodded and handed over our trunks. Just as I was about to get on, their was a fluttering of wings and Nix landed on my shoulder.

"Pretty bird." he crooned.

"Okay, Nix, you can come." I said as Maman handed me a cage. Nix huffed but let himself be ushered inside anyway. Fleur entered the coach followed by Gabrielle. On the inside, their was a large lounge arrea with other eleven-year-olds milling about. A staircase led up to another floor. Everyone who went to Beauxbatons knew that the coach really had seven floors, one for each year.

"I leave you here, sisters. I will be on floor three with the other thirds. If you need me, just call." with that, she went to the back of the room and up the blue-carpeted staircase. Gabrielle and I looked around uncertainly before plopping down at a table with a wizard chess set. I dug my pieces out of my blue backpack and Gabrielle did the same from her pink one.

"Let's play." I said. A few rousing games of chess later, I was being tapped on the shoulder by a rather shy-looking girl while Gabrielle was being tapped by a poy who looked like her twin.

"May...we...sit...with...you? the boy managed in French.

"Oui." I said, motioning at two seats at our table.

"Merci." the twins said together. Both of them had sandy brownish-blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes.

"Do you speak Eenglish, by chance?" I asked.

"Thank you!" the twins said releavedly, showing British accents.

"No problem." I said. "So can you tell us your names or must we guess?"

"Oh!" the twins said.

"I'm Erin Rutherford, this is my brother, Eric." the girl said.

"Gabrielle Delacour, eet ees nice to meet you." Gabrielle said.

"Lilyanna Potter." I said softly, all the buzz in the carriage lounge went silent.

"Did she say—'"

"Lilyanna Potter—com"

"The girl-who-lived—com"

"Do you see her scar—com"

"Lovely." I moaned in French before switching back to English. "Yes, I'm Lilyanna Potter but that doesn't mean everyone can gawk at me like an animal at the zoo!" the chatter started up again and I sighed in relief.

"Nice to meet you, Lily." the twins chimed in English.

"So, er, why aren't you going to Hogwarts if you're British?" I asked.

"Mum and Dad think it's gone downhill since their day and because we have the money, they sent us here." Eric said. Suddenly, the carriage came to another stop in a suberban Muggle neighborhood. A girl, about Fleur's age, got on followed by a nervous-looking boy about my age. He had black hair and strange violet eyes.

"You can sit over here!" I said loudly in French. The boy nodded and plonked down.

"Hello." he said back in the same language. "I am Charles Sands, that girl you saw earlier was my older sister, Violet."

"Violet? Oh, Fleur's Muggle-born friend." Gabrielle said.

"Yeah. So you're Gabrielle? You must be Lilyanna Potter, Fleur's mentioned you to Violet. Who are you two?"

"Erin Rutherford."

"Eric Rutherford."

"Oh, nice to meet you."


	84. To Dust and the North

Trapped In The Sim World

An attempt to write a story where an ordinary person gets trapped inside The Sims 3… So yeah, one of those…

Chapter One: Trapped

I was just playing a game of The Sims 3, a nice, innocent game. It was about 11:00 PM and I would be going to bed soon. My sim, Kailee Landry, was looking into a cursed coffin. Instead of getting sucked inside of it like usual, the screen went all fuzzy. I absent-mindedly went to tap the screen when I found myself being sucked through a vortex of different-colored diamonds. I found myself falling into the coffin right as Kailee opened the door.

"Aaahhh!" we both screamed at the same time.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked. Gosh, I didn't know sims cussed, not even in Simlish!

"Well the question is who are _you!"_ I snapped. "You're Kailee Landry aren't you?"

"How...how'd you know?" she demanded.

"Because, well, I'm observant. Pluss, your little tag says so!" I said, not wanting to giv away that I was the one who made this game file with the Landrys in the first place. "By the way, I'm Pandora Moon!"

"Oh, nice to meet you! Say, you're not from anywhere I've been too!"

"No...I think I'm from another world...I live in a little town called Buttercup South Carolina. Their, we speek English like they do on the Custom station. So we're in Egypt?"

"Yup! Say, you look like you're just a teen like me and my twin Jaimee, do you want to live with our family? Their's just my grandma Ellen, my mom, Stella, my dad Kevin, then their's Jaimee, my twin sister, Cameron's just a child, and their's Leland, he's a toddler. We've still got one more spot and Leland was adopted so it'll almost be like we adopted you. My parents and grandma are family-oriented sims so it should be no problem."

"I can stay their for a while at least!" I said. Kailee's dark blue eyes seemed to light up with excitement as she did a complete 360, caramel hair streaked with blonde swinging with her movements as she led me out of the pyramid and onto the dirt road.

"Our vacation home isn't far, we can just take some mopeds!" Kailee chirped, I smiled. No wonder she had so many friends, she was so...well...friendly! I hopped on a moped that materialized magically and followed Kailee down the path. Things were sure a lot bigger now that I was actually in the sim world.

We made it to the Landry vacation home a few minutes later.

"Mom, Dad, I found someone!" Kailee hollered.

"You did?" came the voice of a woman with black hair and dark blue eyes who was standing next to a man with caramel hair and forest green eyes.

"Not another boy, I hope!" said her father.

"No! This is Pandora Moon, she just sort of dropped into the cursed coffin. She says she's from a world where they speak English like in our custom music and she doesn't know how to get back. Can she stay here for a while?" Kellie pleaded.

"Of course! Especially since their's nobody else for her to stay with!" said Stella with a smile. "I suggest we get going, our flight leaves in an hour!" Everyone grabbed their bags and we all went back out to the road again. It was then that I saw three more people, their was Ellen, an elder with black hair threaded with silver, Jaimee, who looked just like her twin except she had black hair and green eyes, and Cameren who looked more like his dad but had his mom's eyes and hair. We all got on mopeds or bikes and went off down the road. We drove right up to a special spot where we were automatically teleported to a plain.

The ride lasted several hours and we all were teleported off eventually on the main street of Sunset Valley by City Hall. We got in a cab and drove out to the large country house that the Landry family had owned since Stella and Kevin had gotten married. It was a beautiful three-story house with a large pool, playground, and party area in back. I had used a cheet to make the Landry family very ritch. Also, Mr. Landry worked as a doctor and Mrs. Landry as a mad scientist. Both Jaimee and Kailee had jobs in the local spaw. I walked in the vast entry hall and smiled. The house really _was_ beautiful and they even had a nectar cellar downstairs.

"You're more then welcome to take the guest bedroom up in the attic. The attic is also where Jaimee and Kailee have their rooms and spots to hang out. Cameron's bedroom is on the second floor along with ours, Stella's mother's, A large bathroom, Leland's room, and a playroom. Down here we have a living room, kitchen, dining room, studdy and skill room, and a small bathroom. Their is a large bathroom up in the attic that you girls will share. I hope you're happy here. Also, we'll make sure we buy you a car or moped for transportation. Why don't you go and settle in!" Mr. Landry said. I thanked him and went upstairs all the way to the attic. The guest room was perfect, all wood with a wood dressser and full-length mirror. I looked in the mirror to see that my strawberry blonde hair, more strawberry then blonde, was now a fiery red with some blonde highlights thrown in. My hazel eyes had just turned to a sea green and I was still wearing the outfit I had on when I was playing, a plain white sweater and a pair of jeans with tennis shoes and socks. My silver glasses were purched on my face as always. This outfit was a bit bla, as was my hairstyle, so I decided to change them. I pulled out a blue-and-white striped tank top with a denim skirt and blue flip-flops. My pajamas would be just a simple pink nightgown, yes, I as a red-head love pink, made my formal a sexy black dress that went to right above my knees and black heels, made my athletic outfit a pair of grey sweats and a white tank with grey-and-white sneakers, and made my swimsuit a blue two-piece bakini with white trim. I kept my glasses for daywhere only and I also put in a pair of silver hoops for everyday wear, formal wear, and athletic wear. I then put my red hair in a matching blue-and-white striped bandana for daywhere and kept it the same length for everything else. satisfied, I decided to go to bed so I would be happy for school the next day. At least my sims were acting like real people and had full controll of themselves now.

Halfway through the night I heard a crying coming from downstairs. I thought for a second I was back at home and it was my baby sister crying. As I woke, however, I realized it was not my sister. I ran downstairs and into the child's room. Leland was shaking his bars and crying like a maniac. I scooped him up and rocked him back and forth.

"Hush, little Leelee, everything will be okay. Do you need your diaper changed? I think you do oh yes!" I, somehow knowing what to do, tossed Leland up into the air and caught him. When I did, he came back down with a fresh diaper. He smiled at me and drifted off to sleep again. I put him back in his little crib and headed back up the stairs. When I was halfway up, I was stopped by Jaimee.

"What did you do to get him to sleep? He's always so dang finicky!" she said.

"Yeah, I've got a little sister, Morgan, at home.

"Oh, that's nice. Let's go up to bed, we've got school tomorrow and us Landry girls are unpopular as is, don't need to be late!" she said.

"Oh, you're unpopular? That sucks big time. I'm not that popular either because I've got a bit of a strange family and strange habbits. I'm a total night owl, for example. Also, I love books, I'm a bit of a wiz kid, and I'm a computer geek. Also, I'm not afraid to stand up to people."

"Oh, what do you mean by wierd family?" Jaimee asked.

"Well, my parents own a magic shop for one thing. They've named us after magical people. For example, I'm Pandora Medusa Moon. I've got older twin brothers named Merlin Arthur and Arthur Merlin. Lastly, like I said, my little sister's name is Morgan, Morgan Fay Moon. It's so totally wierd and I've always done wierd things, I'm just kind of wierd period. I can make things hover to me, teleport, fix things, and other stuff. My parents say that I'm a sorceress, enchantress, witch, whatever. They've been training me and I've come to accept it but it's still hard because everyone sees the Moon family as one of freaks."

"Hmmm, I've never heard of anyone doing that sort of thing before, that's very interesting. Ah well, join the club I guess, Mom's a science nut so you get the point. G'night, Pandora!"

"Yeah, G'night, Jaimee!" I said, going into my room.

Chapter Two: First Official Day As A Sim

I was in a nice, pieceful sleep when all of the sudden I woke up to a loud beeping sound. I jumped up, startled, and slammed the off button before jumping into my everyday wears, taking the attic stairs two at a time.

"What are you doing?" asked Jaimee and Kailee in unison from the bottom of the stairs.

"You took—com" Kailee started.

"The stairs—com" Jaimee continued.

"Two at a time?" they finished.

"Yup!" I said, running to the banister and jumping onto it.

"What are you doing?" came a child's voice.

"I'm sliding, you sims should try it. I did it in my world all the time!" I said, pushing off from the top and whizzing down, flying off the end and landing neatly in the middle of the foyer. "C'mon, try it!"

"I don't know!" Jaimee said. "Are you sure I can do it? I mean, I'm not magical and all..." she trailed off.

"What do you mean by magic, Jaimee?" Kailee asked.

"My family is one of magicians, I'm like the school freak. We're all named after magical or mythological people. Like I told Jaimee on the way up from putting Leland to sleep, my name's Pandora Medusa, I've got two older brothers, twins, named Merlin Arthur and Arthur Merlin. I also have a baby sister named Morgan Fe. Anyway, I slide like that with all my mortal friends, try it!" Jaimee, being the adventurous sim she was, did it first. She slid all the way down and landed neatly on her feet. Kailee, the clumsy sim that she was, made it fine but wound up sliding across the floor. Cameron went next and he was at the half-way point, landing crouched on one foot and one knee.

"That was fun!" they all said.

"Yup, glad you think so!" I said with a smile as I headed toward the kitchen to get some cereal. Knowing what to do, I went to the fridge instead of the cabinets like I would do in my own world and pulled out the box, pored some into a bowl, and went across the hall to the dining room to eat. Mr. Landry was reading the paper and Jaimee, Kailee, and Cameron were eating identical bowls of cereal. Just as I finished eating and putting my bowl in the dishwasher, I heard a honk from outside.

"We usually take the bus anyway!" Jaimee said as she and Kailee got on with Cameron and I. I was expecting to see an empty buss but it was actually full of kids and teens. I sat down by Cameron and the buss pulled away.

"Who are you?" came a snobbish voice from behind me.

"who are you? You never introduced yourself so how can you expect me to introduce myself?" I asked.

"_I,"_ the teen puffed out his chest importantly, "Am Malcolm _LANDGRAB!"_

"Oh yes, that's right. You'll marry some deadbeat cheerleader and have two kids, Mimi and Dudley, who you'll disinherit." I smirked.

"How...how do you know that?" he stammered.

"Where I come from, you're just characters in a video game. I have a save file where your fiance beat you up and left you, she was pregnant with your children, and you were so heartbroken you set the kitchen of your mansion on fire and killed yourself. Nobody loved you enough to bring you back as a ghost, do you _REALLY_ want that sort of sad little life, Landgrabb?"

"Mal-Mal, I don't want that to happen to us." said a ditsy blonde cheerleader, Darlene Butch if I was correct.

"Don't worry, if we ever have children they'll be named Ezairlia and Corinthian." Malcolm said, I snorted.

"What's so funny?" Darlene hissed.

"_EZAIRLIA?_ _CORINTHIAN?_ Oh god...oh god those _poor_ _kids!_ If I were either of them I'd change my name and leave Simland! Well...at least you you can call them Cor and Lia for short, that's a plus."


	85. Trapped in the Sim World

Trapped In The Sim World

An attempt to write a story where an ordinary person gets trapped inside The Sims 3… So yeah, one of those…

Chapter One: Trapped

I was just playing a game of The Sims 3, a nice, innocent game. It was about 11:00 PM and I would be going to bed soon. My sim, Kailee Landry, was looking into a cursed coffin. Instead of getting sucked inside of it like usual, the screen went all fuzzy. I absent-mindedly went to tap the screen when I found myself being sucked through a vortex of different-colored diamonds. I found myself falling into the coffin right as Kailee opened the door.

"Aaahhh!" we both screamed at the same time.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked. Gosh, I didn't know sims cussed, not even in Simlish!

"Well the question is who are _you!"_ I snapped. "You're Kailee Landry aren't you?"

"How...how'd you know?" she demanded.

"Because, well, I'm observant. Pluss, your little tag says so!" I said, not wanting to giv away that I was the one who made this game file with the Landrys in the first place. "By the way, I'm Pandora Moon!"

"Oh, nice to meet you! Say, you're not from anywhere I've been too!"

"No...I think I'm from another world...I live in a little town called Buttercup South Carolina. Their, we speek English like they do on the Custom station. So we're in Egypt?"

"Yup! Say, you look like you're just a teen like me and my twin Jaimee, do you want to live with our family? Their's just my grandma Ellen, my mom, Stella, my dad Kevin, then their's Jaimee, my twin sister, Cameron's just a child, and their's Leland, he's a toddler. We've still got one more spot and Leland was adopted so it'll almost be like we adopted you. My parents and grandma are family-oriented sims so it should be no problem."

"I can stay their for a while at least!" I said. Kailee's dark blue eyes seemed to light up with excitement as she did a complete 360, caramel hair streaked with blonde swinging with her movements as she led me out of the pyramid and onto the dirt road.

"Our vacation home isn't far, we can just take some mopeds!" Kailee chirped, I smiled. No wonder she had so many friends, she was so...well...friendly! I hopped on a moped that materialized magically and followed Kailee down the path. Things were sure a lot bigger now that I was actually in the sim world.

We made it to the Landry vacation home a few minutes later.

"Mom, Dad, I found someone!" Kailee hollered.

"You did?" came the voice of a woman with black hair and dark blue eyes who was standing next to a man with caramel hair and forest green eyes.

"Not another boy, I hope!" said her father.

"No! This is Pandora Moon, she just sort of dropped into the cursed coffin. She says she's from a world where they speak English like in our custom music and she doesn't know how to get back. Can she stay here for a while?" Kellie pleaded.

"Of course! Especially since their's nobody else for her to stay with!" said Stella with a smile. "I suggest we get going, our flight leaves in an hour!" Everyone grabbed their bags and we all went back out to the road again. It was then that I saw three more people, their was Ellen, an elder with black hair threaded with silver, Jaimee, who looked just like her twin except she had black hair and green eyes, and Cameren who looked more like his dad but had his mom's eyes and hair. We all got on mopeds or bikes and went off down the road. We drove right up to a special spot where we were automatically teleported to a plain.

The ride lasted several hours and we all were teleported off eventually on the main street of Sunset Valley by City Hall. We got in a cab and drove out to the large country house that the Landry family had owned since Stella and Kevin had gotten married. It was a beautiful three-story house with a large pool, playground, and party area in back. I had used a cheet to make the Landry family very ritch. Also, Mr. Landry worked as a doctor and Mrs. Landry as a mad scientist. Both Jaimee and Kailee had jobs in the local spaw. I walked in the vast entry hall and smiled. The house really _was_ beautiful and they even had a nectar cellar downstairs.

"You're more then welcome to take the guest bedroom up in the attic. The attic is also where Jaimee and Kailee have their rooms and spots to hang out. Cameron's bedroom is on the second floor along with ours, Stella's mother's, A large bathroom, Leland's room, and a playroom. Down here we have a living room, kitchen, dining room, studdy and skill room, and a small bathroom. Their is a large bathroom up in the attic that you girls will share. I hope you're happy here. Also, we'll make sure we buy you a car or moped for transportation. Why don't you go and settle in!" Mr. Landry said. I thanked him and went upstairs all the way to the attic. The guest room was perfect, all wood with a wood dressser and full-length mirror. I looked in the mirror to see that my strawberry blonde hair, more strawberry then blonde, was now a fiery red with some blonde highlights thrown in. My hazel eyes had just turned to a sea green and I was still wearing the outfit I had on when I was playing, a plain white sweater and a pair of jeans with tennis shoes and socks. My silver glasses were purched on my face as always. This outfit was a bit bla, as was my hairstyle, so I decided to change them. I pulled out a blue-and-white striped tank top with a denim skirt and blue flip-flops. My pajamas would be just a simple pink nightgown, yes, I as a red-head love pink, made my formal a sexy black dress that went to right above my knees and black heels, made my athletic outfit a pair of grey sweats and a white tank with grey-and-white sneakers, and made my swimsuit a blue two-piece bakini with white trim. I kept my glasses for daywhere only and I also put in a pair of silver hoops for everyday wear, formal wear, and athletic wear. I then put my red hair in a matching blue-and-white striped bandana for daywhere and kept it the same length for everything else. satisfied, I decided to go to bed so I would be happy for school the next day. At least my sims were acting like real people and had full controll of themselves now.

Halfway through the night I heard a crying coming from downstairs. I thought for a second I was back at home and it was my baby sister crying. As I woke, however, I realized it was not my sister. I ran downstairs and into the child's room. Leland was shaking his bars and crying like a maniac. I scooped him up and rocked him back and forth.

"Hush, little Leelee, everything will be okay. Do you need your diaper changed? I think you do oh yes!" I, somehow knowing what to do, tossed Leland up into the air and caught him. When I did, he came back down with a fresh diaper. He smiled at me and drifted off to sleep again. I put him back in his little crib and headed back up the stairs. When I was halfway up, I was stopped by Jaimee.

"What did you do to get him to sleep? He's always so dang finicky!" she said.

"Yeah, I've got a little sister, Morgan, at home.

"Oh, that's nice. Let's go up to bed, we've got school tomorrow and us Landry girls are unpopular as is, don't need to be late!" she said.

"Oh, you're unpopular? That sucks big time. I'm not that popular either because I've got a bit of a strange family and strange habbits. I'm a total night owl, for example. Also, I love books, I'm a bit of a wiz kid, and I'm a computer geek. Also, I'm not afraid to stand up to people."

"Oh, what do you mean by wierd family?" Jaimee asked.

"Well, my parents own a magic shop for one thing. They've named us after magical people. For example, I'm Pandora Medusa Moon. I've got older twin brothers named Merlin Arthur and Arthur Merlin. Lastly, like I said, my little sister's name is Morgan, Morgan Fay Moon. It's so totally wierd and I've always done wierd things, I'm just kind of wierd period. I can make things hover to me, teleport, fix things, and other stuff. My parents say that I'm a sorceress, enchantress, witch, whatever. They've been training me and I've come to accept it but it's still hard because everyone sees the Moon family as one of freaks."

"Hmmm, I've never heard of anyone doing that sort of thing before, that's very interesting. Ah well, join the club I guess, Mom's a science nut so you get the point. G'night, Pandora!"

"Yeah, G'night, Jaimee!" I said, going into my room.

Chapter Two: First Official Day As A Sim

I was in a nice, pieceful sleep when all of the sudden I woke up to a loud beeping sound. I jumped up, startled, and slammed the off button before jumping into my everyday wears, taking the attic stairs two at a time.

"What are you doing?" asked Jaimee and Kailee in unison from the bottom of the stairs.

"You took—com" Kailee started.

"The stairs—com" Jaimee continued.

"Two at a time?" they finished.

"Yup!" I said, running to the banister and jumping onto it.

"What are you doing?" came a child's voice.

"I'm sliding, you sims should try it. I did it in my world all the time!" I said, pushing off from the top and whizzing down, flying off the end and landing neatly in the middle of the foyer. "C'mon, try it!"

"I don't know!" Jaimee said. "Are you sure I can do it? I mean, I'm not magical and all..." she trailed off.

"What do you mean by magic, Jaimee?" Kailee asked.

"My family is one of magicians, I'm like the school freak. We're all named after magical or mythological people. Like I told Jaimee on the way up from putting Leland to sleep, my name's Pandora Medusa, I've got two older brothers, twins, named Merlin Arthur and Arthur Merlin. I also have a baby sister named Morgan Fe. Anyway, I slide like that with all my mortal friends, try it!" Jaimee, being the adventurous sim she was, did it first. She slid all the way down and landed neatly on her feet. Kailee, the clumsy sim that she was, made it fine but wound up sliding across the floor. Cameron went next and he was at the half-way point, landing crouched on one foot and one knee.

"That was fun!" they all said.

"Yup, glad you think so!" I said with a smile as I headed toward the kitchen to get some cereal. Knowing what to do, I went to the fridge instead of the cabinets like I would do in my own world and pulled out the box, pored some into a bowl, and went across the hall to the dining room to eat. Mr. Landry was reading the paper and Jaimee, Kailee, and Cameron were eating identical bowls of cereal. Just as I finished eating and putting my bowl in the dishwasher, I heard a honk from outside.

"We usually take the bus anyway!" Jaimee said as she and Kailee got on with Cameron and I. I was expecting to see an empty buss but it was actually full of kids and teens. I sat down by Cameron and the buss pulled away.

"Who are you?" came a snobbish voice from behind me.

"who are you? You never introduced yourself so how can you expect me to introduce myself?" I asked.

"_I,"_ the teen puffed out his chest importantly, "Am Malcolm _LANDGRAB!"_

"Oh yes, that's right. You'll marry some deadbeat cheerleader and have two kids, Mimi and Dudley, who you'll disinherit." I smirked.

"How...how do you know that?" he stammered.

"Where I come from, you're just characters in a video game. I have a save file where your fiance beat you up and left you, she was pregnant with your children, and you were so heartbroken you set the kitchen of your mansion on fire and killed yourself. Nobody loved you enough to bring you back as a ghost, do you _REALLY_ want that sort of sad little life, Landgrabb?"

"Mal-Mal, I don't want that to happen to us." said a ditsy blonde cheerleader, Darlene Butch if I was correct.

"Don't worry, if we ever have children they'll be named Ezairlia and Corinthian." Malcolm said, I snorted.

"What's so funny?" Darlene hissed.

"_EZAIRLIA?_ _CORINTHIAN?_ Oh god...oh god those _poor_ _kids!_ If I were either of them I'd change my name and leave Simland! Well...at least you you can call them Cor and Lia for short, that's a plus."


	86. Trista Potter

Trista Potter

An attempt to write another fic where a female Harry grows up in an orphanage, though not the same environment isasn an earlier story I posted to this compelation. So yeah… Here we go!

Chapter One: I Am Not Amused

stretching in her bed a small, skinny girl of ten sighed. Tristana "Trista" Potter hated mornings, everyone who knew her knew that. Clicking heels could be heard coming up the creeky wood hallway, closer and closer to her own room. Trista scowled and yanked the covers over her head, blocking out the barely-risen sun streaming through her small window. It couldn't be much later than 6:00. After a few minutes there came a sharp rapping at her door.

"_WHAT?"_ she demanded sleepily.

"None of that tongue-and-cheek with you, girl, it's time to greet the day!" came the false-cheerful voice of Cynthia Coal, the matron of the orphanage in which Trista had been forced to call home since she was three years old. Coal's Compound had been in downtown London for years, it was a grim, old, drafty wood building with a parking lot in front and a small yard and playground in back.

"Goway, damn it." Trista snapped, yanking the pillow over her head.

"You'll mind your manners and your mouth, Tristana Lily Potter. You've got breakfast duty today." Miss Coal snapped, swinging open the door and striding to Trista's bedside.

"Hate cooking." the small girl groaned.

"Too bad, now _UP_ with you." Miss Coal demanded, forcibly yanking the girl off her bed and onto the floor.

"Ouch...son-of-a..." Trista muttered, picking herself off the floor.

"_NONE_ of that." Miss Coal said, shoving her towards her dresser. "Now dress and get downstairs."

"Fine, whatever, just get the hell _OUT_ of my _ROOM!"_ the girl snarled. Trista felt the matron's sharp nales dig into her face as she slapped her.

"I won't have such talk from you, girl, and for that you can clean the dishes for all of the meals and scrub the kitchen floor tonight." the woman snarled right back, her cold, icy blue eyes glinting with rage. With that, her white-blonde hair snapping as she did so, Miss Coal whirled around, wrenched open the door, and clacked out, slamming the door behind her.

"Damn crone. Never let a girl get a good night's sleep." Trista muttered, rubbing her stinging cheek. She angrily yanked open her dresser and put on underwear, a training bra, and one of the few outfits she had, a dull gray dress. After that, she slipped on a pair of worn sandals. Taking a brush from the top of her dresser she began bringing it through her unruly blackfire hair. She called it blackfire because of the way it went, all over the place, like uncontrolable flames of pure and total darkness. Sometimes, Trista could have sworn she had seen streaks of red here and there in it, even. Brushing it was almost hopeless but whatever, at least she wouldn't be lying when Miss Coal demanded to know whether or not she had bothered to try and tame the mess of curls. She kept it short, only to her shoulders. Miss Coal wouldn't let her grow it any longer. Finally, she snatched her glasses from her nightstand and shoved them on her nose, covering a set of startlingly-colored eyes. They were both like bright and shining emeralds, pure, beautiful, deep, entrancing, and flawless.

After going across the hall to the bathroom to brush her teeth and use the toilet Trista went downstairs, making sure to step on all the creaky boards just to annoy all the other sleeping orphans.

"What's with all that racket, girl?" Miss Coal hissed as Trista entered the downstairs hallway.

"Oops! I must've accidentally tread on a few squeaky boards. Perhaps you ought to get those fixed?" Trista asked innocently. Miss Coal simply snorted and shoved the small girl into the kitchen.

"Cook, _NOW!"_ she ordered, slamming the door. Trista simply sighed and rolled her eyes. As she got out everything she needed she began to sing a tune that she had heard on the radio awhile back.

"Little boy, six years old,

A little too used to being alone.

Another new mum and dad, another new school,

Another house that'll never be home.

When people ask him how he likes this place...

He looks and says with a smile upon his face,

"This is my temporary home,

It's not where I belong,

Windows and rooms that I'm passing through.

This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going,

I'm not afraid because I know this is my,

temporary home."

Young mom on her own,

She needs a little help got nowhere to go.

She's looking for a job, looking for a way out,

Because a half-way house can never be a home.

At night she whispers to her baby girl,

"Someday we'll find our place here in this world,"

"This is our temporary home,

It's not where we belong,

Windows and rooms that we're passing through.

This is just a stop on the way to where we're going,

I'm not afraid because I know this is our,

temporary home."

Old man, hospital bed,

The room is filled with people he loves.

And he whispers "Don't cry for me,

I'll see you all some day."

He looks up and says, "I can see God's face,"

"This is my temporary home,

It's not where I belong,

Windows and rooms that I'm passing through.

This is just a stop on the way to where I'm going,

I'm not afraid because I know this is my,

temporary home."

This is our temporary home."

Trista had a pretty voice, really, it was high and delicate with a bit of a rough edge to it. The song reminded her very much of herself. Trista had never been able to call any place home. When she had first come to Coal's Compound many couples had fallen in love with her unruly, raven black hair, bright, unfathomable, emerald eyes, and even the quirky lightning-bolt scar on her forehead. Almost all of them had wound up "adopting" her but dropping her back off no more then a month later because she had done something "freaky," something her relatives would have called abnormal. By the time Trista was six or so she had earned the reputation of an odd child, a freak, but many parents would not be deterred. By the time she was eight or nine, however, nobody wanted her anymore, _SURELY_ there must be something _WRONG_ with her if such a _CUTE_ little girl had _NOT_ been _ADOPTED_ by _NOW,_ they would say, and Miss Cynthia Coal always encouraged their beliefs. Trista snorted, she didn't need _THEM._ She must have some sort of world record or something, she had been adopted and dropped off by no less then twenty-five families. She could here the elephantine stomping of the other children as they woke and got ready for the day. Luckily, breakfast was almost ready. The small, petite, dainty-looking little girl fairly spun and danced around as she prepared everything, swooping down and setting everything out on the server platters and then putting them on the breakfast buffet. As the other children entered the dining room to eat their fill Trista was cleaning up from cooking. Finally she was allowed to enter and take only a small plate, Miss Coal surveying her every move with her cold eyes. Once she had a piece of toast, a few thin stripps of bacon, and a small cup of orange juice she took a table to herself. Everyone knew of her reputation as an odball and, at the very least, the other orphans just ignored her. At the very worst, however, she was bullied, teased, and belittled by the orphans that didn't just ignore her. There was no middle ground. Tristana Lily Potter was an outcast but she was just fine with that.

After she was done she went back into the kitchen and began washing all of the dishes. The orphanage had thirty-one children at the moment, fifteen boys and sixteen girls. There were ten infants aged zero to three; five boys and five girls, ten younger children from ages four to eight; again five boys and five girls, and ten adolescents; five boys and six girls aged nine to eighteen. Often times when Trista was not cooking or cleaning she was baby-sitting the youngest ten as Miss Coal was the only employee of the orphanage as she owned it. Finally she was done washing and putting away all of the dishes and kitchen things and was leaving the stuffy room.

"There you are, girl. Now that you're done with that I need you to go to the post office and get the mail, understand?" Miss Coal demanded.

"Yes, Miss Coal." Trista sighed. It was mid-July so she needed no coat. Taking a deep breath she opened the front door and stepped out into the muggy, smoggy city. As she strode across the parking lot she heard one of the orphans tittering.

"Pissy Trissy Potter on a little stroll? Pissy Trissy Potter who is dumber then a troll? Pissy Trissy Potter better not go lose her way! Pissy Trissy Potter will surely take all day!" Trista clenched her little fiststs. It was Madelyne McCall, one of Trista's worst tormenters. She always went out of her way to bother her. Also, there was the fact that it was Madelyne McCall that tagged her with the nickname Pissy Trissy Potter.

"Shut it, McCall." Trista snarled to the wicked brunette.

"Pissy Trissy Potter who is dumber then a post. Pissy Trissy Potter who I hate the very most. Pissy Trissy Potter's lived here seven years so far. Pissy Trissy Potter go and get hit by a big car!" she laughed nastily as she approached, dark brown, almost black, eyes glinting maliciously.

"I told you to shut it, didn't I?" Trista growled.

"Poor Pissy Trissy Potter, so sad how nobody _LOVES_ _YOU!_ Such a shame that _NOBODY_ will ever keep you!" she taunted.

"Well at least I know my parents are actually _DEAD,_ not _ROTTING_ _IN_ _JAIL_ like _YOUR_ parents! Mad Maddy McCall you poor, poor little thing! Your mama's alive, your papa's alive, but to you they'll never sing! Mad Maddy McCall, such an unfortunate little girl. You're just jealous that your parents don't give a damn and to mine I was truly their world!" Trista sing-songed, playing just as dirty as Madelyne was. She roared in fury and launched herself at the much smaller girl, her fists flying. Trista nimbly dodged and, before Madelyne could pick herself up from the ground, ran out onto the sidewalk and down the street. The post office was two blocks away and Trista knew that Fatty Maddy McCall wouldn't be able to keep up so she was safe. Yeah, it was mean what Trista said, really mean but Madelyne started it and that's what it's all about in Coal's Compound, survival. Madelyne McCall was currently the favorite and Trista would get in heaps of trouble for all this but the odd little girl didn't really care. Madelyne was older then Trista anyway, like thirteen. For a while the smaller and faster girl heard heavy footsteps and panting behind her but that eventually tapered off and she reached the post office. She blew in like a little tornado and wirled over to the front counter. Miss Amelie, a kindly-looking older woman who was always nice to Trista was on duty today, thank god.

"TRISTA honey, what is the matter? You are acting as though the devil is at your heels!" she said as the girl caught her breath.

"Not devil...might as well have been...Mad Maddy McCall...hate her...really do." she breathed.

"That is not a very nice thing to call her." she admonished lightly.

"You say that after you're called Pissy Trissy Potter ten times in less then a bloody _HOUR!"_ Trista grumbled.

"Watch your language, I mean it." Miss Amelie snapped.

"Sorry, Miss Amelie. Anyway...I've come to get...to get the...the mail." Trista said sheepishly. Miss Amelie nodded and gave her a small stack of envelopes.

"And keep your eyes open today, Trista honey, you might find something interesting there." she said with a mysterious wink as Trista left the building. The small ten-year-old furrowed her eyebrows in confusion; what was that supposed to mean? Keep your eyes _OPEN?_ Curiously she flipped through the envelopes. Most of them were bills or advertisements. At the very bottom, however, she saw a thick cream envelope. She looked at it curiously and gasped in shock. The strange envelope was addressed to her. Sitting down on the front steps of the post office, Trista crossed her ankles and peered inquisitively at the envelope. It was a very strange envelope, really, made of thick, cream-colored paper, the address written on the back in emerald green, no return address to be seen. Also, it was sealed with a peculiar, circular, purple crest with a lion, a badger, an eagle, and a snake surrounding a capital H. Even the address itself was strange.

Miss T L Potter,

Room Thirteen,

Second Floor,

Coal's Compound,

London,

England,

United Kingdom

Figuring that she'd be in trouble anyway for her slight against Madelyne McCall, Trista decided to take the time and read this very strange letter. Carefully, she pealed open the envelope and took out the paper inside. It was the same thick, cream paper as before. It rather looked like some old parchment that she had seen once on a school trip to the museum. Taking a deep breath, Trista began to read the emerald-inked message.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore,

Order of Merlin, First Class,

Supreme Mugwamp of the International Confederation of Wizards,

Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot

Dear Miss Potter:

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find a list of supplies enclosed. Term starts September 1st. We await your owl no later then July 31st.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

Trista grew more and more incredulous the more she read. Angrily, she crumpled up the letter.

"Okay, I'll humor you and read your "supplies" list." she said aloud. As she did so, her eyes bulged wider and wider. Robes? Cauldron? Potions things? A magic _WAND?_ Angrily, she also crumpled the supplies list and envelope. With all her might she threw the bundle across the narrow street into a small rubbish bin. It made it right in, her aim was _NEVER_ off.

"Nice one, arsehole! I'm not _DUMB_ _ENOUGH_ to fall for _THAT_ _ONE._ See if I respond to your bloody ridiculous hocus-pocus bullshit." With an angry huff, Trista then swept off down the sidewalk.

After awhile Trista finally made it back to the place she called "home" entering into the musty entry-way.

"That you, girl?" Miss Coal demanded.

"No, Miss Coal, I'm the ghost of Christmas Past. Care to share?" Trista drawled.

"Shut up, you. Don't think I don't know what you've said to poor Madelyne, you impudent wench. And what the _HELL_ took you so long?" Miss Coal hissed, stepping out of the shadows.

"You'll mind your manners and your mouth, _CYNTHIA_ _AGNEZIA_ _COAL._ Wouldn't want to appear a hypocrite, now would you?" Trista mocked. For the second time that day Miss Coal slapped her, in her oppinion, damnably annoying charge in the face, nales raking against smooth skin.

"_OUCH!_ Watch your fucking nails, damn it!" Trista exclaimed. She was used to getting slapped, it happened quite often, but damn if it didn't hurt sometimes. Miss Coal roughly grabbed Trista's arm and yanked her right up to her face, cold blue eyes boaring into equally cold emerald ones.

"You listen to me, girl, and you listen to me good. You're damn lucky I haven't thrown you out on the street by now, you filthy little urchen. You _WILL_ watch your mouth around me and you _WILL_ watch your manners or things _WON'T_ be pretty for you 'round here, _UNDERSTAND?_ For that nasty bit of _LIP_ you can just cook and clean meals for the rest of the week as well as cleaning the kitchen, top-to-bottom, every night as well as whatever else I ask of you, _GOT_ _ME?"_ she hissed. Trista rolled her eyes and internally snorted. Miss Coal was nothing compared to her uncle...he had been cruel...so cruel...it was, in retrospect, the kindest thing her aunt had ever done, dropping her off here, even if her existance was still miserable and hellish, even if she was nothing more then a slave.

"tis nae but thou I wish to serve. Do assign my humble trials that I shalt finish if for only the purpose of pleasing thee, noble mistress." Trista drawled, Miss Coal scowled and glared icily.

"Get into the kitchen, girl." she simply snarled, shoving Trista through the door.

Sighing theatrically, Trista got to work on everyone's lunch. She didn't mind cooking, really, she got to experiment with things and whatever she cooked they had to eat. Today, she chose cold cuts and salad; easy to make, easy to clean up. The orphans rushed into the cafeteria like a pack of starving jackals and rushed to pick out their food. Taking a simple PBJ, a carton of milk, and an apple, Trista sat down and slowly began to eat, pondering the strange letter.

,chapter Two: The Hel?

The next week passed by in a flurry of chores, scoldings, and more chores. After that day Trista had completely forgotten about the letter. She just took it as a stupid practical joke, nothing more. Magic was just a figment of a child's imagination. Trista had realised, bitterly, at the age of nine that she had ceased being a child when her parents had died and, by that same age she had repressed most of her childish urges like wishing for love or dreaming of magic.


	87. Turn Back Time

Turn Back Time

An attempt to write a fic where a female Harry is magically sent back to 1881 after the battle with Voldemort, landing in Hogwarts before Phineas Nigellus Black becomes headmaster… A kind of fix-it from the beginning fic where she's back far enough to even help Ariana Dumbledore. I might have intended a Phineas Nigellus/Female Harry pairing, I'm not sure…

Chapter One: Time Turned Back

"There's one thing that I can feel that you will _NEVER_ understand, Tommy-Boy!" I hissed as we circled each other.

"_HA!_ Is this your precious _LOVE?_ Look around you, Potter! All that you _LOVE_ are dead! All that you have _TRIED_ to protect are dead because of _YOU!_ But don't worry, you'll be joining your beloved blood-traitors and mudbloods soon enough!" Voldemort hissed. How dare he? How dare he tell me that the deaths of everyone...everyone I love are my _FAULT?_ _HOW_ _DARE_ _HE?_ My thoughts flickered to Ron, killed by an acid-green spell meant to freeze all of his blood and stop his heart, Hermione, raped, tortured, raped more, and killed, Ginny, drowned and set on fire, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with the three oldest Weasley brothers burnt in their own house in the night, Dumbledore, killed by Voldemort himself, McGonagall, beheaded, Remus, Tonks, and their unborn child killed in the night, Sirius through the veil, almost everyone that I loved was gone and not coming back; I had nothing to live for but to kill Voldemort or be killed by him. I felt a great rage well up inside me.

"_NEVER_ _AGAIN!_ _NEVER_ _AGAIN_ shall you harm an innocent, _NEVER_ _Again_ shall you commit such heinous crimes, _NEVER,_ _NEVER,_ _NEVER_ _AGAIN!"_ I cried. Then, as he was surprised, I rushed forward. "_AVADA_ _KEDAVRA!"_ the green spell zoomed towards him like a speeding bullet and hit him right in the heart. I rushed forward, the sword of Godric Gryffindor which I had been carrying ever since the Weasleys were killed the summer after my fifth year unsheathed and in my hand. With a swift motion off went Voldemort's head, he couldn't hurt anyone anymore.

"Never again." I repeated softly as the snake-like head rolled away from the body. The remaining light-siders cheered triumphantly but a horrified _NOOOOO_ came from the Death Eaters. Finally, I thought as I whiped my sword on my bloody, filthy, torn-up robes and shethed it on my back and my wand in my arm holster, no more Voldemort. Here's how things have gone down. I'm twenty...almost twenty-one. As soon as Voldemort made himself known at the Ministry at the end of my fifth year it's been all-out battle, battle everywhere; the Statute of Secrecy has been basically defunct since I was seventeen. Now, all of the Muggles were out for magical blood; most of the casualties on both sides of the war have been because of the Muggles. Voldemort was able to make it through the blood wards at Privet Drive and kill my aunt, my uncle, and my cousin when I was almost sixteen but I was somehow able to evade him once again. I've been on the run since then, everything important in a small, bottomless, near-indestructible black leather sachel that I never take off of me. It's really the size of a medium-sized fanny pack. I have wizard robes which really look more like dresses to Muggles, potions ingredients, potions, even a small resizeable brewing cauldron and some other instruments. I have toiletries as well, a hairbrush, toothbrush, and shampoo that I'm almost out of. A few days ago, July eighteenth, Voldemort and his forces were finally able to start battle in Hogwarts which I had not returned too since the end of my fifth year. It is now the day before my birthday, July 30. I looked up at the clock that still, somehow, remained unbroken. Somewhere in the castle a bell began tolling out midnight. As I was thinking of everything that had happened I didn't notice what was happening until it was too late.

"Transportus tiempo altero!" came a mad scream. Before I could dodge the curse hit me full-force. Everything went into a blur of color. I was falling...falling...falling...and then I blacked out.

"Wha' the...wha' the 'ell? Oo ran me 'ver?" Madam Moore, Hogwarts healer, snapped her head around. It had been a week before that this mysterious woman had showed up in a crumpled heap in the Great Hall.

"Down you go, dear. I don't know what's happened to you but you have been exhausted for a week now." she said.

"Wha...buh...where...I..." the woman stammered.

"You're in the Hogwarts hospital wing, lovey. My name is Madam Moore, I'm the healer here." she said. The girl blinked up at her with large, confused emerald eyes.

"But...but...but that's not right!" she protested, eyes wide. "The Hogwarts Healer is Madam Pomfrey...Poppy Pomfrey...what have you _DONE_ _TO_ _HER?"_ she demanded, voice getting stronger, agitatedly flipping back a strand of curly black hair from her face.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I don't know what you're talking about." Madam Moore said confusedly.

"Wha...what is the full date?"

"It's July 31, 1881, of course." Madam Moore said.

"Bloody hell...what have I done?" I murmured to myself. Think fast, Potter, you've gotta lie and lie well.

"Please tell me, dear, what is your name? How old are you?" the healer, Madam Moore, asked me.

"I'm Jamie, Jamie Flamela Everblack and I'm twenty-one...today's my birthday." I blurted out.

"Well all right then, dear, I suppose I'll just let you..." Madam Moore started before she was cut off.

"Answer truthfully? Yes, good madam, I think that that would be prudent." said a tall, gray-eyed, dark-haired man as he strode into the infirmary with a shorter, older man beside him. Damn, how could he tell? Oh right, legilimency.

"She is just a girl, Phinnias. What could she possibly have to hide?" Madam Moore protested while I internally cursed my luck. Phinnias Nigellus Black, Hogwarts most hated headmaster. How very _LOVELY._ But by his young age I supposed he wasn't quite headmaster yet. He barely looked older than me.

"He has a point, my fair lady. We are in dark times now." the old man said.

"I've got nothing to tell you...and what dark times are you talking about?" I asked them.

"You ought to know, dear, with the shape we found you in." Madam Moore said, I remained silent.

"Tell us what you know, girl, before we force you too." Phinnias growled. "You were obviously battling someone although we do not know which side you were on."

"I have nothing to tell you!" I protested. Before I knew it, being too weak still from my battle with Voldemort to react, I was placed in a body bind from the neck down by the old man and force-fed the colorless, odorless potion I knew as Veritaserum by Black.

"Was that truly necessary, Phinnias? Headmaster Dunham? The girl is still weak." Madam Moore protested.

"I believe it was." the old man, Headmaster Dunham, said. I was vaguely aware of this, lost in a hazy fog of compliance.

"What really is your name, dear?" Madam Moore asked me gently.

"My name is Amarante Lily Potter. Most call me Amy." I said tonelessly.

"A _POTTER,_ eh?" Black snarled. "All you Potters are more trouble than you're worth."

"Why did you say your name was Jamie Flamela Everblack?" Madam Moore asked.

"Because James was my father's name and Jamie was the closest I could get to it since I'm girl. Then there's the "mee" sound which can be extracted from my best friend, Hermione Granger's, name. After that there's Flamela which I got from the red hair of my surrogate family, the Weasleys, Molly and Arthur and their seven children as well as my mum who had dark red hair. Mrs. Weasley's maiden name was Prewett. Lastly, Evans was my mum's maden name. You see? Evans, Ever. Then there's Black which comes from my godfather, Sirius Black. It was the best way I could think to honor my mum and godfather, by taking their last names and combining them somehow."

"Do you know what this potion is, girl?" Black demanded of me.

"It is Veritaserum but as far as I know this potion was not made public until 1886." I said dully.

"But how...what..." the headmaster trailed off. "This Potter girl...is she from a different time?"

"I think so." I answered without thinking.

"When was the exact day, month, and year you were born in, girl?" Black demanded.

"My date of birth is July 31, 1980. I believe that makes it oh, say exactly 99 years from now?"

"How could that be possible?" Madam Moore gasped.

"I was hit with a curse, transportus tiempo altero." I said.

"I do not believe I have heard of that curse." the headmaster said, scratching his balding head.

"Of course not, Zacharias, it is of the blackest arts." Phinnias drawled.

"Oh, and you would know, wouldn't you?" I snapped, the veritaserum haze lifting from my mind. "The man of one of the blackest families of all time who forces veritaserum down the throat of a stranger who happened to have just defeated the most feared dark lord since Salazar Slytherin?"

"What do you mean, girl?" Black demanded. And so, after forcing oaths of silence from all three, I told them. I told them about me surviving the killing curse, I told them about Voldemort's reign of terror, I told them of how the statute of secrecy was totally absent and of how the Muggles were out for magical blood, I told them everything.


	88. Twins of All Time

Twins of All Time

An attempt to write a story with twin female Harry (Um, Harrys?) traveling back to the Founders time and being raised by them… Basically heavily inspired by a story by Teddylonglong…

Chapter One: Sandstorm in the Cupboard

"_Why they Treat us like this, sister?" a little girl with unruly black hair and emerald eyes dressed in boys' clothes that were far too big thought to her twin who looked exactly the same._

_ "I dunno, sister."_ she thought back to her sister.

"_I s'pose they're right, we're freaks." the first twin thought to the second._

_ "Yeah, just freaks, freaks who aren't to be loved."_ the second twin thought to the first. It was Dudley's birthday and they had asked timidly if they had one.

"Freak twins such as yourselves do _not_ have _birthdays!"_ their aunt had snapped, slapping the closest twin in the face before slapping the other. She had informed her husband, the whale Vernon who gave them each a swift beating before throwing them both into their cupboard under the stairs which had been their room ever since they had been unceremoniously dumped on their relatives' doorstep.

They were treated like slaves, made to do as many chores as possible ever since they could wield a broom, lift a mop, push a vacuum, or reach the stove. If they made one sound too many, asked a question, did something odd, or got blamed for something their pig-like cousin Dudley did they were starved, beaten, worked twice as hard, thrown into their cupboard, or a combination of some or all of these.

"_Sister, I wanna be loved."_ the second twin thought to the first.

"_Me too, I wanna be loved. Let's make wishes to the stars so that they might come true. We gotta do it aloud, they're asleep, let's hurry, sister."_ the first twin thought to the second.

"_One—com"_

"_Two—com"_

"THREE!" the girls said aloud.

"We wish to the stars above—com" the first twin started.

"That from now on we can be loved." the second finished. Suddenly, a strong wind whipped around both of them throwing their matted, dirty hair in their faces.

"What's happening, sister?" the second twin hollered afraid and not caring who was upstairs.

"I dunno, sister." the first twin hollered back to the second.

"Oh you dunno? Then we're gonna die!" shouted the second twin.

"No, no we aren't!" the first twin shouted back as sand started to mix in with the wind.

"Of course we're gonna die. Look at the sand, sister, we're gonna choke!" the second twin gasped out.

"We'll be fine, just hope, sister!" the first twin gasped out.

"Take my hand!" they both shouted out as they felt themselves tumbling through the air as if they were not confined in a cupboard. The first twin grasped the second twin's left hand with her right and they held onto two of the possessions they could always remember having and that never went missing or got dirty or tattered, a white stuffed stag with hazel eyes and a white tiger with striking green. They went tumbling and swirling and spinning for what felt like a very long time feeling utterly sick. The sand and wind cleared all of the sudden and the girls fell into soft grass with a thud outside a grand castle tangled together.

Meanwhile...

"Godric, do you see that sandstorm?" asked a tall, elegant woman with curly black hair and ice blue eyes.

"Yes, my dear Rowena, I do." said a tall, broad man with a mane of flaming red hair and hazel eyes.

"It is as though we are in egypt searching for potions ingredients and healing herbs again is it not, Salazar?" asked a plump woman with dark red hair and emerald eyes.

"Not much sand is around these parts save for that near the lake and the arena but that looks completely untouched. Where could this be from?" asked a second man with mahogany hair and beard and storm gray eyes.

"I say, all of you, two little dears are falling from the sky!" Rowena said.

"Oh my, they hit the ground. Make haste, my friends, my husband, hast thou not minds in stress?" asked the ginger-haired woman.

"Of course we do, Helga, come quickly." Rowena said as she rushed from the staff room they were in. They went down the three flights of enchanted stairs and outside.

They came to two little girls all tangled up in each other. One was clutching a stuffed tiger and the other a stuffed stag. They seemed to be unconscious. Helga gently bent down to untangle them but they flinched back from this soft touch. Who was this? Uncle Vernon? Aunt Petunia? Had they made too much noise in the night? Would they be beaten? Helga, meanwhile, was horrified. The girls were dressed in strange clothes that were little more then rags and had bruises and welts and some sort of whip or belt marks all over their bodies as far as she could see save for their faces. The only marks on either of their faces were strange lightning-bolt scars in the middle of their foreheads.

"Please calm, little ones, I wish not to inflict pain upon you." Helga said soothingly. Really? Was this nice lady going to be gentle and not hit them? Where were they?

"Helga merely wishes to disentangle the two of you and get you up to the hospital wing, you fell quite a ways." said another soft, kind voice. Each girl slowly nodded their ascent and allowed Helga to gently untwist their bodies and lay them each on their backs. She gently scooped up the twin to the left while Rowena picked up the twin to their right. They walked up to the newly built hospital wing and set each on a sick bed.

"Sister!" they both cried out. Helga's eyes flashed in understanding and she made one bed big enough for both of them before setting the twins in it, tucking them tight.

"Who could these lost little girls be?" Godric asked as he entered the room.

"I know not, Godric, but I shall ask them." Helga said. "Girls, can you tell me your names?" Why did the lady want to know their names? Didn't she know freaks had no names?

"Freaks don't have names." they voiced softly together. "We're either—com" and then they broke off to start talking back and forth.

"Freak—com"

"Weirdo—com"

"Nuisance—com"

"Burden—com"

"WORTHLESS brats—com"

"Ungrateful urchins—com"

"Spawn—com"

"Loser—com"

"Idiot—com"

"Dunderhead—com"

"Simpleton—com"

"Retard—com"

"It—com"

"Thing—com"

"And the nicest is girl." they finished together. To say that the four people in the room, especially the women, were shocked would be the understatement of the millennium.

"Surely you must have names, dear children? Have you ever been to school?" Rowena asked gently.

"Normal people gots names, we're only freaks." the twin to the right said.

"Aunt Tunia, Uncle Vernon, Cousin Dudley, they all gots names but we don't got none." the twin to the left said.

"Our parents, they was drunks who died in a car crash, that's where Aunt Tunia says that we gots these scars." the twin to the right continued.

"And then we was dumped onto their doorstep." the twin to the left said.

"We're not 'lowd to go to school 'cause we cost 'em enough money, that's what they say." they finished quietly together. Both seeming extremely tired, they cuddled close to each other and their stuffed animals and fell right to sleep.

"Helga, love, before you do anything you should find out their names and where they came from." Salazar said.

"Yes, yes you're right. Identius Revealium." Helga said as she waved her wand over the two girls. Two small rolls of parchment appeared over both the girls' heads. Helga took the one to the left and read:

Rowena Lily Potter

Parents: Lily Brook Evans Potter and James Charlis Potter (both deceased)

Siblings): Salina Jamie Potter (younger twin by 29 seconds)

Time of Birth: 11:59:30 PM

Date of Birth: Thursday July 31, 1980

Exact age: five years, ten months, twenty days, and thirty seconds

"Could this be right, Rowena?" she asked her best friend.

"What? 1980? If this is the case then they have traveled about 1000 years into the past. Read the second parchment, Helga." Rowena said. The second parchment read:

Salina Jamie Potter

Parents: Lily Brook Evans Potter and James Charlis Potter (both deceased)

Siblings): Rowena Lily Potter (older twin by 29 seconds)

Time of Birth: 11:59:59 PM

Date of Birth: Thursday July 31, 1980

Exact age: five years, ten months, twenty days, and one second

"Oh Merlin help us, we've got two time-traveling five-year-olds on our hands!" Helga said.

"Sorry, Helly, I can't do that." said an old man with long white hair and beard from a portrait. "For one thing I'm dead, for another I'm trapped in this _blasted_ portrait!"

"Oh I'll blast your portrait if you call my wife such a name again. It's a saying nowadays, you old loon!" Salazar snapped.

"Good lord, Slytherin, don't get your nickers in a twist." Godric said.

"Shut your mouth, Gryffindor!" Salazar growled.

"Make me!" Godric shot back childishly.


	89. Understanding

On Guard

An attempt to write a fic where a female Harry and a female Dudley come to a sort of understanding after fourth year, considering they have each been through their own traumas. Features a female Dudley survivor of a class shooting, briefly mentioned, so yeah… that bit is probably pretty offensive and I'm sorry if this triggers or angers anyone who's ever been through, or knows someone who's been through, something like that…

Chapter One: A _WHAT?_

"_GIRL!_ _FREAK!_ _POTTER!_ _LILYBELLE_ _DOREA_ _POTTER!_ Get your _LAZY_ arse downstairs this _INSTANT_ so that you can _MAKE_ _Our_ _BREAKFAST!"_ I winced and pulled my thin covers up to my chin, ah the soothing tones of my oh-so-dear Auntie Petunia.

"Awe...go to hell ya old crone..." I muttered, half-asleep. Around ten minutes later their came a bang, _bang,_ _BANG_ on my door. It was my utter _SNOT_ of a cousin, Chrysanthemum.

"Oy, Potter, get out here." she hollered through the door in her annoying, nasal voice. She had been different this summer, I realized; more quiet, subdued, morose.

"Go away, Mum's-Mum." I snapped, using a nickname she hates.

"Don't call me that, Lily-Jilly-Jelly-Belly." Chrysanthemum snapped back, using a nickname I hate and barging into my room.

"Bugger off, Chrysanthemum, I'm in no mood to deal with you." I snapped, pulling the covers over my head.

"Make me, Lilybelle, just make me. So tell me, what's got you in such a snit, hmmm? Bad grades? Gossip? Ooh...did your boyfriend dump you?" she taunted. In moments like these she looks more and more like Aunt Petunia, hungry for gossip. A thin, angular face, dark blue eyes, red-streaked blonde hair, and an over-long neck to boot. I angrily threw a pillow in her face.

"Get the hell out, Dursley, _NOW!"_ I hissed.

"Not 'til you tell me, Potter. Seriously, what could be so _HORRIBLE_ in the _WONDERFUL_ world of _MAGIC?"_ she demanded, tossing the pillow back at me. Angrily I wrenched the blankets off of myself, stood up, and got in my cousin's face.

"Look here, Chrysanthemum Marjorie Dursley, why don't you watch _YOUR_ boyfriend be _TORTURED_ and then _HAPPILY_ _KILLED_ in _FRONT_ of you and _THEN_ and _ONLY_ _THEN_ might you even _BEGIN_ to understand _WHAT_ _IN_ _BLOODY_ _HELL_ _IS_ _WRONG!_ Until then just _LEAVE_ _ME_ _THE_ _FUCK_ _ALONE!"_ I yelled at her. Instead of looking haughty and royally pissed off at me like I thought she would Chrysanthemum looked...was it...sympathetic? Understanding? Even sad? It sure seemed like it the way her eyes filled with tears and her skinny, five-foot-seven frame sagged just a little.

"Bells, you aren't the only one to have seen something like that, ya know." she said softly.

"Oh really? Tell me who else, Mums." I said.

"Me." she responded softly.

"Go up and see what that no-good parasite of a cousin of yours is up too won't you, Chryssie?" Dad asked as Mum began cooking breakfast since the lazy good-for-nothing wasn't down yet.

"Yeah, whatever." I muttered sullenly, standing up and heading upstairs. This summer hadn't been all that great...hell...it had been horrible starting with that damned shoot-out at Montrosse's Academy for Young Ladies and Gentleman. One girl, apparently having the pressure really get to her, had somehow smuggled in a gun and started shooting off during English class. The first person targeted was...he was my one-and-only...Eric Anderson. She was damn jealous because he was _MY_ boyfriend, not _HERS!_ It was no secret that Ellie Jaddison was head-over-heals obsessed with him. I guess it was that mentality "If _I_ can't have him _NOBODY_ _CAN!"_ at work. Reaching my cousin's door I banged hard on it.

"Oy, Potter, get out here." I hollered through the door to her.

"Go away, Mum's-Mum." she snapped, using a nickname that I _LOATHE._ It all started from when I was little and Mum would call me "Mummy's little Mum," it just stuck, unfortunately.

"Don't call me that, Lily-Jilly-Jelly-Belly." I snapped back, using a nickname my friends and I taunted her with when we were littler before barging into her room. Lilybelle looked a mess, I realized, her long, thick, dark red hair tousled and tangled, her large, emerald green eyes sad, red and puffy, her skin pale, black circles beneath her eyes. She looked really upset for some reason, she'd been different all summer. She'd been listless, moody, irritable, and she barely came out of her room but for meals and chores. Even at meals she barely even ate anything, she just nibbled and picked at her food. And then there were the times where a nightmare of that day would wake me up and I'd here her tossing and turning in her room, sleep-begging "Not Cedric, _PLEASE_ not Cedric," and then she'd wake up screaming. What in hell was wrong with Lilybelle?

"Bugger off, Chrysanthemum, I'm in no mood to deal with you." she snapped, yanking her thin covers totally over her head. Hmmm, time to play hard ball.

"Make me, Lilybelle, just make me. So tell me, what's got you in such a snit, hmmm? Bad grades? Gossip? Ooh...did your boyfriend dump you?" I taunted. I know from years of experience that one way to bate Lilybelle and bate her good is to taunt her. Sure enough she angrily hurled a pillow at my face.

"Get the hell out, Dursley, _NOW!"_ she hissed. I frowned. Really, what was so wrong with my cousin? How could anything be wrong with magic? I asked her just that.

"Not 'til you tell me, Potter. Seriously, what could be so _HORRIBLE_ in the _WONDERFUL_ world of _MAGIC?"_ I demanded, tossing the pillow back at her. Angrily Lilybelle yanked the covers off of herself, stood up, and got in my face, all her five feet three inches trembling in anger.

"Look here, Chrysanthemum Marjorie Dursley, why don't you watch _YOUR_ boyfriend be _TORTURED_ and then _HAPPILY_ _KILLED_ in _FRONT_ of you and _THEN_ and _ONLY_ _THEN_ might you even _BEGIN_ to understand _WHAT_ _IN_ _BLOODY_ _HELL_ _IS_ _WRONG!_ Until then just _LEAVE_ _ME_ _THE_ _FUCK_ _ALONE!"_ she yelled, her bright eyes wild, her pale cheeks flushed. The realization of it all seemed to slap me hard in the face. I sagged a little and tears snuck themselves into my eyes. I sighed, my cousin was much more human than my parents gave her credit for. It really did seem as though the only thing different between her and us was magic.

"Bells, you aren't the only one to have seen something like that, ya know." I said softly.

"Oh really? Tell me who else, Mums." she said.

"Me." I responded softly.

"_YOU?_ Awe hell...gimme a break...you expect me to believe _THAT?"_ I laughed, Chrysanthemum's face hardened in anger.

"Yes I do, Lilybelle Dorea Potter, I do. You're not the only one to wake up screaming in the night, you see? Look, Lilybelle, let's just sit and...erm...talk. I always heard confession soothes the soul." she said, sighing. I nodded, xut the door, and sat on my bed. It was true, I had heard my cousin scream in the night just as much as I myself had this summer. Surprisingly she sat right next to me.

"I'll...erm...start then. Chrysanthemum, magic is...magic...well...it's not all wonderful. Magic's what killed my parents, magic's what has almost killed me multiple times. First off, I'm famous in the magical world because I survived the killing curse, nobody's done that before. You see, when my mum died she did it to stop Voldemort...the evil wizard...from killing me if only for a second. Because of that sacrifice I was able to somehow rebound the killing curse back at him and it ripped him from his body. The same curse that felled my parents and so many others...it couldn't kill me as a fifteen-month-old baby and so I'm famous for it. The Girl-Who-Lived, they call me. I hate everything about my fame, _EVERYTHING._ When I went to the book shop to get my school books when I was twelve before my second year some poncey famous author pulled me up front and made me pose for pictures with him. Their's a boy in the year below me and his little brother two years below him that love to stalk me and take pictures. Someone always seems to want me dead." I said heavily.

"Wow...sounds like magic just plain _SUCKS_ sometimes. So how many times have you defied death, miss girl-who-lived?" Chrysanthemum teased.

"I've faced a mountain troll at age eleven and lived to tell the tale, I rode a broom that a professor tried to curse during a Quiddich match, I helped smuggle a baby dragon out of school and got detention for it, I faced a thing sucking unicorn blood in the school's forest and was saved by a centaur, and I stopped the legendary Philosopher's Stone from being taken by the same professor who was possessed by the evil spirit of the guy who killed my mum and dad and tried to kill me. All that, Mums, was just in my first year when I was a scrawny eleven-year-old. My second year was just as interesting, though. First off, do you remember the hovering cake incident that summer with the Masons?" I asked.

"Sure do. How the hell did you do that?" she asked.

"I didn't, honest. It was this little house-elf named Dobby. All summer he'd been trying to make me not want to go back to Hogwarts by intercepting my mail from all my friends; Ron, Hermione, Neville, Fred, and George. More about them later. Anyway, that night he popped in to tell me "terrible things" were about to happen at Hogwarts. I didn't listen, _BOOM,_ hovering cake and I get locked in like a jailbird. The boys who rescued me in the flying car were Ron Weasley and his twin brothers, Fred and George, who're two years older than Ron, Hermione, Neville, and me." I said.

"I never did tell you, Bells, but I thought that that was bloody _BRILLIANT."_ Chrysanthemum said.

"Really?" I gaped incredulously.

"Yuppers! It was really cool. Anyway, continue you living, death-defying, totally crazy miracle of a cousin of mine." Chrysanthemum smiled. And so I did.


	90. Veela Twins

Twin Trouble Making Veelas At Hogwarts

An attempt to write a fic with OC vela cousins of Fleur coming to Hogwarts in fifth year… Features vela Luna… Okaaay, onward!

Chapter One: Intro to Hogwarts and a Meeting With The Weasley Twins

Salina's POV

I sighed as I walked through King's Cross with my twin sister, Soleil, and my parents. It was our first year at Hogwarts, though it was technically our fifth. Our parents had been transfered to the British Ministry of Magic over the summer. It was actually something to do with the Order of the Phoenix, they thought that people might trust my parents more and they might be able to keep an eye on things. Maman was working in the ministry library while Papa was working on developing new potions. Both of them would be trying to find things out for the Order. They had gone to headquarters a few times, but forbade us to come. Anyway, Beauxbatons was about to get rid of us I think. We were far too troublesome. We never got to see Hogwarts last year for the Triwizard Tournament because we were too young, but our older sister, Arielle, did.

As we went through the station, we got many stares from boys and men alike, something that we both hate but have gotten used too. Did I mention we're some of the last full Veelas? Yeah, so anyway, we really couldn't care less what a bunch of horny boys and men feel just because we're "beautiful", but Arielle milks it for all it's worth. Honestly, I don't see how we're even related. She's snitched on us at Beauxbatons as much as she could even though we kept the deadly secret of how many boys she brought into broom closets...hemhem...more then Soleil and my fingers and toes together...hemhem... But anyway, she really is annoying sometimes. Since we're Veelas, we have some extra magical abilities. Arielle didn't really get any except the basic veela and witch magic, but we got more. We can read minds, but not unless we want too, we can read each other's minds and know when the other is in trouble, we're telekinetics, we're top level seers (having made a few minor prophecies but always together), and we're a lot less thick then Arielle.

"Where ees zis platform?" maman asked impatiently.

"Zat I do not know." Papa said. Both of them didn't have the best English, neither did Arielle because she almost refused to speak it saying that "it's far too barbaric!". Soleil and I, however, speak it more because we took the English elective at Beauxbatons. We still had those accents though that made people think we were _so_ sexy, _bleck!_

"Ey! Zer is a family zat might be able to help!" Soleil said. It was a family full of red heads. Their were a few other people as well.

"Oh, zen we can ask zem!" I said, getting excited. When we were excited, our French accents came out more. Sometimes, we unknowingly started talking in French.

"Eexcuse me, but can you show us..." Soleil started.

"How to get onto the platform, oh it's easy." said the motherly figure. I could see in her mind that she was happy to help.

"Oh, Molly! I am sorry zat I did not recognize you!" maman said, rushing forward. I looked and found out that the Weasleys were a part of the Order.

"Girls, zeez are ze Weasleys, zey were at ze order meetings." papa explained.

"Nice to meet you!" we said together.

"Oy, are you twins?" asked the youngest looking red head boy, stepping forward. I looked into his mind to see what he was thinking, and he really wasn't. "_Pretty girls...really pretty girls...probably veela...just like those girls from Beauxbatons...wow..." I pulled myself from his mind and could tell Soleil was doing the same. We quietly snickered. Just because we didn't pay attention to boys and men didn't mean we didn't think they were funny. I caught an idea in Soleil's head and grinned._

_ "Don't be so silly!" we said._

_ "Can't you see that—com" I started._

_ "We are clearly—com" Soleil continued._

_ "Clones of a single person?" we finished._

_ "O-o-oh, um, really?" I could tell that he was utterly confused. He was kind of cute, actually, but not my type, and I knew Soleil was thinking the same thing._

_ "Awe, after all this time you can't—com" said another red head boy standing next to an identical one._

_ "Tell when someone is a twin?" the other finished._

_ "Awe, poor Ickle Ronnikins!" they finished together. I could tell that they were twin terrors just like us. Soleil and I giggled._

_ "I say, Gred, we made the fine ladies laugh!" said the one to the left._

_ "Right you are, Forge." said the one to the right. Fred and George, hmmm? They're definitely like our male counterparts as far as personality goes._

_ "So your names are Fred and George?" we asked, pointing to the boy on the left and then the boy on the right._

_ "How did you know?" they demanded in unison. I looked again to see a little confusion and perhaps a hint of amazement that we had cracked their code so quickly._

_ "Twin thing!" we answered simultaneously._

_ "You can make friends when you get on ze train, girls!" papa said._

_ "So how do we get through ze platform?" Maman asked._

_ "Simple, you just run at the barrier between platforms nine and ten!" Mrs. Weasley said. If Soleil and I couldn't read her mind, we'd think she was a total and absolute nutter for sure. Soleil snickered at my internal comment._

_ "Awesome!" the two of us said in French._

_ "All right, Soleil, why don't you go first?" Maman asked. Soleil and I exchanged twin smirks, deciding to put on a little show for the twins just to show that we were_ trouble makers.

"Hey, she ees not Soleil, I am!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh, sorry, dear, why don't you go first then, Salina!" Maman said. I could see Fred and George snickering by their family. Soleil nodded and ran for the barrier, me following right after her. When I was almost their, I hollered back, "I'm only kidding, Maman, I _am_ Salina!" Maman looked flustered and Mrs. Weasley and her family had knowing smiles on their faces, except Fred and George who were holding their sides in laughter.

"The Weasley clan and my parents came through a while later.

"I must say—com" Fred or "Forge" started.

"That that—com" George or "Gred" continued.

"Was bloody _brilliant!"_ they finished. They were both thinking, as were Soleil and I, _cool!_ New twin _troublemakers._

"Eet was rude to treek your mozer like zat, girls." Papa reprimanded, but we could tell he was laughing inside. Being a twin himself, he understood.

"Sorry!" we said as we gave our parents a hug.

"I mean it this time!" maman said in French. "If you stick a single _toe_ out of line, you'll get more then just a howler." I knew she was kind of serious, but not _that_ serious. I think she got more frustrated with Arielle's playing around with boys' hearts then us playing teeny weeny pranks.

"She's right, I hope Hogwarts won't be as fun of a school to prank at!" Papa said. Right, as if he and Uncle Pierre _weren't_ troublemakers.

"Don't worry, maman—com" Soleil started.

"We'll make sure that—com" I continued.

"We'll only use our Time Twisties, Brain Beans, and Distracter Crackers once a week!" Soleil finished, using the English titles we had given our pranks. Both Maman and Papa sighed in exasperation. After another quick goodbye, we hopped on the train, with our trunks and cat cages in toe.

We searched for an empty compartment, but couldn't find one. After a while, we _did_ find one with the youngest Weasley boy, a girl who looked like his sister, a bushy haired girl who was with them, a boy with messy black hair and glasses, a round faced guy, and a girl with blonde hair and orb like blue eyes reading a magazine upside-down, The Quibbler, to be exact. I recognized her at once as cousin Luna. Her mum was our maman's sister. Luna still had the veela beauty, but her traits that she inherited from Zenofilius made her more unique. She's Soleil and my favorite cousin. I looked at the messy haired boy more closely. He was with the Weasleys earlier...could it be...

"Harry Potter?" Soleil and I exclaimed in astonishment.

"Erm...yeah..." he said a bit shyly.

"Oh!" Soleil said.

"I'm sorry. I understand that you must get a lot of...erm..." I trailed off.

"Attention because of who you are!" Soleil finished as we sat down in the last two seats across from each other.

"For us, it's not who we are, it's _what!"_ I said.

"What are you?" Harry asked.

"Veelas!" we exclaimed in unison. It was hilarious to see the boys' faces as we said this. The round faced boy kind of shrank back, I told Soleil to leave his mind for last. The red haired boy's mouth dropped open, and Harry looked a little confused. The red haired girl and the bushy haired girl both looked a little jealous while cousin Luna looked like she knew all along, which she did.

"_Blimey, those girls are hot!"_ the red head thought to himself.

"_What's a veela?"_ Harry thought.

"_Wish I looked like them, ah well, I wouldn't trade my family for anything, except maybe that Percy prat!"_ the red head thought to herself, the last part a bit bitterly.

"_Wow, veelas, maybe I can ask them some questions but not come off like that dumb b-i-t-c-h Rita Skeeter!"_ the bushy haired girl thought, I internally laughed, scoffed, and screamed with disgust at the same time. I knew that all the stuff printed in the Profit was rubbish, so did Soleil, Maman, and Papa, but Arrielle was in denial even though she had been in the audience when Harry came out of nowhere, sobbing, with the dead body of Cedric Diggory.

"_Ron had better shut his mouth or he'll get racksperts in his brain!"_ Luna thought.

"_Gram said that they're seductive harpies, do they bite?"_ the round faced guy thought.

"ey! We 'are not 'arpies, maybe our seester Arielle, but not us!" Soleil said in a mock offended tone.

"Yeah! And we do not bite eeezer!" I said in the same tone, everyone looking confused.

"Sorry!" the two of us said together.

"We read minds!" I explained.

"Oh yes, I read that veelas can sometimes do that." said the bushy haired girl.

"How about some introductions! I'm Soleil Delacour, fifth year and I want to be a Gryffindor!" Soleil said with a smile even though these people could be, though it was doubtful, Slytherins.

"I'm her twin, Salina, also fifth year and I _must_ be in Gryfindor, would hate to be in a house of Death Eater spawn, I swear they have no sense, it's like the racksperts ate everything except the evil part of their brains!" I exclaimed.

"Riiight...i'm Ginny Weasley, fourth year Gryffindor, _this—com"_ she poked her brother, "Is Ron, he's a fifth year Gryffindor."

"Oy, don't poke me, Ginny!" Ron grumbled.

"Honestly, Ron! I'm Hermione Granger, muggle-born, fifth year Gryffindor." said the bushy haired girl.

"Erm...you know my name, I'm Harry Potter and I'm a fifth year Gryfindor!" Harry said shyly. I thought he was nice and I could tell he and Ginny seemed to click somehow as did Ron and Hermione. That's another thing we could do, see who's good for who, but we stayed out of the whole matchmaking thing.

"I-i-I'm Neville Longbottom, sorry for calling you biting harpies in my head, Gram can go overboard. I'm a fifth year Gryffindor"

"That's okay!" we said together.

"Oh, guys, this is—com" Ginny started. Soleil and I didn't need to know more. We jumped up, tore the Quibbler out of her hands, not too roughly, and brought her up into a big hug which she gladly returned with a far off smile. We, I knew, were some of the few that actually believed Uncle Zeno's magazine things, including stuff about the crumple-horned snorcack.

"Cousin Luna, cousin Luna!" we chanted, taking her hands and twirling her around in a circle. She was always amused by us. Her seer abilities made her very good at telling the truth.

"If you don't stop," she said nonchalantly, "You'll make me sick."

"Sorry, Moonbeams!" we said together as the three of us sat down.

"Loony's your cousin?" Ron asked loudly. Ron was beside Ginny who was beside Soleil. Both of us frowned and Soleil reached around Ginny to conk Ron upside the head. "Oy...what was that for?"

"Zat was for eensulting our leetle cousin!" I answered for her.

"I don't mind!" Luna said. She was far more tollerant then us about that sort of thing.

"To answer your question, we are cousins. Our maman was Luna's mum's sister, Aunt Damienne isn't...well..." Soleil said.

"It's okay." Luna said.

"Anyway, we're full veela meaning Luna's mum was full veela so Luna's a half veela. And yes, we do take The Quibbler seriously, have a problem with that?" I said. The others just nodded.

"Are you two related to those Delacours that were at Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament last year?" Ginny asked. "I wasn't too fond of that Fleur one, but I _especially_ disliked that Arielle, I caught her and Draco Malfoy, Marcus Flint, Rodger Davies, and countless Durmstrang boys with her in the act of snogging and more in broom closets, locker rooms, and bathrooms all year!"

"Eeewww!" Soleil and I whined, wrinkling our noses. "Why does our sister have to be such a _sluh-uh-uh-ut!"_

"That was your _sister!"_ Hermione demanded.

"Unfortunately!" I said. "Fleur's our cousin. She's okay, but way too vain sometimes. Our family was at some party where we had to speak English and someone accidentally knocked her into a chocolate fountain. Us, we'd have just licked it and laughed. No, she goes right up to the hosts and says in English, "Look at zis, my dress eez rueend beecause of zat fountain zat ze leetle brat over zeir pushed me een to! Now, I am _'eedious!"_ It actually was quite funny! She can be nice though and she is very loyal to her family. Her leetle sister, Gabrielle, is sweet, but she ees sometimes a bit much."

"Oh!" Ron said.

"Hey, don't you guys have your prefect meeting?" Harry asked.

"Bloody hell! Thanks, mate!" Ron said as he and Hermione rushed out the door of the compartment.

"Look what I got this summer!" Neville said, holding up a pot with some sort of wierd, ugly grey plant that was pulsating and had boils on it. "It's mimbulus mimbletonia! My Great Uncle Algae gave it to me this summer, they're really rare and I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout! I might breed from it if I can!"

That's awesome!" Soleil said. She was more of a herbology person then me. She was all about herbology and charms while I was a transfiguration and potions girl. I already had us studdying to become animagi. One thing we both loved though was care of magical creatures. We actually had some hippogryffs, pegasuses, and unicorns at home.

"Thanks! It even has a neat defense for itself!" Neville said excitedly. Before we could stop him, he took out his wand and poked a boil. A whole bunch of green slime squirted out. He got the most while Ginny and I got the next most followed by Harry and Soleil. Luna was shielded by The Quibbler.

"Awesome!" Soleil and I said together.

"Gimme it's first offspring so I can prank!" Soleil said. I nodded my head emphatically before casting scurgify all over the compartment.

After a few more minutes, Ron and Hermione stormed in.

"What's wrong?" Soleil asked.

"You wouldn't _believe_ who made it as Slytherin prefects!" Ron exploded. Soleil and I had had to go to several Ministry parties so Maman and Papa could keep up appearances and I also had read about Slytherins along with Soleil so we knew what they were like. "That _prat_ Draco Malfoy!"

"What!" Harry exploded. "Are you _serious?"_

"Yes, and you wouldn't believe who got the other spot, that complete _cow_ Pansy Parkinson!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Well, they wouldn't exactly give it to Goyle!" Ginny said.

"Yeah!" Soleil and I agreed.

"That Goyle is the biggest idiot I ever saw. We've had to go to some Ministry parties before and he always gets soaked in chocolate or dumps a whole slice of cake or pitcher of _punch_ down his throat!" I explained.

"Typical!" Ron said. Then, he scrunched his face up like he was thinking really hard, a Goyle face, and said "...I...must...not...look...like...a... baboon's...backside..." Everyone in the compartment erupted in laughter. None, not even our own, was as loud as Luna's, she always loves a good joke. Soleil and I smiled at each other and did the same thing.

"Blink..." Soleil started as we stood up and blinked really slowly.

"Breathe..." I continued, taking in a long breath.

"Smile like a bloody moron..." Soleil continued, using the British saying as we smiled these toothy grins with our lips pulled back.

"Make fun of Weasleys...nah nah nah nah nah nah..." I continued. Then, Soleil and I did something else.

"Breathe...breathe...fall on the chair with your fat ass...breathe!" we finished with a grand finale. Everyone just laughed harder. At least the boys weren't thinking of us anymore.

"That was brilliant!" Ron said.

"You two give Fred and George a run for their galleons!" Ginny agreed. Right at that very moment, a boy with pale hair and grey eyes yanked open the compartment. He was flanked by two thugs, Crabbe and Goyle.

"What do you want, Malfoy!" Ron demanded.

"None of your business Weasel bee!" Draco-the-prat Malfoy spat. "Looks like you've got the Weasel, Weaslette, Longbottom, Loony, the mudblood and...hello beautifuls, why are you hanging around with this filth. You can come with me where you'll be truly welcome!" At that moment, Soleil and I rocketed up before anyone else could. We both grabbed him by the wrist with one hand and slapped him upside the head with the other.

"Get your ass out of this compartment!" we demanded.

"Or you know—com" Soleil started.

"What will happen!" I finished.

"You-you-you can't do anything, I'm a _prefect!"_ Draco said. "I should have known that you were those trouble making _half_ _breeds!"_ With anger and veela force, both of us kicked him hard in the balls, then his cronies who yelled out in pain.

"You slept weeth our "'alf breed" seester!" I hissed.

"Or 'av you forgotten Arielle Delacour? Ze girl 'oo was at ze Triweezard Tournament weeth Beauxbatons? Our cousin Fleur was ze champion from zeir!" Soleil snapped. Whenever we were angry, our French accents came back. With a final shove and a Crabbe-Goyle-Malfoy heap outside our door, we hissed, "Don't dare mess weeth us you nasty, deespeecable leetle _asshole!"_ We then shut the door, almost getting Malfoy's finger.

"Finally someone other then us gave him what he _really_ deserves!" Harry said.

"That's right, mate!" Ron said.

"I think we're almost their, why don't us girls go to the lou to get changed?" Hermione asked. Soleil, Luna, Ginny, and I nodded. By this time, Malfoy and his cronies were gone.

"Hey Nevvi?" I started.

"Can you lone us that plant?" Soleil said. "We're really good with plants and we have a prank in mind!"

"Well, all right!" Neville agreed. He handed us the plant. We dug in our trunks for our uniforms and the invisability cloaks that Papa and Uncle Pierre had gotten from their mother. They had been passed down to twins in our family for generations and still worked. Uncle Zeno thinks that the Peverelles might have been veela with the whole deathly hallows thing, but we really don't think about it.

"Are those invisibility cloaks? I've got one myself." Harry said.

"Uh-huh!" we said together.

"They've been passed down to—com"

"Twins in our family—com"

"For generations!" we finished. The five of us left the three boys behind and went to go change. As Luna, Hermione, and Ginny headed back to the compartment, we scanned the doors for our Slytherin subjects. We slid on our cloaks and pulled out our wands, twin rosewood and veela hair, quite funny actually since it was our maman's hair. That's how veela wands usually worked, they always had the hair of their mother or, if they were only half veela and their father was the veela, the hair of their father. We finally found the compartment, yanked open the door, and threw in a dungbomb. When they were distracted, we entered. Inside were Slytherins we had the misfortune to know. Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaze Zabini who wasn't all that bad but still a pain, that cow Pansy Parkinson, the other cow Milicent Bulstrode, and another girl, Daphne Greengrass. First, we cast a spell that lasted for five minutes to cut off their sight so we could do some work on their robes. First, we spelled their Slytherin badges to have _Gryffindor Rules, Slytherin Drools, because we all support you-know-who!_ Then, we made their ties and uniforms have little lions all over. We gave them all some lion face paint and made all of their hair red and gold. We weren't evin in Gryffindor yet, but we didn't care, it was still the best. After that, we rifled in their trunks once we cast a deafening spell, and wrote things all over their clothes, bags, books, and even cauldrons that flashed red and gold and wouldn't go away for a week no matter what, neither would their makeovers. We spelled things like _I love Gryfindor_ all over and made their trunks red and gold. Then, I spelled _Draco loves halfbreeds_ and _Pansy loves to roll in cow poo_ on Draco and Pansy's prefect badges instead of the letter P. After that, we did one last thing. When they went to say anything, they would all say "_I love Gryffindor and I believe everything Harry Potter says, did I mention I love Gryffindor?"_ The more they tried not to say it the louder they got and they also had volume spells put on them to make them yell it. Also, they would do it in random spirts and whenever a Slytherin was sorted, they would boo and say that. When a Gryfindor got sorted, they would cheer and chant. For one final vocal effect, every Slytherin who heard them would start saying it all too. We had figured out how to make our spells contagious for some people. Also, the physical spells would spread through the Slytherins when they saw the others. When Slytherins saw this gang's trunks, their stuff would modify as well, curtacy to Soleil's charms and my transfiguration genius. For a final effect, we poked as many boils on the Mimbulus Mimbletonia as we could, making it squirt green slime everywhere before we ran out and back to our compartment, the slime having slid off our cloaks like nothing was ever on them.

"You 'av got to see Malfoy and 'ees gang, eet's ze most 'ilarious thing we ever deed! Get under our cloaks!" We exclaimed, taking off our cloaks and engorging them. Everyone stepped under and we rushed back just in time to see them waking up.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" they all screamed. When they went to yell something else, it sounded like a big old chorus of "_I_ LOVE GRYFINDOR AND I BELIEVE EVERYTHING HARRY POTTER SAYS, DID I MENTION I LOVE _GRYFFINDOR?"_ They looked at each other in horror and everyone outside the compartment laughed. Everyone just about on the train heard that because their was a whole group around including Fred and George. When the Slythergits went to say something again, their was another loud chorus which was even louder because all of the Slytherins had heard it. This spell would also affect the head of house, but no other Slytherin staff because they couldn't do any more then the head of house. The more they tried not to say it, the louder it was going to get and sometimes they'd say it randomly, that's what was really going to be funny. Soleil and I ducked out of the cloak and opened the door.

"You're welcome, my little lions, didn't you learn that the lions eat the snakes?" we asked together, everyone around, even some Slytherins that were actually decent laughed and took the prank all in good fun, but that was before they knew what it would do. All the Slytherins were turning red and gold throughout the train. Malfoy stood up and waltzed forward. I knew just what he was going to say, but he didn't. Instead of hissing a threat, he shouted out "_I LOVE GRYFFINDOR AND I BELIEVE EVERYTHING HARRY POTTER SAYS, DID I MENTION I LOVE GRYFFINDOR?"_ With anger and hatred, he and his cronies stomped back into the compartment. All of the Slytherins and most of the rest of the students except Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Fred, George, and some kid with dreds dispersed and went back to their own compartment.

"Wow, that was _brilliont!"_ Fred said.

"How did you make those spells contagious!" George demanded. "You're two years younger then us!"

"We'll tell you only because you're trouble makers too, what about ol' Dreddy here?" I asked.

"Oh, he's in on it!" Fred and George said simultaneously.

"Okay, Hey guys, see you at Hogwarts. Cousin Luna, look out for Midnight and Snowflake for us!" Soleil said. They nodded and left, Hermione was thinking how much trouble that would get us in. Fred, George, and the boy with dreds led us to a compartment.

"How 'bout some intros!" Fred said. "As you know, I'm Fred Weasley. I'm a seventh year Gryffindor."

"That's right, and I'm George, also a Gryffindor and _clearly_ in seventh year."

"Hey, I'm Lee Jordan, seventh year! I bet you guys will be in Gryffindor!" We grinned.

"This is Soleil and Salina, the twins who pulled one over on Ronikins—com" Fred started.

"And their own parents—com" George continued.

"She's not Soleil, _I_ am!" they mocked. "Sounds like their parents can never tell them apart, just like our mum."

"Actually, Papa can!" Soleil said.

"Twins run in our family. Papa's a twin, granmer is a twin, our great grandfather was a twin, our great great grandmother, and so on. They're always identical but only one of the twins has a set of twins. Like Uncle Pierre, he only had Fleur and Gabrielle and they're almost ten years apart. The only instance where both twins had twins was when their spouse was a twin. Then, the twin cycle would continue for them and not just the first twin." I explained.

"Wait, do you mean like that Fleur Delacour? Beauxbatons champion?" Fred asked.

"She's our cousin. Before you ask, Arielle Delacour, unfortunately, is our sister." Soleil said, wrinkling her nose.

"So...um...how'd you get so hot?" Lee asked.

"_Hot?_ Yeah, I guess boys would call us that. Arielle milks it for all it's worth, trust me. Your sister found her in broom closets with twenty-some-odd guys last year!" I said.

"Oh..." Lee said blushing, I knew then that he was one of them.

"Eeewww! You slept with our sister?" Soleil said.

"Um...how did you know?" Lee asked uncertainly.

"First off—com" I started.

"We can read minds." Soleil finished.

"It's a veela thing!" we explained together.

"So you're veelas? How are you related to Luna?" Fred asked.

"She's our maman's sister's daughter. We're full veelas meaning that luna's mum was a full veela and Luna's a half veela!" Soleil said.

"And before you ask," I added "we _do_ take The Quibbler seriously. You wanna know how Slytherins got so nasty?"

"How?" Fred, George, and Lee asked.

"Either they're inherently eevil—com" Soleil started.

"They're doing it out of pure insanity—com" I continued.

"Or racksperts invaded their brain and ate everything except the evil part!" we finished. The boys laughed.

"So how did you do that contagion charm?" George asked eagerly.

"Easy!" Soleil said. "Just say the spell and say contagio bla bla bla after it."

"For example, The spell we used on their hair was one of our own, dyo rouge e jaun contagio Slytherins and their head of house, we make our own spells and potions. We also have snacks, time twisties, brain beans, distracter crackers, and so much more!" I said with excitement.

"The time twisties make things seem to go by faster for you and only you. For example, if it feels like only ten minutes are going by, it might have been an hour or so, great for boring classes. When you're done living in fast forward, just eat the other half. The brain beans expand your mental capacity for the class so you absorb things easier and are more interested. They wear off after about six hours or you eat the antidote, but you must _not_ use them in tests, the professors will know. Our favorite is the distracter cracker. If you sneak it into a professor's food at breakfast with their cereal or oatmeal, count on an extremely gullible and distractable professor all day, it would also be great for the Slytherins. What do you guys do, I have the feeling you have your own snacks and tricks!" Soleil explained.

"They're all thanks to my potions genius and Leila's charms expertise." I said. Sometimes we called each other by nicknames. I could be Moondrop and Soleil Sunshine, I might be Lina and her Leila, or I might be Saleila and Soleil might be Solinal.

"Awww, thanks, Lina!" I said.

"That's amazing!" George said. "And yeah, we have what we call Skiving Snackboxes, we're still in the experimental stages though. We've got Puking Pasties, Nose Bleed Nougat, Canary Cream, Tong Tong Toffee and some others that won't quite work yet!"

"We have some others in the workings too, but you can get only so much in France. We're thinking of Head Ache Harts that give you a splitting migrain, Babble Bubble Gum so people will think you were hexed or you can slip the juice into a professor's drink, Trippy Truffles which will make you trip and have to go to the hospital wing, Ear ache English Toffee, Sore Throte Strawberry Tarts, and Pain Cakes." I explained.

"Wow!" the twins and Lee said together.

"Will you two—com" Fred started.

"Please be our—com" George continued.

"New recruit?" they finished.

"Gee, what do you say about this, Solinal!" I asked, trying to hold back my French accent to show that I was thinking and not so excited.

"Gee, I don't know, Saleila!" Soleil said, trying to hold back her excitement as well, but we broke down.

"Zees ees so cool! I can't wait to start doeeng some awesome prankeeng!" we squealed together, sounding about as French as when we first spoke in English for real.

"How great—com" I started.

"That we get—com" Soleil continued.

"To prank with the Hogwarts masters!" we finished, the boys just looked confused.

"Oops, we went into French mode, didn't we, Lina?" Soleil asked sheepishly.

"I think we did, Leila."

"You guys speak really good English for being French." Lee said.

"Thank you!" we exclaimed. "You wanna know why we got Malfoy so bad?" Soleil asked.

"Yeah!" the three boys exclaimed.

"Well, he came to our compartment and called Harry Potty, Luna Loony, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasel, Ginny Weaslette, Hermione a...wel a...a mudblood—com" Fred, George, and Lee's faces got extremely angry, especially Fred and George. "Then, he called us beautiful and said we shouldn't be with "that filth". He's the filthiest little ferret ever. Then, when we twisted his wrists and slapped him upside the head, he said that he should have known we were those "trouble making half breeds". You see, we know him from ministry parties. Our parents work with thee...um...you two know..."

"You mean the Order?" Fred asked.

"It's okay. Lee's family is in on it!" George said.

"Yeah, well anyway, he _slept_ with our "half breed sister". That's when we got really ticked. _ NOBODY_ calls the Delacour twins, or anyone for that matter, half breeds." Soleil huffed.

"How are you considered half breeds?" Lee asked.

"Well, veela magic is different then human magic. Veelas have a tendancy to kind of glow, especially in the dark. It's like a golden glow. We do it in water as well. We're also quick to anger and are really strong. It's kind of hard not to crush our wands when we're ticked and hexing someone. When we're extremely pissed off, we take on these avian forms with a weird head and scaly wings and stuff. Plus, a lot of veelas have extra abilities. We can read minds, especially each others, we're telekinetics, and we're the highest level seer anyone can be. Luna can also read minds and she's just as high level a seer as any of us, that's why it's easy for her, and us for that matter, to be able to speak...erm...uncomfortable truths. We might joke, but we never blatently lie. The crystal blue eyes and golden blonde hair are also standard. Luna's more silvery color and lighter blue, orbish eyes come from Uncle Zeno. Not all veelas look the same, just like not all muggles, wizards, and witches look the same, except identical twins of course. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that we can fly. I suppose you can sort of relate us to fairies in that sense. Madam Malcon magicked our robes so that when we unfurl them, a slit in whatever clothes we're wearing will appear. That, of course, doesn't mean that we don't like a good old broom ride. We've got firebolts ourselves. Luna, like other half veelas, does have wings, but she prefers not to use them. I think they remind her too much of her mum. When we were all younger and visiting their house, Aunt Damienne would come and fly with us and teach us tricks. Please don't mention all this to anyone, especially Luna." I said, breathing in a long breath.

"Wow! We won't!" the boys said. At that moment, the train slowed down and stopped and we got out of our compartment and into the hallway where we would go out into the night and glow for sure.

Chapter Two: The Sorting

We did get off the train and we did glow. A bunch of people were staring at us. Their was some lady calling first years over, but we followed Fred, George, and Lee over to meet Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Cousin Luna. Their were some black horse-like creatures with bat-like wings.

"What are those?" Harry asked.

"What are what?" Ron asked.

"Those creatures pulling the carriages!"

"Their's nothing their, Harry!" Hermione said, but their was.

"YOU'RE not mad, I can see them too!" Luna said as we got in the carriage.

"So can we!" Soleil and I said.

"They're called thestrals and—com" I started.

"You can only see them—com" Soleil continued.

"If you've seen someone die and you were old enough to know what it means." we finished.

"You saw Cedric die, didn't you? Saw Voldemort kill him?" I asked Harry sympathetically.

"You-you-you said his _name!"_ Ron said in amazement.

"Duh!" Soleil and I said. "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself and we'd both gladly say it again!"

"Voldemort—com"

"Voldemort—com"

"Voldemort—com"

"Voldemort—com"

"Voldemort." we finished. Everyone started laughing.

"So, who did you three see die?" Ron asked.

"Honestly, Ronald, that's the most insensative thing—com" Hermione said.

"It's okay!" Luna started. "The three of us saw my mum die. She was an extraordinary witch, but one of her experiments went terribly wrong. The three of us were their." Ron looked embarrassed and ashamed to say the least.

"Plus, me, Soleil, Arielle, Maman, and Papa all saw our baby sister die right before first year. She was really premature and not even magic could do anything. Her name was Fiora." I said.

"That was the same year as Aunt Damienne's charms accident.. Soleil explained. We looked out the carriage window and were met by a beautiful sight. Their were turrets and towers so many windows letting out such beautiful, warm golden light. The carriages stopped and we got off and went into the castle. We were stopped by a stern looking woman in an emerald green cloak and hat, her black hair up in a bun within the hat.

"I'm Minerva McGonagall, deputy headmistress. You girls will be sorted after the first years, come with me!" she said in a Scottish accent. We followed her to a set of beautiful oak doors.

"Wait here and when the headmaster anounces you, you may come right in!" she then went to an antechamber and came out with a slew of first years. The doors opened up wide and the sorting began. Their was apparently a sorting hat and it sang about house unity and dark times ahead. It was hilarious to here all the chants of _I love Gryffindor and I believe everything Harry Potter says, did I mention I love Gryffindor_ from the Slytherins. We were openly laughing. After the sorting was done, a man's voice echoed through the hall.

"I know you are all ready to eat, but first we have two fifth year transfers from Beauxbatons!" We walked into the hall, all eyes on us.

"Delacour, Salina!" I smirked at Soleil and she stepped forward. She put the hat on her head and it said, "Get your sister up here, Soleil!"

"Dang! I was so sure it would work!" she said.

"Will the _real_ Salina Delacour step up, _now!"_ McGonagall said impatiently. I smiled innocently and stepped up. The Gryfindor table where I could see Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Neville was erupting in laughter as was the Ravenclaw table somewhat and the Hufflepuff table. The Slytherins just looked annoyed and I heard one brave first year try to speak, their speaking coming out as the chant. I sat down on the stool and put the hat on my head.

"You two both have much audacity..." the hat whispered to me. "Delacour twins to Gryffindor!" it shouted. I smirked at the Slytherins and the head of house who were all cheering and chanting louder then before because it was we who put the spell on them. I got up and went to the table with Soleil.

"Whoa! the last time it did that was when we pulled that trick in first year!" Fred said.

"Now that everyone's all sorted, tuck in!" the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, said. A whole bunch of food appeared on the table. Soleil and I started to eat, but were stopped by an angry looking professor. WHEN he tried to yell at us, he yelled out the chant and every Gryffindor in the hall, including Dumbledore and McGonagall, burst out laughing. He took out a quill and parchment and wrote a message down before passing it to us. _ I traced the spell and know it was you who did it. Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention next Saturday._ He gave us a disgusted look and strode away.

"I do believe—com" I began.

"That we have—com" Soleil continued.

"Set a new record!" we continued.

"What record, what did that note say?" Fred asked.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor." Soleil said.

"And detention next Saturday!" I continued.

"Impressive!" the twins said together.

"I can't believe you've already lost us points!" Hermione huffed.

"Seriously, Herms, you need to loosen up!" I said. She just herumphed and turned away. The food was delicious and before I knew it, we were stuffed with dinner and dessert.

"I have some start-of-term things I need to announce. First off, all students note that the Forbidden Forest is, as it's name states, forbidden. Also, their will be no magic in the corridors. Professor Grubly-Plank has returned in place of Professor Hagrid for the time being. Also, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, please welcome Professor Dolores Umbridge—com" Dumbledore was interupted by the woman, dressed up in a fluffy pink cardigan with a black bow on her mousy curls. It looked rather like a fly on the toad-like woman.

"Hemhem!" she cleared her throat. "Thank you, headmaster, for those _kind_ words of welcome.


	91. Yours, Mine, and Ours

Yours, Mine, and Ours

An attempt to write a sort of Yours, Mine, and Ours style fic with Draco Malfoy and a female Harry Potter… Cringy and corny, waaay too mayny kids,so yeah…

Chapter One: Neighbors

"All right, you lot, listen up. Now we're in a new house here's how things will be going. You're going to go pick your rooms now and then you'll start bringing in some of your shrunken boxes through the floo from our other house, all right?" Draco Malfoy asked his six children, assembled from oldest to youngest.

"Yes, Dad." came the collective response.

"All right, good then. Cassie, Scorp, make sure Ri and Reg get through all right." Draco added to his oldest son and daughter.

"Daaaaad, I'm _NINE_ _YEARS_ _OLD,_ I think I can handle _MYSELF!"_ Orion protested indignantly as he slicked back his platinum hair and glared at his father with his blue-green eyes.

"Yeah, Dad, what he said." Cassiopeia said, a mirror pressed close to her face.

"Cassie, who could you be talking too? We just _MOVED_ _HERE!"_ Draco huffed.

"I was talking to Audra...it's really a shame we had to move...just gimme a few more minutes, okay?" Cassie begged. Draco shook his head and gently snatched the communication mirror from his brown-haired, gray-eyed daughter.

"Hello, Audra, I'm terribly sorry...yes...can she get back to you later? That's good, goodbye." he said shortly before clearing it with his wand and stoing it in his pocket.

"Da-ad! What was that for?" the teen protested.

"Don't think you're getting out of duties so easily, young lady. Now, help your brothers." Draco snapped. Cassie humphed and took her little brother by the arm, dragging him through the floo. Draco sighed and massaged his temples. What a pack of rascals he had; things were so much better before Astoria died five years ago. Ever since then he had been more strict with his children, more tight-reigned. He loved them, really he did, but they needed a mother.

"_SIRIUS_ _ORION_ _WEASLEY_ and _REMUS_ _JOHN_ _WEASLEY_ get your arses down here _NOW!"_ Aurillia (Riley) Potter roared up the stairs of her large house.

"What d'you reckon we done wrong now, brother-mine?" Sirius asked his twin.

"Don't rightly know. What d'you reckon?" Remus asked. Both of them were hiding just around the doorframe of their bedroom. Suddenly, the smirking figure of their older sister, Lily, stood in the door.

"Well _I_ reckon you'd better get downstairs now before she hexes you six ways from Sunday." she smirked.

"Shut up, Lily." they moaned, pushing past her.

"_NOW!"_ Riley hollered up to them. God how these twins gave her migraines. The two boys in question came rushing down the stairs and stood in front of their mother.

"Yes, Mother dearest?" they asked sweetly.

"What did I _TELL_ _YOU_ about _PRANKING_ our _Muggle_ _NEIGHBORS?"_ she demanded.

"Erm..." the twins said.

"I distinctly remember telling you that if you disobeyed again you would _NOT_ be able to fly for two weeks, _MINIMUM!_ And _WHAT_ _do_ _YOU_ _DO?_ You two _DIRECTLY_ _DISOBEY_ _ME!_ _DO_ _YOU_ _KNOW,_ you two, that because of your prank on that little Muggle boy and girl we had to bring in an _ENTIRE_ _TEAM_ of Obliviators to sort _YOUR_ _MESS_ _OUT?_ _DO_ _You_ _KNOW,_ you two, that because of your little prank they will _NEVER_ _BE_ _THE_ _SAME?_ Always jumpy, _ALWAYS_ _PARANOID!_ Thinking that _GOD_ and the _DEVIL_ are going to come any time and _PUNISH_ _THEM?_ I ask you just _ONE_ _THING!_ What the _BLOODY_ _FLAMING_ _HELL_ were you _THINKING?_ _NO!_ I'll answer that _FOR_ _YOU!_ You simply _WEREN'T_ _THINKING_ _AT_ _All!_ You saw an opportunity for a _GOOD_ _LAUGH_ and you decided just to _TAKE_ _IT!_ I don't think you two will _EVER_ be able to _REALIZE_ what is _FUNNY_ and what is just plain _ASSININE!_ _NO!_ You two just do things for _SHITS_ _AND_ _GIGGLES,_ let the _CONSEQUENCES_ _BE_ _DAMNED!"_ Riley ranted, flushed in the face, green eyes flashing.

"But Mum—com" Sirius started.

"They were bullying—com" Remus continued.

"Some kid half their size!" they finished.

"_I_ _Don't_ _CARE!_ You should have _FOUND_ _SOMEONE_ instead of trying to play _GOD_ _AND_ _DEVIL_ with those _CHILDREN!_ The Muggles could have handled it _JUST_ _FINE,_ you two. I am _VERY_ _DISAPPOINTED_ _IN_ _YOU!_ As punishment, _NO_ _FLYING,_ _NO_ _FRIENDS,_ _NO_ _FLOO,_ _NO_ _MUGGLE_ _THINGS,_ and, most important of all, _NO_ _PRANKS_ for the _REST_ of the _SUMMER!_ Are we _CLEAR?"_ Riley demanded.

"But Mum!" they protested.

"This is so _DAMN_ unfair!" Sirius whined.

"It _BLOODY_ _SUCKS!"_ Remus agreed.

"You two will mind your language. and bare in mind that I don't _CARE_ what you think about this." Riley snarled.

"_DAD_ and _MUM_ _LAVENDER_ wouldn't have done _THIS!"_ they roared together. "He would have thought it good _JUSTICE!"_ Sirius agreed.

"And she would have just laughed." Remus continued.

"No wonder Dad _LEFT_ you." Sirius stated.

"If I was your husband and you were such a _CONTROLLING_ _BITCH_ I'd have left you too!" Remus agreed. Aurillia LilythiePotter, the unshockable Girl-Who-Lived and Girl-Who-Conquered, just stood there, completely in shock. She knew that these two in particular were closer to their father and step-mother but she never would have thought they would have called her a controlling bitch. She was just a mother who wanted her children to grow up well...wasn't she? She snapped back to reality as the twins continued.

"And I dunno how you were able to defeat _VOLDEMORT_ of all people. You're just a yelling _COWARD!"_ Sirius said.

"And you're trying to turn us into _COWARDS,_ too." Remus agreed with his twin. Riley's temper totally snapped at that.

"_LET_ _Me_ _TELL_ _YOU_ _BOTH_ _SOMETHING!_ Your father did _NOT_ leave just because of _ME!_ He _LIKES_ his little blond-haired, _BLUE-EYED_ _BIMBOS;_ she was the, oh let's see, _SEVENTH_ _AFAIR_ I found _OUT_ _ABOUT!_ Finally, thank Merlin, I had the good sense to _DIVORCE_ Ronald Weasley's _SORRY_ _ARSE!_ And a _COWARD,_ _AM_ _I?_ A _CONTROLLING_ _Bitch,_ _AM_ _I?_ Let me just _TELL_ _YOU_ _SOMETHING,_ my sons. By the time I was _YOUR_ _AGE_ I had lived through things that you can _HARDLY_ _IMAGINE!_ By the time I was _YOUR_ _AGE_ I had seen things that _NO_ _TEENAGER_ should have to see! By the time I was _YOUR_ _AGE_ I had done things _NO_ _TEENAGER_ should have to do! I have faced a dark lord _SEVEN_ _TIMES_ and lived through it _ALL!_ And if you think, _SIRIUS_ _ORION_ _WEASLEY_ and _REMUS_ _JOHN_ _WEASLEY_ that I'm such a _CONTROLLING_ _BITCH_ then maybe you should spend some time with your great-aunt _PETUNIA_ _DURSLEY._ You two are _SPOILED_ compared to me in my childhood. You have a nice, big, _PLUSH_ room of your own. Before I was ten, my room was a _CUPBOARD_ _UNDER_ _THE_ _STAIRS_ and after that my room was my _COUSIN'S_ _SECOND_ _BEDROOM!_ You two had _BETTER_ _THINK_ _TWICE_ before dishing out such _ACCUSATIONS!_ _ACCUSATIONS_ that are _COMPLETELY_ _UNFOUNDED_ at _THAT!_ Now _GO_ _TO_ _YOUR_ _ROOM_ _BEFORE_ _I_ _TURN_ _INTO_ _MY_ _AUNT_ _AND_ _SLAP_ _YOU!"_ Riley yelled, the twins squeaked and scampered up the stairs.

As his children were taking turns through the floo, bringing boxes through Draco simply observed them passively.

"You lot continue doing what you're doing, all right? I've got to check the wards." he said. "Cassie, I'm leaving you in charge. I'll be back in about a half hour."

"Okay, Dad." Cassie said.

"And no floo calling or mirroring while I'm gone, I'm trusting you. If you need me then just mirror me, all right?" he asked.

"Of course, Dad." she smiled.

"You're a good girl, Cass." Draco said, ruffling his daughter's brown hair. Cassiopeia smiled a somewhat strained smile at her father as he left...if only he knew...if only he knew...

Taking a deep breath of the mid-July air, Draco stepped outside and started making his way around the house and the large yard, checking the strength of the wards as he did so. It was a Muggle neighborhood full of big, old Victorian-style houses. As he was on the right side of the property he heard yelling from the next house...an angry mother's shout.

"_SIRIUS_ _ORION_ _WEASLEY_ and _REMUS_ _JOHN_ _WEASLEY_ get your arses down here _NOW!"_ that voice...that voice sounded so familiar to him. And _WEASLEY?_ There couldn't be Muggle Weasleys, could there? His curiosity peaked, though he knew not why, Draco cast a temporary super-sensory charm on his ears and his eyes. Looking through the window he saw the drama unfold.

"What d'you reckon we done wrong now, brother-mine?" came a voice from the second floor. Draco's eyes zeroed in on an open window. Through it he saw two identical twin boys. The two wore black shorts and emerald green tops with a snake on the front. No...they couldn't be...Slytherins? They looked rather Weasley-esque but they had messy black hair like someone he knew...Riley...Riley...Aurillia Potter. So Potter married a Weasley, eh? At least that was what it looked like to Draco.

"Don't rightly know. What d'you reckon?" the other twin asked. Both of them, Draco noticed, were hiding just around the doorframe of their bedroom. Suddenly, the smirking figure of another girl, presumably their older sister, stood in the door. So Potter had three kids? If Draco was sure Potter had married a Weasley the girl was a clencher for his certainty. She looked just like a Weasley except she had her mother's emerald eyes. She wore a dark denim skirt and a red tanktop with a gold number one on the front. She looked about sixteen, the boys looked around fourteen.

"Well _I_ reckon you'd better get downstairs now before she hexes you six ways from Sunday." she smirked.

"Shut up, Lily." they moaned, pushing past her. Ah, so she was named for her grandmother, was she? She must rather resemble her.

Draco's eyes watched the boys leave the room where he could no longer see them. Lily left and went the other way. He noticed that on the back of her shirt were the words: Lily Weasley, Gryffindor Seeker. After a minute a piercing shriek of "_NOW!"_ rent the tranquil summer day. God, Draco had forgotten how much lung power Potter had...Merlin knew he had had her ire directed at him enough...the volume of her shoute had him clutching his super-sensitive ears. He had the feeling that she could even outstrip Molly Weasley in her volume and that was _QUITE_ an accomplishment. Draco heard thundering steps running down the stairs and his eyes zeroed in on the living room which the stairs led into. Aurillia "Riley" Potter stood their in an emerald Muggle summer dress, her unruly hair put up into a messy bun, gold, oval, wire-rimmed glasses on her nose. Draco couldn't help but think that even after not seeing her for nearly twenty years she looked just as good now at thirty-five, almost thirty-six, as she did at seventeen or eighteen. Their were a few soft laugh lines around her eyes and mouth but they were barely noticeable. Her hair, as far as he could tell, didn't even have any silver in it yet which was a miracle seeing as she had been in war and defeated a dark lord at eighteen. The twins skidded to a hault in front of her and addressed her.

"Yes, Mother dearest?" they asked sweetly.

"What did I _TELL_ _YOU_ about _PRANKING_ our _Muggle_ _NEIGHBORS?"_ she demanded hotly.

"Erm..." the twins said, looking uncomfortable. Where was the father in all this? Ever since he was young Draco had had the idea drilled into him that the father was the disciplinarian...but he wasn't there...where was he?

"I distinctly remember telling you that if you disobeyed again you would _NOT_ be able to fly for two weeks, _MINIMUM!_ And _WHAT_ _do_ _YOU_ _DO?_ You two _DIRECTLY_ _DISOBEY_ _ME!_ _DO_ _YOU_ _KNOW,_ you two, that because of your prank on that little Muggle boy and girl we had to bring in an _ENTIRE_ _TEAM_ of Obliviators to sort _YOUR_ _MESS_ _OUT?_ _DO_ _You_ _KNOW,_ you two, that because of your little prank they will _NEVER_ _BE_ _THE_ _SAME?_ Always jumpy, _ALWAYS_ _PARANOID!_ Thinking that _GOD_ and the _DEVIL_ are going to come any time and _PUNISH_ _THEM?_ I ask you just _ONE_ _THING!_ What the _BLOODY_ _FLAMING_ _HELL_ were you _THINKING?_ _NO!_ I'll answer that _FOR_ _YOU!_ You simply _WEREN'T_ _THINKING_ _AT_ _All!_ You saw an opportunity for a _GOOD_ _LAUGH_ and you decided just to _TAKE_ _IT!_ I don't think you two will _EVER_ be able to _REALIZE_ what is _FUNNY_ and what is just plain _ASSININE!_ _NO!_ You two just do things for _SHITS_ _AND_ _GIGGLES,_ let the _CONSEQUENCES_ _BE_ _DAMNED!"_ Potter ranted, flushed in the face, green eyes flashing. He had _NEVER_ seen her so pissed before, not even at him back in their school days. What were they doing? _GOD_ _AND_ _DEVIL?_ It sounded like they took after their namesakes...or at least one namesake...Sirius Black. The twins looked distinctly nervous now but managed to stare at her defiantly.

"But Mum—com" twin one started.

"They were bullying—com" twin two continued.

"Some kid half their size!" they finished. Hmmm, a noble effort.

"_I_ _Don't_ _CARE!_ You should have _FOUND_ _SOMEONE_ instead of trying to play _GOD_ _AND_ _DEVIL_ with those _CHILDREN!_ The Muggles could have handled it _JUST_ _FINE,_ you two. I am _VERY_ _DISAPPOINTED_ _IN_ _YOU!_ As punishment, _NO_ _FLYING,_ _NO_ _FRIENDS,_ _NO_ _FLOO,_ _NO_ _MUGGLE_ _THINGS,_ and, most important of all, _NO_ _PRANKS_ for the _REST_ of the _SUMMER!_ Are we _CLEAR?"_ Potter demanded. God, she looked furious. But that question cropped up, where was the father in all of this? It was a Sunday, shouldn't they be home?

"But Mum!" they protested.

"This is so _DAMN_ unfair!" twin one whined.

"It _BLOODY_ _SUCKS!"_ twin two agreed.

"You two will mind your language. and bare in mind that I don't _CARE_ what you think about this." Potter snarled. Didn't she realize how much those boys acted like her? If not in the pranks then in the defiance?

"_DAD_ and _MUM_ _LAVENDER_ wouldn't have done _THIS!"_ they roared together. What was this? Mum _LAVENDER?_ "He would have thought it good _JUSTICE!"_ twin one snapped.

"And she would have just laughed." twin two continued.

"No wonder Dad _LEFT_ you." twin one stated.

"If I was your husband and you were such a _CONTROLLING_ _BITCH_ I'd have left you too!" twin two agreed. What? What _DISRESPECTFUL_ _BRATS?_ Potter just stood there, mouth open, totally dumbfounded. She snapped back to reality as the twins continued.

"And I dunno how you were able to defeat _VOLDEMORT_ of all people. You're just a yelling _COWARD!"_ twin one said.

"And you're trying to turn us into _COWARDS,_ too." twin two agreed with twin one. Draco knew that Potter was about to snap. Sure enough, she did. Nostrils flaring, face flushed bright red, eyes flashing dangerously, and her hair falling loose out of its bun from some nonexistent breeze, she launched into a tyrade that would make Molly Weasley proud.

"_LET_ _Me_ _TELL_ _YOU_ _BOTH_ _SOMETHING!_ Your father did _NOT_ leave just because of _ME!_ He _LIKES_ his little blond-haired, _BLUE-EYED_ _BIMBOS;_ she was the, oh let's see, _SEVENTH_ _AFAIR_ I found _OUT_ _ABOUT!_ Finally, thank Merlin, I had the good sense to _DIVORCE_ Ronald Weasley's _SORRY_ _ARSE!_ And a _COWARD,_ _AM_ _I?_ A _CONTROLLING_ _Bitch,_ _AM_ _I?_ Let me just _TELL_ _YOU_ _SOMETHING,_ my sons. By the time I was _YOUR_ _AGE_ I had lived through things that you can _HARDLY_ _IMAGINE!_ By the time I was _YOUR_ _AGE_ I had seen things that _NO_ _TEENAGER_ should have to see! By the time I was _YOUR_ _AGE_ I had done things _NO_ _TEENAGER_ should have to do! I have faced a dark lord _SEVEN_ _TIMES_ and lived through it _ALL!_ And if you think, _SIRIUS_ _ORION_ _WEASLEY_ and _REMUS_ _JOHN_ _WEASLEY_ that I'm such a _CONTROLLING_ _BITCH_ then maybe you should spend some time with your great-aunt _PETUNIA_ _DURSLEY._ You two are _SPOILED_ compared to me in my childhood. You have a nice, big, _PLUSH_ room of your own. Before I was ten, my room was a _CUPBOARD_ _UNDER_ _THE_ _STAIRS_ and after that my room was my _COUSIN'S_ _SECOND_ _BEDROOM!_ You two had _BETTER_ _THINK_ _TWICE_ before dishing out such _ACCUSATIONS!_ _ACCUSATIONS_ that are _COMPLETELY_ _UNFOUNDED_ at _THAT!_ Now _GO_ _TO_ _YOUR_ _ROOM_ _BEFORE_ _I_ _TURN_ _INTO_ _MY_ _AUNT_ _AND_ _SLAP_ _YOU!"_ Riley yelled, the twins squeaked and scampered up the stairs. Merlin...what was that all about? She actually married _RON_ _WEASLEY_ out of _ALL_ the Weasley brothers? Not Fred, George, or Charlie or even Percy but _RON?_ What was she _THINKING?_ And what was this about her family? Hadn't the girl-who-lived...or rather...woman-who-lived...grown up well? From what it sounded like she had not, in fact, been raised in a loving home. She wasn't the sort of person to lie to her children about such a thing, he was sure. Canceling his sensory charms Draco headed back to the house, he had a lot to think about.

Families

The year is 2016. The Weasley brude is large, the children are many. However, one smaller Weasley family is fractured. Ronald Weasley, his children, and his ex-wife, Aurilia Potter. I say _EX-WIFE,_ of course, because she caught Ron cheating on her with _LAVENDER_ _BROWN_ in her _OWN_ _BED!_ After that, she promptly divorced him. The Malfoy brude is also larger then it has been in several generations. Draco Malfoy still mourns his wife, Astoria Malfoy nee Greengrass, who died of breast cancer six years before, leaving their six children motherless. Here is a clearly-compiled list of all the important characters in the story.

Bill and Fleur: 45 and 39

Angelique Gabrielle and Domonique Isabelle Weasley:

February 2, 1999 (twins)

Ages: 17

Houses: Ravenclaw

Years: Seventh

Descriptions: The eighth-veela girls both have their mother's good looks including the silvery blonde hair. They do, however, have Bill's brown eyes and freckles. They are perfectly identical twins in looks but not in personality. Angelique is girly, dainty, and studious whereas Domonique doesn't care much about class, is a tomboy, and loves sports.

Sabastian William Weasley:

Date of Birth: September 4, 2001

Age: 14, almost fifteen

House: Hufflepuff

Year: Fourth

Description: Sabastian looks much like his father but he has his mother's bright blue eyes and gold highlights in his otherwise flaming red hair. He is a born entrepreneur, he wants to open his own restaurant.

Charlie is 43 and has no children

Percy and Penelope: both 40

Pamela Jane Weasley:

Date of Birth: January 1, 2000

Age: 16

House: Ravenclaw

Year: Sixth

Description: Pamela looks mostly like her father, brown eyes and all, but her skin is a little darker like Penelope and her hair is her mother's curly jet black. Like her parents she is very studious.

Percival Ignatius Weasley II:

Date of Birth: March 3, 2002

Age: 14

Year: Fourth

House: Gryffindor

Description: The spitting immage of his father except for his mother's blue-gray eyes. He is the opposite of his parrents in personality; Percy JR is a boisterous and fun-loving kid.

Fred and Hermione: 38 and 36

George Gideon and Elizabeth Hermione Weasley:

Date of Birth: April 5, 2003 (twins)

Ages: 13

Years: Third

Houses: Slytherin

Descriptions: Both look very much like one parent or another; George looks like Fred except he has his mother's bushy brown hair and Elizabeth looks like Hermione except she has Fred's baby blue eyes. Both are very cunning and devious, they got sorted into Slytherin just to see what mischief they could stir up there.

Katherine Helen, Jaden Rose, and Edward Jacob Weasley:

Date of Birth: November 13, 2005 (triplets)

Ages: 11

Years: First

Houses: Ravenclaw, (Katherine) Hufflepuff, (Jaden) and Gryffindor, (Edward)

Descriptions: Katherin and Jaden are identical. Both look like their father but they have their mother's brown eyes. They are like Hermione in that they are quite studious and hard-working. Edward, however, looks like his mother except he has George's red hair. He is very bold and brash, the stereotypical Gryffindor.

George and Angelina: both 38

Frederick Fabian Weasley:

Date of Birth: April 5, 2003

Age: 13

Year: Third

House: Gryffindor

Description: He looks just like his dad but for the fact he has his mother's dark green eyes. He is very mischievous like his namesake and is proud to live up to his name.

Roxanne Angelina Weasley:

Date of Birth: May 5, 2005

Age: 11

Year: First

House: Slytherin

Description: Very ambitious, she wants to own a Quiddich team when she's grown up and turn them into winners. She is the spitting immage of her mother but she has her dad's bright blue eyes.

Ginny and Seamus (divorced): 35 and 36

Eira Laine Finnigan:

Date of Birth: October 17, 2000

Age: 15

Year: Fifth

House: Gryffindor

Description: She is a combination between Ginny and Seamus. She is freckled with Seamus's hazel eyes and strawberry blonde hair, strawberry from Ginny, blonde from Seamus. She's a bit of a bitch and thinks that she's all that. Eira is very vain and temperamental.

Ginny and Dean (divorced): 35 and 36

Daniel Ray Thomas:

Date of Birth: December 27, 2001

Age: 14

Year: Fourth

House: Hufflepuff

Description: He looks like his dad with the dark skin, dark hair, and tallness but he has Ginny's blue eyes. He is very loyal and laid-back, the sort of guy that would do anything (within reason) for his friends, the sort of guy everyone likes.

Delilah Ginevra and Sampson Dean Thomas:

Date of Birth: May 13, 2003 (twins)

Ages: 13

Years: third

Houses: Slytherin (Delilah) and Gryffindor (Sampson)

Descriptions: Both look like Ginny but they have their father's brown eyes. Both are mean and hot-tempered, the opposite of Daniel.

Ginny and Blaise (still married): 35 and 36

Adriana Thorn Zabini:

Date of Birth: February 9, 2005

Age: 11

Year: First

House: Slytherin

Description: She looks like her mother but she has her father's violet eyes. Adrianna is very quiet and studious with a wicked streak.

Rayne Andria and Shyne Alexandria Zabini:

Date of Birth: June 6, 2006 (twins)

Ages: 10

Future Houses: Hufflepuff

Rayne and Shyne are fraternal twins. Rayne looks a lot like her father but she has her mother's blue eyes. Shyne, on the other hand, looks like Ginny but she has Blaise's violet eyes. Rayne, contrary to her name is very bubly and up-beat whereas Shyne is rather morbid and cynical.

Andre Blaise Zabini: Date of Birth: July 7, 2007

Age: 9

Future House: Ravenclaw

Description: He has his father's curly black hair streaked with his mother's red and he has one violet eye and one blue eye. He is very shy and studious, he doesn't make friends easily.

Ron and Riley (divorced): 35 almost 36 and 36

Lily Luna and James Charlis Weasley:

Date of Birth: July 9, 2000 (twins)

Ages: 16

Years: Sixth

Houses: Gryffindor

Descriptions: Lily looks a lot like her dad except she has her mother's bright green eyes giving her a bit of resemblance to the original Lily, her grandmother. James, on the other hand, is a spitting image of his grandfather but he has Ron's brown eyes. Both have famously hot tempers but other then that they are different. Like her namesake Lily is studious and modest although she is a closet Quiddech fanatic. James is loud, boistrous, and a little arrogant. He is also a bit of a flirt but knows better then to just lead girls on.

Remus John and Sirius Orion Weasley:

Date of Birth: June 11, 2002 (twins)

Ages: 14

Years: Fourth

Houses: Slytherin

Descriptions: Both of them have their mother's messy black hair and Ron's brown eyes. Other then that they look like Ron. They're identical in looks and personality. They're generally outgoing and loud and when they're quiet and plotting nothing good comes of it.

Rose Riley and Charles Ron Weasley:

Date of Birth: September 29, 2003 (twins)

Ages: 12, almost 13

Years: Second

Houses: Ravenclaw

Descriptions: Rose and Charles both have red hair and green eyes. Except for the hair and freckles they look like Riley. Both of them are quiet and studious and perhaps even a little cynical.

Mistletoe Nymphadora and Chrysanthemum Andromeda Weasley:

Date of Birth: December 24, 2005 (twins)

Ages: 10

Future Houses: Hufflepuff

Descriptions: Both of them have rather nasty tempers some times and can be somewhat irritable. Unfortunately for Riley they inherited what seems like ten times the dirty mouth both she and Ron had at that age. However, the two have a rather dry, sarcastic sense of humor that brightens everyone up. They hate their names and will tell anyone who listens that their mother was too high on Muggle pain-relieving medications to think propperly. They would rather be Misty and Chryssie or Mist and Chryss, thank-you-very-much. Mist looks like her father but she has her mother's hair and eyes, Chryss looks like her mother but she has her father's hair and eyes.

Ron and Lavender (still married): both 36

Lotus Lavender Weasley:

Date of Birth: January 23, 2010

Age: 6

Description: Other then her father's red hair she's the spitting immage of blonde-haired, blue-eyed Lavender. She's a little diva who always has to have her way. A bit of a brat, really.

Raymond Ronald Weasley:

Date of Birth: December 6, 2013

Age: 2

Description: He is a fat, strawberry blond baby with dark blue eyes and Ron's looks so far. He's very fussy and temperamental.

Draco and Astoria Malfoy:

Cassiopeia Astoria Malfoy:

Date of Birth: January 31, 2001

Age: 15

Year: Fifth

House: Ravenclaw

Description: She looks like a female Draco except she has her mother's light brown hair. She's outgoing and a bit loud but very studious all the same. She's not into Quiddich, though.

Scorpius Hypirian Malfoy:

Date of Birth: November 27, 2003

Age: 13

Year: Third

House: Gryffindor

Description: Scorpius looks just like his father except he has his mother's blue-green eyes. He's the typical Gryff, bold and brash.

Lyra Narcissa and Nova Andromeda Malfoy:

Date of Birth: May 1, 2005 (twins)

Ages: 11

Years: First

Houses: Slytherin

Descriptions: Both twins look like their mother except they have their father's gray eyes. They're quiet and sneaky but make good friends. Orion Lucius Malfoy:

Date of Birth: July 5, 2007

Age: 9

Future House: Ravenclaw

DESCRIPTION: Orion looks like his mother except he has his father's hair. He is quiet and studius but at the same time can be a little annoying.

Regulus Draconus Malfoy:

Date of Birth: October 1, 2008

Age: 7

Future House: Gryffindor

Description: Regulus looks like his father except he has his mother's brown hair. He is much like Scorpius in personality, bold and brash as well as rambunctious.

Neville and Luna: both 35

Artemis Lunaria Longbottom:

Date of Birth: October 10, 2010

Age: 5

Future House: Gryffindor

Description: She is her mother's spitting immage except she has Neville's wavy, dark brown hair. She is dreamy and serene like Luna but loves plants and the earth like Neville.


	92. Ziamara

Ziamara Black

An attempt to write… I don't know… some weird Emperor's New School fic where Zim and Zam have an older sister who's magically OP and yeah… One of my most insane and questionable old fics. Mercifully for you, this is the last in my compelation of random garbage! Read, laugh, flame, Whatever! Hopefully, I'll get to some more serious writing soon! TTFN!

Chapter One: Kuzco Academy

"Zim, Zam, Ziamara, get down here!" here goes, my old wrinkly fossil of an aunt calling us down for some dastardly duty or something stupid like that. Aaaand, _cue_ the poppity-pop and the grey smoke as me and my little brothers appear all of the sudden in her evil lab thingy.

"Yes, Aunt Yzma?" we chimed in monotone.

"I have the _perfect_ way to become empress now!" she said with a mad chuckle.

"Because your _last_ 568 planns went _so_ _well!"_ I said, my voice oozing with sarcasm.

"Be quiet, young lady. This is _PEEEEERFECT!"_ she said. "First, we use a potion to turn Kuzco into a slug. After that, we lure the slug-Kuzco to something sweet and sugary. After that, we _squash!_ It's brilliant brilliant _BRILLIANT!"_

"Yaaaawn!" I said, rubbing at the corners of my eyes.

"Hmmm, you're right, Ziamara. Now here's my _brilliant_ plan. Zim, Zam, you will go to Kuzco Primary School and make friends with the children that he lives with. Find out anything you can, his strengths, his weaknesses...you get the picture. Ziamara, you will go to Kuzco academy. Become friends, flirt, make him fall in love and then _break_ his heart so he'll be too distraught to rule. It's brilliant brilliant _BRILLIANT!"_

"Yes, Aunt Yzma." Zim and Zam said.

"_WHAT?_ That mundane-filled fleabag of a school? Aunt Yzma, I'm going to Azz Tech already, it's _so_ much better." I protested.

"I am _principal_ of Kuzco Academy. You will go their and that is _final!"_

"I'm almost sixteen, you can't make these decisions for me. Plus, you're only the principal because _you_ are an _outcast._ _ I_ will not be." I snapped.

"You will do as I command, Ziamara Althea Black! According to your parents' will and to kingdom law I can make decisions for you until you are eighteen so you will do what I say. If you get it done by the end of the year, you may transfer back to Azz Tech."

"Fine." I said with a sigh but then muttered, "Stupid sorceress." before popping out of the room and back to my bedroom. I sighed, Aunt Yzma was so annoying sometimes especially since her magic was inherently dark but she didn't quite have the brains to use it for dark purposes. Our parents were very different, a dark and a light magician joined together in love making Zim, Zam, and I half-dark, half-light. All magicians stand out because of our pale skin and the strange things that always happen around us. Dark magicians fit in more because of their black, dark brown, or dark red hair in youth. Light magicians like Mom, however, either have blonde, light brown, or flaming red hair. Zim and Zam take after Dad except for their eyes which they got from Mom. They're tall for their age, skinny, and have black hair with Mom's blue eyes. The paler the skin of a magician the more powerful they are. Theirs is pale but not quite as pale as mine which is like pure white snow or clay or marble. They have round faces giving off the perfect picture of innocence. They are better at black magic then white magic. Aunt Yzma is displeased because my strength has proven to be white magic like my mom. I'm tall and willowy like her too with her round face, high cheekbones, and full, pink lips. The only thing I got from Dad are my eyes which are a stormy grey. Aunt Yzma isn't really our aunt, she's our great-aunt, Dad's mother's older sister. She's taken care of us since Mom and Dad died in a cart accident when I was thirteen and Zim and Zam were seven. Now I'm almost sixteen and Zim and Zam are ten. Stupid Aunt Yzma, why did she have to be our only living relative who would take in two "mixed-magic" children? Nooo, none of Mom's _light_ relatives would take in two "dark-magician spawns". Aunt Yzma was so mad that she almost cursed Mom's family to produce dims now and forever. Dims are magicless people born into magical families. I'll turn sixteen next month and then my path will be decided, whether or not I am a light or dark sorceress. Hopefully, if only to get away from my aunt, I hope I'm light. One thing I would hate to be is a grey sorceress. Grey magicians fit nowhere, their magic is neither dark nor light and their looks change to reflect that. Though Aunt Yzma is kind of dark, she's still considered a grey sorceress. Greys are the ugliest of us all. They're bony, skinny, and somewhat crazy. I guess I forgot to mention that when a magician's power settles their looks change a bit to reflect that. Greys are outcasts, forced to live amongst the mundane, ordinary people without magic. No magician born to two dark parents can become light, no magician born to two light parents can become dark, but their's a chance of becoming either or if you have one parent who is dark and one who is light as well as if you have one or two grey parents. Also, children born into both dark and light families can become grey.

The next morning I was all dressed up and ready to go, yip-yip, _NOT._

"Ugh, I _HATE_ that I have to go to this mundane hellhole." I groaned as I looked at myself in the mirror. My blonde hair was back in a braid with scarlet and gold beads in it and a pair of gold hoops hung from my ears. The gold locket with the onyx stone in the middle from my parents with a family photo was around my neck. At least the uniform was cute. The sweater had a slightly swooping neckline and was cream trimmed in gold. I made sure to have my family crest stitched onto the pocket it had. The skirt was red trimmed in gold with a little gold tie and the shoes that I had chosen were a pair of red slip-ons with a gold butterfly on the toes. I sighed and snapped my fingers, appearing in front of the school. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and entered, going into my aunt's office.

"Oh Auntie Yyyyyzma!" I hollered, laughing at her alias.

"Quiet, stupid girl, I'm Amzy here." she hissed.

"Riiiiight. Anyway, Auntie dearest, I need my schedule." I said, twirling a loose piece of hair.

"Fine. Ziamara Althea Black, you have Mr. Mulliguako other then art, music, and gym." she said.

"Ugh, what a po-dunk school. It's like being in Kindergarten again!" I moaned. "_ONE_ _TEACHER?"_

"It's _KUZCOGARTEN,_ named after the next emperor of the mundane. Soon, though, it will be _YZMAGARTEN!_ Mwahahahahaaa!"

"Yaaawwwn, like a grey sorceress like you could overthrow him. Plus, you'll just give the seat to Zim or Zam when you die anyway, I'm too _light_ for you. Anyway, I'm still in line to be empress of the magic isles even if I _am_ a mixed-magic sorceress. Zim and Zam only have rights to the shadowlands since I am the oldest and it doesn't matter the gender. I'll see you later, Auntie Grey." I said before snatching the schedule and running off. Aunt Yzma _HATES_ being called Aunty Grey. I sighed, my locker was Number Thirteen, lucky me. I finally found it and threw it open, stuffing my books inside except for my Language Arts book.

"Hey!" came a friendly voice from my left. I jumped and slammed my door.

"Aaargh, don't scare me like that, mundane!" I snapped.

"Mundane?" asked the girl. She had long black hair, dark brown eyes, and dark skin, totally a mundane.

"Um...sorry about that. I'm new." I said.

"Oh, nice to meet you. Say, you look kind of different. Are you from another country?"

"In a sense...another culture...I'm a mixed sorceress." I said. It was all right to tell the mundane about us, we weren't exactly keeping ourselves secret.

"A _mixed_ sorceress? I've never heard of that." she said.

"I know, I'm special...haha. My dad was a dark sorcerer and my mom was a light sorceress. They died in a cart accident a few years ago."

"That's aweful." she said.

"Yeah. My little brothers and I live with our grey great aunt now."

"I'm Malina, what's your name?" she asked.

"Ziamara Black. _ Please_ just call me Ziah, though." I said with a shrug.

"All right, Ziah. So what do you have first?"

"Language arts." I said.

"Cool, so do I. Want me to show you the way?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice. My aunt made me transfer here from Azz Tech, stupid Aunt Yzma."

"_WHAT?_ You mean Yzma is your _AUNT?"_ Malina asked.

"Yeah, she drives me _bonkers._ She's one of the crazy greys if you know what I mean. And technically in school hours she's _Aunt_ _AMZY._ I told you she was nuts." I said with a shrug.


End file.
